nearly full moon was a big help. Some groups have crossed in such darkness that they couldn’t see their footing at all and had to hold on to the coat of the man ahead in order to keep in contact. The length of the trip is caused by the need to skirt all frontier gendarme and non-intervention posts. Sometimes you have to avoid a good road (actually we avoided all roads) and go up and down a mountain to get to the other side of it, instead of simply circling it. The last peak was a 5,ooo-foot climb over loose and jagged rock, through thick stiff underbrush, etc. And we had to race against sunrise to get over without being seen. I carried a 165-pound guy practically by myself that whole climb. Christ! when we crossed the line we almost cried for happi- ness——some people did cry and I had a hell of a job restrain- ing myself. A i

I came through in swell shape, only a bit stiff. I’m the only one in our group who didn’t go to bed today——I didn’t need it and I’ll go early tonight. For a while we were afraid that the need to carry the cripples would make us too late to beat the sunrise——and it was a real desperate race.

Never did I see so many stars——and the moon glistened white on the towering snow-capped peaks while down below in the valley the lights of the little French towns made a

, pattern that was really lovely. i

We rest up here for a day or two (are compelled to do so by the authorities in spite of our plea to be allowed ‘to proceed at once to our base) and while here get some pre- liminary training. Within a few days we’l1 proceed to the main place.

Ive got to start to learn Spanish. Bates promised to or- ganize a good class in it. Incidentally, he’s also going to start a paper for the English-speaking columns. He strikes. me as a real guy. Our main guide was a marvellous speci- men. Perfect rhythmic, measured stride, effortless, never

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