C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

133G?ADa"A most wonderful and full day."Such is the entry in my diary at the head of the next day's chronicle. So much,or so little rapture did I allow myself to express over our triumphant arrival onthe height of land. For it was triumphant, even though we were unwashed andunkempt and our upper garments were still wet and we had slept in our clothesfor nine long nights."I do believe that you enjoyed pigging it," was the comment of our familieswhen, eventually, we had returned home and were describing the scenery, thebeauty, the difficulties and the conditions of our journey up the Rat. Theoutstanding fact to them was that we could not undress to sleep and how could weever explain that, in our great enterprise, such discomforts were only a means toan end? We gave up the attempt. We would change the subject and describe themagnificent physique of Lazarus, the satisfying power of small lumps ofpemmican, the aspect of the rapids or other such aspects of our journey thatwould appear to them strange without being squalid.As a matter of fact we were beginning to feel extremely dirty and longed toresume our habitual morning and evening wash, but we had not hitherto found amosquito-free camp where we could undress, step into the river and begin toremove what we felt was the dirt of ages.On the morning of our arrival at the summit, clouds were low on the mountains,mosquitoes were more ferocious than ever and after a chilly, wakeful nightwe were not feeling, physically, at the top of our form. Mentally we were lords ofthe world, were conquerors, we were unconquerable, or so we felt as we began to