a large party would be under
very critical observation wherever we went. I had really no authority
over the men beyond that which they were willing that I should
exercise. The individuals of the party were not specially selected,
but I felt perfect confidence that we should have no trouble,
although I was naturally very much teased by members of "C" mess (p. 217)
who prophesied that I should lose some men in Paris, some in
Marseilles and some in Rome, and my friends even went so far as to
declare that they doubted whether I should ever come back myself. We
were favoured with glorious weather, and travelled by daylight the
whole length of the Riviera. The utmost good humour prevailed, and the
glorious view of the blue Mediterranean on one side, with that of the
romantic mountains on the other, drove from our minds all
uncomfortable memories of the war. In fact we seemed to get into
another world.

The train arrived at Pisa at about nine o'clock p.m. and was to wait
there for three hours, so we all got out and had some supper and
started off to see the famous leaning tower by moonlight. The sudden
appearance of British troops in the quaint old town caused quite a
sensation, and the people came out of the cafes to see us and a mob
followed us wherever we went. We were of course pounced upon by the
vendors of souvenirs, and a number of the men came back to the station
carrying alabaster leaning towers under their arms. I warned the party
about the danger of loading themselves with such heavy and brittle
mementos, for we had still a long journey before us. The wisdom of my
warning was apparent later on, for on leaving Rome the alabaster
towers had begun to lean so much that they could no longer stand up. A
shelf full of leaning towers propped up one against another, looking
as if they had just partaken of an issue of rum, was left in the
hotel. We journeyed all night, some of the men sleeping on the seats,
some on the floor, and some in the hatracks overhead, and in the
morning amid intense excitement we arrived at the station in Rome. I
had been able to get a shave and clean up in the train, so on arrival
was ready to go and hunt for a hotel. I told the men, however, to find
their way to the Leave Club and make themselves presentable and that I
would return for them as soon as possible. After securing billets in
the Hotel Bristol, I went back for the party. Although I knew the men
would want to go about the city by thems