nothing of the war in the east； of course； but there are things
here that must be hard to beat。 Happily they will soon get
justice done to them by an abler pen than mine。 I hear that
Kipling is to follow me upon this ground； nothing can be imagined
more congenial to his extraordinary power of vivid rendering than
this struggle against cliffs； avalanches； frost and the
Austrian。
To go the Italian round needs； among other things； a good head。
Everywhere it has been necessary to make roads where hitherto
there have been only mule tracks or no tracks at all； the roads
are often still in the making； and the automobile of the war
tourist skirts precipices and takes hairpin bends upon tracks of
loose metal not an inch too broad for the operation； or it floats
for a moment over the dizzy edge while a train of mule transport
blunders by。 The unruly imagination of man's heart （which is
〃only evil continually〃） speculates upon what would be the
consequences of one good bump from the wheel of a mule cart。
Down below； the trees that one sees through a wisp of cloud look
far too small and spiky and scattered to hold out much hope for a
fallen man of letters。 And at the high positions they are too
used to the vertical life to understand the secret feelings of
the visitor from the horizontal。 General Bompinani； whose
writings are well known to all English students of military
matters； showed me the Gibraltar he is making of a great mountain
system east of the Adige。
〃Let me show you；〃 he said； and flung himself on to the edge of
the precipice into exactly the position of a lady riding side…
saddle。 〃You will find it more comfortable to sit down。〃
But anxious as I am abroad not to discredit my country by
unseemly exhibitions I felt unequal to such gymnastics without a
proper rehearsal at a lower level。 I seated myself carefully at
a yard （perhaps it was a couple of yards） from the edge； advanced
on my trousers without dignity to the verge； and so with an
effort thrust my legs over to dangle in the crystalline
air。
〃That；〃 proceeded General Bompiani； pointing with a giddy
flourish of his riding whip； 〃is Monte Tomba。〃
I swayed and half…extended my hand towards him。 But he was still
theresitting； so to speak； on the half of himself。。。。 I was
astonished that he did not disappear abruptly during his
exposition。。。。
2
The fighting man in the Dolomites has been perhaps the most
wonderful of all these separate campaigns。 I went up by
automobile as far as the clambering new road goes up the flanks
of Tofana No。 2； thence for a time by mule along the flank of
Tofana No。 1； and thence on foot to the vestiges of the famous
Castelletto。
The aspect of these mountains is particularly grim and wicked；
they are worn old mountains； they tower overhead in enormous
vertical cliffs of sallow grey； with the square jointings and
occasional clefts and gullies； their summits are toothed and
jagged； the path ascends and passes round the side of the
mountain upon loose screes； which descend steeply to a lower wall
of precipices。 In the distance rise other harsh and desolate…
looking mountain masses； with shining occasional scars of old
snow。 Far below is a bleak valley of stunted pine trees through
which passes the road of the Dolomites。
As I ascended the upper track two bandages men were coming down
on led mules。 It was mid…August； and they were suffering from
frostbite。 Across the great gap between the summits a minute
traveller with some provisions was going up by wire to some post
upon the crest。 For everywhere upon the icy pinnacles are
observation posts directing the fire of the big guns on the
slopes below； or machine…gun stations； or little garrisons that
sit and wait through the bleak days。 Often they have no link
with the world below but a precipitous climb or a 〃teleferic〃
wire。 Snow and frost may cut them off absolutely for weeks from
the rest of mankind。 The sick and wounded must begin their
journey down to help and comfort in a giddy basket that swings
down to the head of the mule track below。
Originally all these crests were in Austrian hands； they were
stormed by the Alpini under almost incredible conditions。 For
fifteen days； for example； they fought their way up these screes
on the flanks of Tofana No。 2 to the ultimate crags； making
perhaps a hundred metres of ascent each day； hiding under rocks
and in holes in the daylight and receiving fresh provisions and
ammunition and advancing by night。 They were subjected to rifle
fire； machine…gun fire and bombs of a peculiar sort； big iron
balls of the size of a football filled with explosive that were
just flung down the steep。 They dodged flares and star shells。
At one place they went up a chimney that would be far beyond the
climbing powers of any but a very active man。 It must have been
like storming the skies。 The dead and wounded rolled away often
into inaccessible ravines。 Stray skeletons； rags of uniform；
fragments of weapons； will add to the climbing interest of these
gaunt masses for many years to come。 In this manner it was that
Tofana No。 2 was taken。
Now the Italians are organising this prize； and I saw winding up
far above me on the steep grey slope a multitudinous string of
little things that looked like black ants； each carrying a small
bright yellow egg。 They were mules bringing back balks of
timber。。。。
But one position held out invincibly； this was the Castelletto； a
great natural fortress of rock standing out at an angle of the
mountain in such a position that it commanded the Italian
communications （the Dolomite road） in the valley below； and
rendered all their positions uncomfortable and insecure。 This
obnoxious post was practically inaccessible either from above or
below； and it barred the Italians even from looking into the Val
Travenanzes which it defended。 It was； in fact； an impregnable
position； and against it was pitted the invincible 5th Group of
the Alpini。 It was the old problem of the irresistible force in
conflict with the immovable object。 And the outcome has been the
biggest military mine in all history。
The business began in January； 1916； with surveys of the rock in
question。 The work of surveying for excavations； never a very
simple one； becomes much more difficult when the site is occupied
by hostile persons with machine guns。 In March； as the winter's
snows abated； the boring machinery began to arrive； by mule as
far as possible and then by hand。 Altogether about half a
kilometre of gallery had to be made to the mine chamber； and
meanwhile the explosive was coming up load by load and resting
first here； then there； in discreetly chosen positions。 There
were at the last thirty…five tons of it in the inner chamber。
And while the boring machines bored and the work went on；
Lieutenant Malvezzi was carefully working out the problem of 〃il
massimo effetto dirompimento〃 and deciding exactly how to pack
and explode his little hoard。 On the eleventh of July； at 3。30；
as he rejoices to state in his official report； 〃the mine
responded perfectly both in respect of the calculations made and
of the practical effects；〃 that is to say； the Austrians were
largely missing and the Italians were in possession of the crater
of the Castelletto and looking down the Val Travenanzes from
which they had been barred for so long。 Within a month things
had been so tidied up； and secured by further excavations and
sandbags against hostile fire； that even a middle…aged English
writer； extremely fagged and hot and breathless； could enjoy the
same privilege。 All this； you must understand； had gone on at a
level to which the ordinary tourist rarely climbs； in a rarefied；
chest…tightening atmosphere； with wisps of clouds floating in the
clear air below and club…huts close at hand。。。。
Among these mountains avalanches are frequent； and they come down
regardless of human strategy。 In many cases the trenches cross
avalanche tracks； they and the men in them are periodically swept
away and periodically replaced。 They are positions that must be
held； if the Italians will not face such sacrifices； the
Austrians will。 Avalanches and frostbite have slain and disabled
their thousands； they have accounted perhaps for as many Italians
in this austere and giddy campaign as the Austrians。。。。
3
It seems to be part of the stern resolve of Fate that this； the
greatest of wars； shall be the least glorious； it is manifestly
being decided not by victories but by blunders。 It is indeed a
history of colossal stupidities。 Among the most decisive of
these blunders； second only perhaps of the blunder of the Verdun
attack and far outshining the wild raid of the British towards
Bagdad； was the blunder of the Trentino offensive。 It does not
need the equipment of a military expert； it demands only quite
ordinary knowledge and average intelligence； to realise the folly
of that Austrian adventure。 There is some justification for a
claim that the decisive battle of the war was fought upon the
soil of Italy。 There is still more justification for saying that
it might have been。
There was only one good point about the Austrian thrust。 No one
could have foretold it。 And it did so completely surprise the
Italians as to catch them without any prepared line of positions
in the rear。 On the very eve of the big Russian offensive； the
Austrians thrust eighteen divisions hard at the Trentino
frontier。 The Italian posts were then in Austrian territory；
they held on the left wing and the right； but they were driven by
the sheer weight of men and guns in the centre； they lost guns
and prisoners because of the difficulty of mountain retreats to
which I have alluded； and the Austrians pouring through reached
not indeed the plain of Venetia； but to the upland valleys
immediately above it； to Asiago and Arsiero。 They probably saw
the Venetian plain through gaps in the hills； but they were still
separated from it even at Arsiero by what are mountains to an
English eye； mountains as high as Snowdon。 But the Italians of
such beautiful old places and Vicenza； Marostica； and Bassano
could watch the Austrian shells burst