The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-10-27

SDIlehAak OF a LfGQltluA opt---s-+.o ~
among motorists TO the effect that all
the roads in France are good, and that
most OF them in Great Britain are bad
Experience in lesser known parts
proves otherwise, it being doubtful i
in Great Britain anything worse than
many OF the important military nigh
ways about the frontier regions OF
France could be met with.
1t has been necessary for US to take
great care TO avoid chills, but despite
precautionary measures, none came
unscathed through the tour, the mdis-
position proving particularly trying
owing to the severe physical strain.
Turin, where sleep has been impossible
for heat, has been left at fve O'Clock N
the morning in the lightese possible at
tire. Within three hours the car mas
climbed like cat up among the white
peaks. There all available wrappings
have had to be donned and snoW-pall-
ing has had to be INDUCED in to insure
good circulation. Sometimes we nave
experienced bleeding Of the nose owing
to the raerfied air at great heights.
Again a day spent in mounting no
fewer than six passes OF an average
height of nearly six thousand rect
above sea level ended in descent TO
Nice, which appeared strangely unpeo-
pied at so fine a season of the year, but
wisely SO when the heat is borne IN
mind Ye have lunehed late In Greno-
bic, craving for breath OF cool air,
and slightly shivered as the evening
breeze was felt at the Lauteret. The
most refreshing slunbers are those
that come when the nights are spent
on the nights. as at the Petit st. Ber-
! nard and st. Pierre de la Grande Char
treuse. But in the hottest part Of the
/ day it has been always possible to en-
Joy cool, refreshing breeze epen when
mot actually on the heights simply by
seeking out the valleys along which the
mouneain streams rush rapidly.
| 1 have raced at more than ninety
/ four miles an hour for long strides IN
Germany on the fastest car vet built,
and find that the feeling Of exhilara-
tion experienced is as nothing COM
pared with that of mountaineering on
\ a motor car. In the one case there are
air baths and joltings in relation to the
nature of the road surface trayersed
i and the speed attained; in the other
there is a series of exercises that run
! the gamut of the differential scale.
4 we have not had one hundred kilome-
tehs of straight stretches since enter
ing the mountain region. As real
test for a touring car, such as the Cor
dom Bennett race is designed TO be.
/ that event is not to be compared with
a day among the mountains, where
/ car is put to work such as In less de-
gree 1t might reasonably be expected
to work on any and every day Of the
| week. Since setting forth We have
j. never ceased to go up hill or down dale
q For test Of skilful driving nothing
1 can equal these great passes The
three most famous sites for hill-climh-
4 ing competitions on the continent
Mont Gents, Laffey ad nVentoux-
have chen negotiated, proving mere
child's play in comparison with many
Of the passes we crossed To make thu
4 desired distance among the Alps 1t has
been necessary to cross aud recross oul
tracks, ana pass frontiers time anc
i again. Moreover, ito insure the cal
achieving ascents from the most diff
cult sides of the passes some noun
tains have been climbed from both ap,
proaches such as Galibier, the highes
roadway in Europe. In every suct
case 1t was found that the most diff
cult approach was that chosen for ths
first ascent, 5s
Were 1t possible to ascend a noun
, tain merely by driving up gradien
cut along it's side there would be littl
!, difficulty for the motorist But thu
tracks are narrow. the mountain fall
sheer away at the outer edge, there ar
! more generally than not turnlngs tor
abrupt to be taken without backing a
intervals, while there are bends every
flew yards round which it is impossible
J Ito see till they are actually taken, ant
: lit is the southern continental custom t
. tgo to sleep when driving as soon as tn
. | town is left We had only come 81.
and twenty kiIometers from Barcelo
J nette along the Col de Valkelaye on
, morning when on cautiously rounding
! an unguarded bend of the pass a tire
) horse diligence, whose sleeping drive
| and two passengers had been Needles
i of our constantly sounding horn, wa
{ ION us. Quick as thought the brake
) were applied The car stopped almos
i instantly and the reverse was ralnmei
t in with jerk. The two poles Of tn
; vehicle were within foot of chargini
} the bonnet as the car began to NOV
: backward, not round the curve, bu
: straight toward the sheer drop owe
. the verge. Happily our shouts hal
awaqened the driver. who applied hi
$ powerful brakes in time to give us
$ lmatter of inches to spare. Happily
e too, the track widened further on $
!, il was just possible to squeeze past, tn
] diligence, of course taking the lime
side. despite the French rule Of tn
e road. On another occasion mule too
the notion Of shying after passing tn
4 car. the result being nothing more sc
: rious than a broken mudguard for our
i selves. When ascending the Col d
e Trois Croix, mule that had espied Y
r from afar, came boiling down the pas
r with cart in which was a woman
il The animal, which appeared to b
0 looking only at the car made straigf
for the edge of the path, but, with tn
e cunning of its kind, pulled up dead o
f the very verge and stood stock still fc
n some moments until we had passed b!
r Despite the fact that we have bee
n driving for twelve and fourteen hour
., or1t1a lyrf