Gemona to Udine—Final stage of official journey—Regrets—Arrival
at Udine—List of recommended lodgings—My room—My landlady
an Austrian woman—I pay my respects to General Cafarelli—My
friend Dr. Berthod—My old studio at the Agrario—The Isonzo
Front—Many rumours—Off on our biggest trip; 245 kilometres
in the car—Roads excellent and well-looked after—A great
change—Cormons quite an Italian town—Same with other towns in
conquered territory—Observatory on Monte Quarin—A splendid
bird’s-eye view—The plain of Friuli—Podgora—The Carso—The hum of
aeroplanes—The Isonzo Sector—The immense difficulties—Received
by the General—A pleasant _goûter_—Lieutenant Nathan, Ex-Mayor
of Rome—The Subida lines of trenches—Explanation of Italian
successes everywhere—Caporetto via Tolmino—A desolate region—Road
along the Isonzo—The mighty limestone cliffs of Monte Nero—The
great exploit of its capture recalled—One mountain road very
much like another—Nothing to sketch—Perfect organization—The fog
of dust—Caporetto—Not allowed to motor beyond—Important strategic
operations—Monte Rombon—Difficulty to locate Austrian guns—A
glimpse of Plezzo—The situation here—Excursion to Gradisca via
Palmanova, a semi-French town—Romans—Curious rearrangement of
cars—Only two allowed proceed to Gradisca under fire—The Italian
batteries at work—The deserted streets—The “observatory” room—The
iron screens—View of Monte San Michele being bombarded—Stroll
through the town—A big shell—Excursion to Cervignano, Aquileia and
Grado—Peaceful country-side—Grado the Austrian Ostend—Fish-lunch
at a café—The town continually bombarded by aircraft—Arrival
of Beaumont, the French airman—Conclusion of official tour of
Front—No permission given for correspondents to remain—Success of
tour—Comments on organization, etc. 131