re leaving a trail of oil and petrol behind us。 What a relief it was when the boulders suddenly disappeared； giving way to a stretch of plain where the only obstacles were clumps of bushes。 But there was worse to come。 Just ahead of us there was a huge fissure。 In response to renewed pleadings； Bruce stopped。 Though we all got out to examine the fissure； he
remained in the car。 We informed him that the fissure extended for fifty yards and was two feet wide and four feet deep。 Even this had no effect。 Bruce engaged low gear and drove at a terrifying speed； keeping the front wheels astride the crack as he followed its zig…zag course。 Before we had time to worry about what might happen； we were back on the plain again。 Bruce consulted the map once more and told us that the village was now only fifteen miles away。 Our next obstacle was a shallow pool of water about half a mile across。 Bruce charged at it； but in the middle； the car came to a grinding halt。 A yellow light on the dash… board flashed angrily and Bruce cheerfully announced that there was no oil in the engine！
Lesson40 Who鈥檚 who
It has never been explained why university students seem to enjoy practical jokes more than anyone else。 Students specialize in a particular type of practical joke： the hoax。 Inviting the fire…brigade to put out a non…existent fire is a crude form of deception which no self…respecting student would ever indulge in； Students often create amusing situations which are funny to everyone except the victims。 When a student recently saw two workmen using a pneumatic drill outside his university； he immediately telephoned the police and informed them that two students dressed up as workmen were tearing up the road with a pneumatic drill。 As soon as he had hung up； he went over to the workmen and told them that if a policeman ordered them to go away； they were not to take him seriously。 He added that a student had dressed up as a policeman and was playing all sorts of silly jokes on people。 Both the police and the workmen were grateful to the student for this piece of advance information。
The student hid in an archway nearby where he could watch and hear everything that went on。 Sure enough； a policeman arrived on the scene and politely asked the workmen to go away。 When he received a very rude reply from one of the workmen； he threatened to remove them by force。 The workmen told him to do as he pleased and the policeman telephoned for help。 Shortly afterwards； four more policemen arrived and remonstrated with the workmen。 As the men refused to stop working； the police attempted to seize the pneumatic drill。 The workmen struggled fiercely and one of them lost his temper。 He threatened to call the police。 At this； the police pointed out ironically that this would hardly be necessary as the men were already under arrest。 Pretending to speak seriously； one of the workmen asked if he might make a telephone call before being taken
to the station。 Permission was granted and a policeman accompanied him to a call…box。 Only when he saw that the man was actually telephoning the police did he realize that they had all been the victims of a hoax。
Lesson41 Illusions of Pastoral peace
The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me。 City born and city bred； I have always regarded the country as something you look at through a train window； or something you occasionally visit during the week…end。 Most of my friends live in the city； yet they always go into raptures at the mere mention of the country。 Though they extol the virtues of the peaceful life； only one of them has ever gone to live in the country and he was back in town within six months。 Even
he still lives under the illusion that country life is somehow superior to town life。 He is forever talking about the friendly people； the clean atmosphere； the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living。 Nothing can be compared； he maintains； with the first cock crow； the twittering of birds at dawn； the sight of the rising sun glinting on the trees and pastures。 This idyllic pastoral scene is
only part of the picture。 My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings which are interrupted only by an occasional visit to the local cinema…virtually the only form of entertainment。 He says nothing about the poor selection of goods in the shops； or about those unfortunate people who have to travel from the country to the city every day to get to work。 Why people are prepared to tolerate a four hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond my ken。 They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong。
If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country； you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer。 You never have to travel miles to see your friends。 They invariably live nearby and are always available for an informal chat or an evening's entertainment。 Some of my acquaintances in the country come up to town once or twice a year to visit the theatre as a special treat。 For them this is a major operation which involves considerable planning。 As the play draws to its close； they wonder whether they will ever catch that last train home。 The city dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort。 The latest exhibitions； films； or plays are only a short bus ride away。 Shopping； too； is always a pleasure。 There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best。 Country people run wild when they go shopping in the city and stagger home loaded with as many of the necessities of life as they can carry。 Nor is the city without its moments of beauty。 There is something comforting about the warm glow shed by advertisements on cold wet winter nights。 Few things could be more impressive than the peace that descends on deserted city streets at week…ends when the thousands that travel to work every
day are tucked a way in their homes in the country。 It has always been a mystery to me why city dwellers； who appreciate all these things； obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country。
Lesson42 Modern Cavemen
Cave exploration； or potholing； as it has come to be known； is a relatively new sport。 Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures men down to the depths of the earth。 It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot…holer's motives。 For him； caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains have for the climber。 They arouse instincts which can only be dimly understood。 Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler。 Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations。 It can take as long as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases before a descent can be made into a very deep cave。 Precautions of this sort are necessary； for it is impossible to foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the potholer。 The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre Berger near Grenoble。 It extends to a depth of 3723 feet。 This immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream which has tunnelled a course through a flaw in the rocks。 The entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps。 As it is only six feet across； it is barely noticeable。 The cave might never have been discovered had not the entrance been spotted by the distinguished French potholer； Berger。 Since its discovery； it has become a sort of potholers' Everest。 Though a number of descents have been made； much of it still remains to be explored。
A team of potholers recently went down the Gouffre Berger。 After entering the narrow gap on the plateau； they climbed down the steep sides of the cave until they came to a narrow corridor。 They had to edge their way along this； sometimes wading across shallow streams； or swimming across deep pools。 Suddenly they came to a waterfall which dropped into an underground lake at the bottom of the cave。 They plunged into the lake； and after loading their gear on an inflatable rubber dinghy； let the current carry them to the other side。 To protect themsel