Pavese and the car and left about midday on our return journey. After passing Eupoli and Pisa, we lunched in the pine woods near Viareggio.

“From La Spezia, we telephoned to Fiorenza that we should be back in time for dinner. The drive back over the Baracco Pass was most beautiful and we had glorious views from the top. We reached Santa Margherita about 7 P.M. and found the Gopis all looking well and beautiful. They thought we all looked rather exhausted. Herbert and I got a bath in, before dinner.

"After this trip we made several day excursions to San Fruttuoso, Portofino, Vella*, etc. We went one whole day to San Fruttuoso in a motorboat, taking lunch and tea. Another lovely picnic was one to P. Vela [sic]* in a yellow and red caravan drawn by horses. As we ascended the hills singing, playing the gramophone, decorated with flowers, the country people must have well thought we were the 'Mad English'.

"That day I made a mistake by urging Baba to lunch on the top of the hill, when he wished it earlier. This is one of the instances where one learns to obey instantly, after an experience of this kind. I hope not to make the same mistake again. But try as one will, there is always a catch.

"The 17th of August came and it was our last day in Fiorenza. We were sad to leave after such a happy and beautiful time with Baba. We had one last bath that afternoon. We left Santa Margherita that evening; such a cavalcade of carriages and of luggage has rarely been seen on the Ligurian coast. The progress to the station was almost royal. I counted 32 pieces of luggage at the station. All this was piled into the train, and we after it (standing most of the way).

"At Genoa we changed — more confusion. We travelled in a crowded third-class compartment to Milan, where Enid Corfe joined us. It was rather fun. Baba seemed to enjoy this journey immensely. Margaret and some of the others slept on suitcases in the corridor; we should have been in the same boat, if we had travelled second-class — it was just as crowded.

"On our arrival, we went to the Hotel International at Venice. The first visit to Venice was a revelation to most of our party who were speechless at its beauty. The heat was tremendous, but somehow no one minded. We visited all the well-known spots, including the Lido, and spent much time at Florian and Quadri, where we enjoyed the concerts in the Piazza at night; especially the last evening, when we heard them play Tristan and Isolde.

"Herbert left at 2 P.M. on August 20th for Florence. Baba took him to the station in a gondola. We were all sad to have him go, as it meant a long trip via Russia to China.

"In the afternoon, Baba left on the 'Ausonia'. The departure was enlivened by their gondola going astray to the station, instead of to the docks; this made them a half-hour late, and so lessened the agonizing period of waiting for the boat to start, which is always painful with Baba. We said goodbye to him and waited on the quay to see the boat move off. Gradually the space between us and Baba widened, and he got smaller and smaller. He made a sign to me that he would be back in two months on the same spot, and that I should meet him there. It was three months before I saw him again. We were sad and very silent going back to the hotel. I was the next to leave, on the 8:30 P.M. to Siena via Florence."

This completes Quentin Tod's account of our stay with Baba in Italy.

That last day before Baba left us was not altogether a happy one. Baba was testing us. He requested us all to remain close to him all the day, as he had special work to do through us. He repeated his order many times to us all. Of course, we all said that we would. None for a moment thought they would be tempted to leave the side of Baba, it being his last day with us. Well, we started to walk around the shops. What was the result? Some of us lagged behind to look at the lovely things displayed in the windows. We

*I think this is supposed to say Portofino Vetta: "The peaceful Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino, the natural park of Mount Portofino, comprises the promontory that overlooks the Tigullio Gulf, on the top of which is Monte Portofino (610m) on whose summit are the small settlements of Portofino Vetta and Ruta . There are well-marked hiking trails and foot paths through the park, leading down to San Fruttuoso , with its historic Benedictine Abbey , and to the coastal villages of Portofino and Camogli. - Italytravelsguide.com-webmaster-JK