and forms a kind of dam : it lies athwart the
stream, a witness to the destruction and folly
of war.
The journey from Helsingfors began on Tuesday, February 3rd, and ended on Thursday, February 5th, at 5 o'clock, when we crossed the river. The time had been spent in 18 hours travelling by train and, for the remainder, in rushing from one police and military headquarters to another, and finally to the secret police, getting the necessary visés to enable us to pass over. We were a queer little company gathered on the Finnish side of the river ; chief amongst us was an English officer, cursing his own and everybody else's luck because the “ Reds ” on the other side, unaware of the value of a British officer's dignity and time, had kept him waiting over four hours. Next in importance I suppose was the chief of the Finnish Secret Police. I am not sure as to his feelings towards me : I still think if he had dared he would have stopped our going across. There was also a goodly sprinkling of military people, chief of whom was a very agreeable young captain who could speak English. He was kindness itself to us, and when Griffin Barry and I were in despair about getting our luggage from the station to the river, he volunteered the assistance of his men and did everything in his power to make us under-
