! Time to get up, if I'm to be ready for the great Paris-Berlin
race at 3.30. Feel very cold and sleepy. Pitch dark morning, of course.
Moon been down hours. Must get into clothes, I suppose. Oilskins feel
very clammy and heavy at this hour in the morning. Button up tunic and
tuck trousers into top boots. Put on peaked cap and fasten veil tightly
over face, after covering eyes with iron goggles and protecting mouth
with respirator. Wind woollen muffler round neck and case hands in thick
dogskin gloves with gauntlets. Look like Nansen going to discover North
Pole. Or Tweedledum about to join battle with Tweedledee. Effect on the
whole unpleasing.

Great crowds to see us off. Nearly ran over several in effort to reach
starting post. Very careless. People ought not to get in the way on
these occasions. Noise appalling. Cheers, snatches of _Marseillaise_,
snorts of motors, curses of competitors, cries of bystanders knocked
down by enthusiastic _chauffeurs_, shouts of _gendarmes_ clearing the
course. Spectators seem to find glare of acetylene lamps very confusing.
Several more or less injured through not getting out of the way
sufficiently quickly. At last the flag drops. We are off.

Pull lever, and car leaps forward. Wonder if wiser to start full speed
or begin gently? Decide on latter. Result, nearly blinded by dust of
competitors in front, and suffocated by stench of petroleum. Fellow just
ahead particularly objectionable in both respects. Decide to quicken up
and pass him. Can't see a foot before me on account of his dust.
Suddenly run into the stern of his car. Apologise. Can't I look where
I'm going? Of course I can. Not my fault at all. Surly fellow! Proceed
to go slower. Fellow behind runs into _me_. Confound him, can't he be
more careful? Says he couldn't see me. Idiot!

Put on speed again. Car in front just visible through haze of dust. Hear
distant crash. Confound the man, he's run into a dray! Just time to
swerve to the right, and miss wreck of his car by an inch. Clumsy
fellow, blocking my road in that way. At last clear space before me. Go
up with a rush. Wind whistles past my ears. Glorious! What's that? Run
over an old woman? Very annoying. Almost upset my car. Awkward for next
chap. Body right across the road. Spill him to a certainty.

Morning growing light, but dust thicker than ever. Scarcely see a yard
in front of me. Must trust to luck. Fortunately road pretty straight
here. Just missed big tree. Co