Gauloises, Don Whillans, the Frogs, and Climbing History.

There is something about Don’s proverbial bluntness that arouses one’s admiration. Of such stuff are generals made. We had a short discussion about bivouacking, but eventually I had to agree with his arguments and occupy the outer berth. It would be less likely to induce claustrophobia, or so I gathered. 

“I’ll have one of your cigarettes,” said Don. “I’ve only brought Gauloises.” This was a statement of fact, not a question.

Then later in this classic story:

“I’m going down,” he said. “That’s what’s going on.”

“Wait a minute! Let’s discuss the whole situation calmly.” I stretched out one hand to flick the ash off my cigarette. Then a most unusual thing happened. There was a higher pitched “WROUFF” than usual and the end of my cigarette disappeared! It was the sort of subtle touch that Hollywood film directors dream about.

“I see what you mean,” I said. “I’m going down too.”

He was also smoking a Gauloises, a habit shared with another big-time climber of that era. I had met & climbed briefly with in Switzerland a few years before - Dougal Haston. It seems the more hard-core the cigarette: so also the climber.

Man, I brought a carton of those suckers back from France to impress chicks at parties or something lame.
They tasted like gasoline soaked skid mark underwear.

"Don Whillans participated in the 1972 European Everest Expedition. The atmosphere was not the best among the various nationalities, no one wanted to carry loads because everyone was saving himself for a possible summit attempt.

The German climbers heard on the radio that England had lost a soccer game to Germany. The conversation went "It seems that we have beaten you in your national sport", said a proud German to Don.

After a minimal pause Don replied "Aye lad, and we've beaten you at yours, twice."