Indian fat was in the fire for 1,500 vociferous Harvards last night as they cheered, sang, and drank to the Varsity's homecoming in a turbulent torch-light rally and parade.

Forming behind a depleted band and flashlight-toting Sergeant James Toomey of the University police, early marchers launched the pre-game celebration at 7:15 p.m. in a circuit of the Yard, punctuated at every step by exploding blank cartridges.

Crowd Swells

The file grew in length and picked up momentum as it crossed Massachusetts ave., headed down Holyoke st., and snaked over the usual rally route past the Houses, leaving a sparkling litter of empty beer bottles in its wake.

At the Blockhouse steps, the throng ceased shouting long enough to hear pop talks by four ex-Crimson grid stars and Freshman Coach Henry Lamar.

"Dartmouth teams always seem to play over their heads against Harvard," said Don Forte, who captained the Crimson in 1941. "But if we can combine the offense we showed Columbia and the defense we put up against Army, we'll be in, for sure."

Wally Flynn, another recent regular, advised that "anyone who fell off the bandwagon just because of two defeats had better scramble back on while the getting's good."

"Up at that country club in New Hampshire, they indoctrinate everyone into thinking just how tough he is," Coach Lamar told his listeners.

In the rally's aftermath, Sergeant Toomey and three other members of the University gendarmerie had their hands full in providing police protection for a life-sized dummy of a Dartmouth gridder, which had overlooked the proceedings from the end of a rope attached to a tree near the Blockhouse.