Help trouble-shooting intermittent link

[sdd.hp.com!wupost!mthvax.cs.miami.edu!news@hplabs.hpl.hp.com (David Lesher)]

I need some advice on a recurring problem with a telnet connection. 

The route goes something like this:
		mthvax
		alpha.x.y
		beta.y.z
		gamma.c.d
		delta.f.g
		NSFbackbone
		the_end

The only tool I have available at present is ping.  Here's what it
shows:

Script started on Sat Feb  8 17:23:12 1992
PING the_end 56 data bytes
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=1. time=1670. ms
36 bytes from delta.f.g: icmp_type=3 (Dest Unreachable)
x00: x00240045
x04: x00006dbc
x08: x000001fc
x0c: x07f42bc0
x10: x0520ab81
x14: x5d8f0003
x18: x00000000
x1c: x00500045
x20: x000048a9
x24: x46ed111c
x28: x0520ab81
x2c: x06a66bc0
icmp_code=0
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=3. time=1470. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=4. time=1160. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=6. time=640. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=7. time=690. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=8. time=560. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=10. time=1040. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=12. time=580. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=13. time=620. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=14. time=780. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=15. time=620. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=16. time=590. ms
36 bytes from delta.f.g: icmp_type=3 (Dest Unreachable)
x00: x00240045
x04: x00006dd4
x08: x000001fc
x0c: x07f42bc0
x10: x0520ab81
x14: x7f8f0003
x18: x00000000
x1c: x00500045
x20: x000071a9
x24: xfbec111c
x28: x0520ab81
x2c: x28a66bc0
icmp_code=0
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=18. time=570. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=20. time=1160. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=21. time=560. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=22. time=890. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=24. time=590. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=25. time=1150. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=26. time=530. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=27. time=570. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=29. time=590. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=30. time=1610. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=31. time=650. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=32. time=1470. ms
36 bytes from delta.f.g: icmp_type=3 (Dest Unreachable)
x00: x00240045
x04: x00006de9
x08: x000001fc
x0c: x07f42bc0
x10: x0520ab81
x14: x5d900003
x18: x00000000
x1c: x00500045
x20: x000093a9
x24: xfbec111c
x28: x0520ab81
x2c: x06a66bc0
icmp_code=0
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=34. time=820. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=35. time=870. ms
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=36. time=660. ms
36 bytes from delta.f.g: icmp_type=3 (Dest Unreachable)
x00: x00240045
x04: x00006df0
x08: x000001fc
x0c: x07f42bc0
x10: x0520ab81
x14: x7f900003
x18: x00000000
x1c: x00500045
x20: x00009fa9
x24: xcdec111c
x28: x0520ab81
x2c: x28a66bc0
icmp_code=0
64 bytes from the_end: icmp_seq=37. time=620. ms
^C
----the_end PING Statistics----
40 packets transmitted, 28 packets received, 30% packet loss
round-trip (ms)  min/avg/max = 530/847/1670
script done on Sat Feb  8 17:24:41 1992


Now, alpha, beta, and gamma.c.d are one side of a long 56 kb link, and
delta.f.g is on the other, meeting the NSF backbone.

Ok, here are my questions:

The powers that be tell me that the problem is that the gamma<-->delta
link keeps getting saturated.  Does that jibe with the error messages I
get from ping?

Where can I learn what the ping dumps mean, or should I even bother?

Are there other tools I could be using? The sysadm on this Ultrix 3.0
machine and I have not been able to find a 'traceroute' that doesn't
require kernel hacks.

It takes eons for traffic to start again once the link stutters.  (Well
it feels like that - it seems to take 60-120 seconds, but this varies.)
I've learned why it is that I can start up a new session to the same
site and log in before the existing session recovers, but 2 minutes??
Does that sound normal?

And lastly - what OTHER questions should I ask?

-- 
A host is a host from coast to coast.....wb8foz@mthvax.cs.miami.edu 
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433