The evening times., 1899-08-18
EXPLORING THE SAHARA
The Foureau Expedition Reported
to Have Reached Agades.
No Truth in the Announcement That
Pieces by the Tuaregs Near the
Wells of Ain Taiba in the Eastern
Erg-Discoveries south of Algeria.
(From the New York SUM-

of the most tireless and intrepid explorers
OF the Sahara. F. Foureau, who is on his
tenth expedition among the sand wastes
and GASES to the south OF Algiera, had met
with great misfortune. A telegram sent
from the post OF Ghardaya, about 300 miles
south OF Algiers, reported that large
body of whites had been attacked by the
Tuaregs of the desert near the wells of
Ain Taiba in the Eastern Erg, one of the
greatest sand expanses of the Sahara,
about 460 miles southeast of Algiers and
that about 100 men of the European cara
van had been killed and a part of their
outfit carried off II turns ,out, however,
that If there was such a battle the Fou-
reau party were not participants. The ex-
plorers arrived safe and sound at Agades,
in the southern part of the Sahara, not
long ago, and as the expedition is the
largest exploring party that ever entered
the Sahara, it is worth while to tell
something about Foureau and the mission
entrusted to him.
OF the ten expeditions in which Foureau
has been engaged in the past few years,
the present enterprise is by far the most
ambitious and far reaching. In carrying
out his explorations hitherto he has had
| the financial support only OF private citi-
zens and scientific societies, and yet, with
the most slender resources, he has often
achieved very interesting and important
geographical results. His field of research
has been the Sahara south of Algeria
Among the important facts be discovered in
his ninth expedition, early last year, was
that the famous oasis of InsaIah, inhabited
by Arabs, and visited by Rohlfs and other
explorers. has always appeared on the maps
about sixty geographical miles too far
west. Owing to his modest equipment, or
for political reasons advanced by the Gov
ernment. number of his journeys have
been comparatively short excursions into
the desert; but, none the less he has done
more than any other man toward the
thorough study of that part OF the desert
which lies south of the French colony.
This time, however. he has led into the
Sahara a Government expedition equipped
regardless of expense: It's purpose is to
cross the Sahara and explore the parts of
the Soudan which, under the treaties with
Great Britain and Germany signed be-
tween 1891 and 1894 fell TO the share of
France. He has instructions to avoid ex-
citing the comment and suspicion OF the
other powers by carefully refraining from
entering any part OF their territories. He
has with him $50 Algerian soldiers under
the orders of Commander Lamy and five
other officers. The entire personnel num-
bers about 200 men. and 1000 camels carry
their equipments for the work. which is
expected to require a year and half in
the field.
On November 10 last the expedition ar
rived at the Arab settlement and wells OF
Temassinin after crossing the large sand
expanse OF the Erg. The explorer was noS
On the border of the Tuareg country. The
Foureau mission was one Of peace and the
leader wished no trouble with the war,ike
Tuaregs, though his party was believed to
be strong enough to overcome all resist
ance. The shortest route is through the
believed that the fewest chances of opposi-
tion would be met in the eastern part of
1t, the region inhabited by the Aziar
Tuaregs. These denizens of the Sahara are
not Arabs, but are descendants of the Ber-
bers who inhabited the land before the
Arab invasion, and still hold their own in
their native habitat. The Aziar branch OF
the family is not so numerous as their
relatives, the Ahasgar Tuaregs, who ad-
join them on the west. but they are more
peaceful, show a decided tendency TO sban-
don the nomad for settled life, and a num-
ber of travellers have been able 10 pene-
trate far into their country. On the other
hand, the record OF exploration among the
Ahaggar Tuaregs has been tragical indeed.
Several explorers had lost their lives in
the inhospitable land and Foureau was un-
doubtedly sensible in giving the Ahaggar
natives wide berth.
Inc most disastrous OF these Inflated
expeditions to the Ahaggar region was that
of Colonel Flatters, in 1881. He succeeded in
penetrating far south only to meet with
terrible disaster. The caravan was secret
ly pursued by increasing hordes OF Tuaregs
some of whom insinuated themselves into
the presence OF Flatters and his companions
and secured service as guides. The attack
came when all plans were perfected for
the preconcerted assault. Flattars himself
with one of his comrades. was the first to
fall. The camel drivers fed and the whole
body of Tuaregs fell upon the baggage train.
Only fifty-nine men of the Flatters expe-
dition were still alive when night fell, and
in the darkness they set out, almost with
out food resources. to follow the chain of
wells, 720 miles north to Wargla All the
Frenchmen of the expedition perished in
this disastrous retreat, and only thirteen
men reached Wargla after fearful suffering
for more than two months. during which
they had often nothing to drink but blood,
and no food except human flesh.
Nothing was heard from Foureau after
he started into the Azjar region until the
news came that he had safely reached
Agades A very surprising feature of the
report that he had lost 100 men in fight
was that the battle was said to have oc-
Cured near Ain Taiba, which is over 200
miles north of the place whence Foureau
sent his announcement that he had reached
the Tuareg country. Who are the Europ-
cans who have lost 100 men in fight with
Saharan nomads? There may be no truth
in the story but if there is it may relate
to the French party which was reported
while ago to be following in Foureaus
track with the intention Of erecting a fort
at Temassinin, and thus extending Frances
sway to this distant point