The Washington times., 1901-11-03
BRAVED MANY DANGERS.
Experiences of n Surveying ExpcdI-
tion Along AbyssInin's Frontier.

Reuters Agency has received full de-
tails Of the sutferings experienced by the
| British expedition under Major Austin,
which for the past ten months has been
| engaged in surveying along the Anglo
Abyssinian frontier. The three remain
| ing members of the expedition reached
| Calais yesterday afternoon. They are
Major II. H. Austin, r. E. the leader Of
the expedition; Major K. G.. #. Bright.
Rifle Brigade. second in command. and
| DIR. J. Garner medical officer The three
officers, although now in good health,
show traces Of the hardships and suffer-
ings endured during their journey. None
of them had previously encountered such
severe experiences In any expedition. In
! the carly days of the journey much delay
was occasioned by great swamps Then
waterless desert country had TO be cross
cd. and the travellers suffered much from
thirst. Later provisions became so scarce
that the transport animals i,ad to be
killed for food. Finally, when everyone
was In great straits, the expedition had
to maintain a running fight with the
Turlthana, a race of naked giants round
Lake Rudolph. Most of the equipment
had eventually TO be thrown away, and
when Major Austin and his companions
reached a British post on Lake Baringo
70 per cent of the escort and transport
men had died.
The expedition, which left Omdurman
III December last with orders to survey
the country along the AnglO-Ahy Ahyssinian
frontier. took as escort twenty men of
the Tenth Soudlnese Battalion, under
Mabruk Effendi. together with transport
drivers and personal servants, number
ing altogether hfty-nine The transport
animals included fifteen camels, twelve
mules. and 125 donkeys. From Omdur-
man the journey was made by gunboat
10 Nasser Fort, where the expedition dis
embarked, and proceeded south along the
Pibor River to its junction with the
Akobe at latitude degrees Il minutes,
traversinS endless swamps The expedi-
ton then entered upon the entireIy un-
known country Of Bona referred to bv
Captain Wellby in his book, where the
natives were found to be very shy, and
gave the white man a wide berth. In
March last Major Austin entered upon
the desert, where for a period of Il month
the expedition was in great distress. Often
the animals had to be deprived of water
for forty-eight hours. The men suffered
greatly during this part OF the Journey
and became somewhat listless, but there
is not the least foundation for the ru-
mors current in Cairo of a mutiny Ma
jor Austin speaks in the highest terms of
their loyalty and gallantry during a very
precariOuS period. At the beginning of
April water was FOUND. the expedition
reaching the Sacchi River to the west of
the ONO. There Major Austin found on
bush curious piece of rag which on ex-
animation proved to be a silk handker-
chief with an Initial Il. in the corner 1t
undoubtedly belonged TO the Italian ex-
plOrer Bottego, who was murdered in this
region some years ago. During the whole
of the period the expedition
met large herds Of elephants and giraffes,
but had little opportunity for sport.
-Four days after leaving the Sacchi. Ma
jor Austin concluded his survey from the
north. having Joined up with his pre-
Vious survey from The Mombasa side BY
this time supplies began to give out. and
the situation became most critical. officers
and men being reduced to less than half
rations Orders had to be given 10 Kill
the transport animals for food and for
ten weeks donkey and mule flesh was the
only meat available. As 1t was found
impossible TO proceed further in this
plight. II was decided to strike south into
the Uganda ProtSctorate. the main sur
vey having been completed between the
Sudan and Abyssinia. Heavy rains now
set I'm. and shallow lakes of rain water
altered the whole character of the coun-
try. Ma ajors Austin and Bright. who had
In 1875 been over this section OF the road,