Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-10
CROSSING THE SAHARA.
E,vneriences Of the Fourcau Expedition
IN It's Journey Across the Great Desert.

EyDerienceS Of the Fouicau r-@pcuitio'i
, in rs Journey Across the Great Desert.
| II Eo,.rcou one Of the most tireles1
r1 ;,,ronid explorers Of the Saraha,
recently returned 10 France from III"
10Th cypedtiCn among t.4e 5ahh waste
and ooses of the desert. TN this Jour
new he led the largest party that mas
eyer crossed the Sahara. 1t was gov
o,rment expedition and was equipped
regardless Of expense.
The party was to travel through the
| country If the hostile Tuaregs, and. as
! i; was on n political mission ana a iair
rate of srced was desired, great PAINS
! ware taken to make the expedition 50
strong that the natives could not Fcri-
orslv impede it's progress.
rhe pnycrnmcnt, however. could take
no precautions against the overWhclm-
inc heat reflected from the SAND
u,,.te, II could provide no relief for
rcanty water supply, ana the party
| w.s really embarrassed by It's unusual
,,;,, an account of the inadequacy of
,bo inf,cnIcnt wells to provide sulii-
c;ont water. So the expedition was
| I,np time in crossing the desert To III"
/
| Soudan.
ro,,.au set ont with $50 Algerian
| 90 lii.rs under Comma udant Lamy ana
Gva other officers. The entire person
| n,l numbered about POO men, and 1000
camals carried their equipment II
started from Wargia. little south 81
| Alparia. and the expedition mace an
| imposing appearance NJ ~ ii''i IT. i
| ont Of the fertile oasis
| Hut it was terribly decimated by III"
n. r,Iships of the desert march before ii
| r,;s nod the southern edge of the Sa-
hora Mr.. Foureau has just given La
Georgraphie the story Of his journey
ard II Is interesting MS the expert
ences OF a large expedition in crossing
| the sahara.
| The route led nearly straight south
across the LARGE sand rvnanse Of ~"
| Ere ana Into the country Of the war
| ike Tnarcga who killed '"l. Flatters ~
/ 1851 When the expedition reached the
| srcnn Of the tragic death u flattera
| ,rcy had penetrated the desert for
| 120 miles south Of Wargia.
A little farther south. the sunering5
Of the Foureau party began In earnest
| Thee was not sufficient water Tor s."
| large caravan. The men, of course
| had all the required. but scores OF the
tamels died every day. Their baggage
was added to the loads the other ami
mails carried for some days, but TINS
could not long continue.
| Ii was found necessary at last 70
build little earthwork ana leave
within IT a part Of the baggage under
guard Of soldiers. The earthwork
was named Fort Flatters.
The rest OF the party pushed on over
regions now sandy. now merely rock
strewn and barren. until they came to
| Iferonanc where il became necessary
TO procure more camels. The Tuaregs
! dared not attack so strong party ana
were keeping out of the way. few OF
them were caught and released upon
their promise to return with camels.
but nothing more was seen Of them.
The men in one OF the villages one
day made bold to attack the whites.
but were speedily driven of. and
| Foureau felt himself warranted on &C
count IF this assault in marching
| against the town and Selling all the
camcls and donkeys he found there
This addition to the number Of his
transport anmels enabled him to send
Il party back to Fort Flatters, and in a
short time the men and supplies left
| behind rejoined the main party.
About half of the journey across the
desert was yet to be made. and the
most trying part of ii was still ahead.
| The natives. Warlike as they are. He'd
upon the approach of so large body
| Of invaders. Foureau had the greatest
difficulty in replenishing his food sup
plies, though he paid handsomely for
every pound Of millet ana other FOOD
| that WAS brought to him.
| But the camelS continued % sue
! cumh under their hardshipS. For days
nj time nothing but driedup wells
wcrl. met. and the party was some
times reduced to Il few drops Of water
| for each man.
When the party finally arrived at
| Zinder the end of the journey, ON the
northern edge of the Soudan, il had
been travelling very slowly and pain
fully. with long pauses At large wells.
for IL months. and had proven quite
concluSiVcly that. though 4 large
caravan secures comparative 'mmun-
ity from attack by the desert nOmadS.
il inrurs pcrilS that are even more
formida BILE on account of the in
creased difficulty Of procuring water
ara food for large parties.