The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-16
NO MANS LANDS.
The Dwelling of the VOids"-Ccn-
tinents "To Let"

II is odd that 50 much russ Is maze
about the north and south poles, as if
they were the only places on this globe
that man cannot reach. There is still
enough unexplored land i'm the world
to make d new continent. if Jumped to-
gether.
For instance. within ten days journey
from London. by modern express routes,
there is a tract % country the size of
Germany. France and Holland COM
bined, and as unknown as the noun
tains of the moon. says London An
swers. It occupies nearly the whole of
Central Southern Arabia.
This pleasing district is known as the
Dahkna. or the Dwelling of the Void, q"
and consists Of what Lord Salisbury
once politely referred To as chiefly
light soil" when he was speaking of the
French possessions in Africa 1t is a
mighty waste OF sand, with not a single
river-as far as can be judged-in more
than 100000 square miles.
Compared with this country. the Sa-
hara is a pleasant and fruitful tract.
II defies even the Arab and the camel.
II is unlikely that the whole AGO. 900
square miles Is worth d $40 note. How
ever plucky Englishman-MT Bury
is preparing to make an attempt to
penetrate into the interior this year.
Another wholly unknown tract of
country-One that is likely to show its
future explorers more profit than the
last mentiOned-is to be found in Tibet,
along the Lower Brahmaputra and is
about the size Of the United Kingdom
OF course, Central Tibet, Lhassa, ana
sc forth, are mere "tripper" districts
now, since the British expedition to the
Secret City. But the southeastern parf
N q rnf ny hu.c r-fT Hr y
mans face According TO the news
papers, however, AN adventurous Eng
lishman, carrying his life in his hands, p"
IS now starting to try his luck in the
district
It seems quaint that any part Of the
British empire should remain untrav-
ersed by white men, Indeed. il is nee
essary TO rush the next item into print
in order to include it, for. although I'M
explored at present. it Will not be so
much longer. No less than three cxpe-
ditions are starting to penetrate the un-
known parts of New Guinea. but I'D till
now nothing can be recorded about the
district except by gUesswork and any
surprise may await the explorers.
The coast is comparatively civilized
and the British portion is administered
by the crown. Certain parts of the him
terland, too, are well known-so much
so that the birds of paradise which, once
swarmed i'm one or two tracts have been
nearly exterminated by skin collectors
employed by Paris and London millin-
cry firms.
Large portions of the interior. how
ever, are still jealousy preserved by
families, who dine. for choice. upon
each other. In spite of this. the whole
island is divided between the British.
German and Dutch nations
Perhaps. on the whole, the finest
place to get absolutely lost in is the in
terror of South America. where 400 600
square miles or so are still waiting for
the first white mans foot to fhtrudc on
any of them. Most Of this lies around
the watershed OF the Upper Amazon
and its tributaries. Many of the names
politely ascribed by the atlas 20 the
rivers and mountains here are efforts
OF imagination. Only d small number
have really been reached or SURVEYED.
AS tWO-thirds Of the whole region is
impenetrable forest. il is not a place
TO take casual strolls in: and over a
dozen expeditions have either failed
been lost completely, or wiped out BY
accidents Of travel, in the last forty
years.
The principal joys that await forth
coming expeditions are fever Of a very
malignant sort, armies of ants that can
decimate baggage train. and even
OVerWhelm and eat its proDrietors- i'm
passible cypress swamps. and snake
bite. The latter commodity cannot he
equaled anywhere else--there is no
place on the globe where deadly snakes
swarm TO such an extent. and hardly
any OF them permit the least hone Of
life after bite.
Inc ter-de-lauce, water uloccasin. and
= dozen others are particularly plenti-
tui; and. by way Of variety. the ana
conda, champion of the world in the
constructing and bone smashing line fs
aoundant IN the forests. Even the ma
IlFes-mainiy harmless forest Indians
nave no notion Of the way about but
All places are alike to them. They have
been known to bring gold dust dou-r
from places which thcy cannot. or do
not want to. describe.
It is curious to think that in the
hima!ayas themselves. on the doorstep
oi Indla, and no very great way from
siam, there is district across the b,.r-
DER that Is still UneXplOred. though as
large as any three English counties
ana nothing IS known Of the Hill tribes
that inhabit it, except by rumor.
According 10 native accounts f is
country or suHragettes. for the 1iU
women rule entirely, and each woman
with the property qualifications has at
least four OF five husbands. who do AN
ths house and farm work. and have no
voice in affairs. This is not uncorn-
mon among Himalsyan hill men. but
no regular tribe has yet been found
mat makes regular rule Of It. It
should be a good country to keep away
from. but DR.. Longstaf. the well
known explorer. does not think so. Tor
he Is moving in that rectiOn.
Finally. il you have the exploring in
siinct that has made our empire what
It Is, there is still plenty Of ground for
YOU according TO choice. If death by
thirst attracts you. the Dahkna is the
best place for it. Should you prefer
torture. try the BTahmaputra. For
good chance Of being broiled and eaten
YOU cannot beat Papua. and for snake
3 te or fever there is no place like New
Guinea If you survive these. the Roy