Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-07
NO MANS LANDS.
"The Dwelling of the voids"-Conti'
nents ITO Let"

IL
about the North and South poles, as if
they were the only places on this globe
that man cannot reach. There is still
enough UNEMPLOYED land in 1.-THE world to
make a new contitent, If Jumped to-
gether.
For instance, within ten days journey
from London. by modern express routes:
there is a tract of country the size of
Germany, France and Holland combined
and as unknown as the mountains of the
moon, says London Answers" 1t oc-
cupies nearly the whole Of Central South
ern Arabia.
This pleasing district is known as the
Dahkna, or the Dwelling of the Void"
and consists of what Lord Salisbury once
when he was speaking of the French pos
sessions in Africa. 1t is a mighty waste
Of sand, with not a single river-as far
as can be judged-in more than 100000
Compared with this country. the Saba
ra is pleasant and fruitful tract. 1t de-
fies even the Arab and the camel. 1t is
niles is worth a G10 note. However,
olucky Englishman-Mr Bury-is prepar-
ing to make an attempt to penetrate into
he interior this year.
Another wholly unknown tract of coun-
try-one that is likely to show It's future
explorers more profit than the last men
tioned-is to be found in Tibet, along the
size of the United Kingdom. OF course,
Central Tibet Lhassa, and so forth, are
mere "tripper' districts now, since the
British expedition to the Secret City.
has yet to see white mans face. Ac-
,ording to the newspapers, however, IAN
adventurous Englishman, CARRYING his
ife in his hands," is now starting to try
his luck in the district I.h
1t seems quaint that any part of the
British Empire should remain Gntraversed
~ white men. Indeed. it is necessary to
rush the next item into print in order to
include it. for. although uneXplored at
present. it will not be so much longer.
No less than three expeditions are start.
ing to penetrate the unknown parts of
New Guinea, but up till now nothing can
be recorded about the district except by
guesswork and any surprise may await
The explorers.
he British portion is administered by the
,rown. Certain parts of the hinterland,
90, are well knOwn-SO much SO that the
birds of paradise which once swarmed
in one or two tracts have been nearly
'xterminated by skin collectors employed
~ Paris and London millinery firms.
Large portions of the interior, however,
are still jealousy preserved by families.
who dine, for choice, upon each other
In spite of this the whole island is di-
vided between the British, German and
Dutch nations.
Perhaps. on the whole, the finest place
TO get absolutely lost in is the interior
If South America. where three hundred
thousand square miles or SO are still
ntrude on any of them. Most of this lies
lrOund the watershed of the Upper Anna
ION and it's tributaries. Many of the
names politely ascribed nv the atlas to
he rivers and mountains here are efforts
IF imagination. Only small number
nave really been reached or surveyed.
AS two-thirds of the whole region is
impenetrable forest, it is not a place to
expeditions have either failed, been lost
completely, or wiped out by accidents of
travel, in the last forty years.
The principal joys that await forthcom
ing expeditions are fever of very malig
lant sort. armies of ants that can deci-
nate a baggage train, and even over
whelm and eat it's proprietors. impassi-
BILE cypress swamps, and snake bite:
The latter commodity cannot be equaled
anywhere else--there is no place on the
globe where deadly snakes swarm to such
nit the least hope of life after a bite.
The fer-de-lance. water moccasin. and a
dozen others are particularly plentiful
md, by way of variety. the anaconda
and bone smashing line. is abundant in
the forests. Even the natives-mainly
harmless forest Indians-have no notion
If the way about. but all places are alike
to them. They have been known to bring
gold dust down from places which they
cannot. or do not want to, describe.
1t is curious to think that in the Hma,,
layas themselves. on the doorstep of
India, and no very great way from Siam.
there is district across the border that
is still UNEMPLOYED. though as large as
any three English countries. and moth
Ing is known of the hill tribes that in
habit It. except by rumor
According to native accounts it is a
country of suffragettes, for the hill wo-
ren rule entirely, and each woman with
the property qualification has at least
four or five husbands, who do all the
house and farm work. and have no voice
in affairs. This is not uncommon among
Himalyan hill men but no regular tribe
has yet been found that makes a regular
rule of it. 1t should be good country
to keep away from, but DIR. Longstaff.
| the well known explorer. does not think
so, for he is moving in that direction.
Finally. If you have the exploring in
| stinct 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 Dankna is the best
place for it. Should you prefer torture,
try the Brahmaputra. For good chance
of being broiled and eaten you cannot
beat Papua, and for snake bite or fever
there is no place like New Guinea. If you
| survive these. the Royal Geographical So
ciety will probably give you a decoration
| and a dinner at the Hotel Cecil.