Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-04
PERIL IN THIS TRIP
INTO african W|LDS
Austrian Scientific Expedition
Will Penetrate Into a Lit.
tie Known Land.
lnreisn oorresnoudence of me SIR.
LONDON. February 20,

LONDON. February 20. 1911.
A few weeks ago the Royal Geographic
cal Society received Information about
an Austrian scientific expedition which
had left Vienna for the confines Of north
central Africa. The society has now re-
ceived some remarkable and interesting
facts about it.
The actual objective Of this expedition
is the Tibesti region. which is situated
midway between Wadai and Fezzau, one
Of the most unknown places In the
dark continent. It is quite near the
spot where several French military ex-
petitions have Of late suffered some So
we're defeats. The Tibesti region is prac-
tically virgin ground, as only one ex-
plorer (NachtigaD has entered 1t. AL
though Journeys may now be made In
Africa in all directions, yet the traveller
who can cross the Tfbesti region and
return unmolested must be particularly
fortunate. The country is inhabited by
q tribe known as the Tibbu. whose fanat-
ical and even cannibalistic proclivities
were known even to the Romans.
Three Europeans in Party.
The personnel Of this expedition COM
prises Europeans only three men. and
all Of them are Austrtans. The leader
Is Herr Otto Artbauer, who is not only
we'll known African traveller and a fina
Arabic scholar, but is also student Of
cartography, geology and ethnography.
He is well acquainted with the whole do
main OF Arab culture in both Africa and
Asia, and not long ago returned from
three years journey Of research in Mo-
rocco. half the time having been devoted
Riff
The leaders assistant Is First Lieut..
Emil Kraft Won Helmhacker. an artillery
officer. The man who will be In charge
Of the caravan is Herr Storch. This
man has already lived for some eleven
years In northern Africa, and so we'll ac-
quainted is he with the mode Of African
travel that, while he Is making his way
from one part of the Saraha to another,
he assumes the character Of a regular
Arab. He is also an expert geological
collector.
Turks Delay Start.
In order to acquaint himself with the
conditions Of travel in the Tibesti re-
gion Lieut. Emil Kraft Won Helmbacker.
the second in command. has already pro-
ceeded thither alone. BY this time Herr
Artbauer ought also to have Joined the
expedition, but he was delayed through
some difficulties raised by the Turkish
government 1t appears. however. that
he will not start south before the con-
clusion of the rainy season (March). and
Ghadames will then be his first objec-
tive This lies almost on the frontier
Of Tripoli and Algeria, and it is hoped to
do a good deal Of geographical and car
biographical work there. After having
joined the rest of the caravan at Muir
zuk. in Pezzan, an endeavor will be made
to enter Tibesti either from the north
or the west. or. should either of these
routes be found to be impracticab1e
from the northeast.
The most important part Of the jour
ney, however, from the geographical
and pioneering point Of view. will be
the Journey to Timbuctu and the re-
crossing Of the Sahara on its western
side by a route taken only once before
by one explorer. Oskar LEM. Morocco
will probably be the ultimate objective.