Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-07-11
MAPLESS REGIONS
An Eighth Of the Worlds Land
Surface Still Unexplored.
AREAS WRAPPED IN MYSTERY.

AREAS WRAPPED IN MYSTERY.
The Dwelling Of the voidr In Arabia
Is Supposed to Be the Most Desolate
Waste on the ciobc--New Guinea
Has 7affled Countless Expeditions.
It would seem as though this little
world Of ours should be pretty thor
oushly known by this time. yet there
are many unexpiored territories which
have yet to receive the impress Of
human foot and which doubtless. Ike
the north and south polar regions, will
take their toll Of heroic victims from
the hardy explorers who first enter
their closed portals
On a rough estimate about 7.OOO.0OO
square miles. or one-eighth OF the to-
tai land surface Of the world. are wait
ing to be discovered. Some 100000
square miles Of this lie IN the arctic
regions OF the north, but among the
frozen tracts that form antarctic" in
the south, where Scott and his gallant
followers were penetrating. nearly
100000 square miles are relegated to
the sole use or whales. seals, pen
gums. petreis and other animal and
bird inhabitants Of frozen homes
It is true that human habitations
could never be formed in such chimes
as these. bdt the scientific world Is
ever eager for the discoveries OF ex-
plorers- and even among uninhabited
districts their work Is never wasted
In Arabia there exists q tract Of IN
explored country nearly Eve times as
large as Great Britain. II stretches
from Mecca almost to the southeast
coast and is called Dahkua. or "the
Dwelling of the Void" Probably no
more desolate waste is TO be found In
the globe. for not single river is cs-
timated to flow throughout its entire
100000 square miles. Imagine Ger
many and France combined without
river or stream and you will gain some
idea of the parched condition Of Dahk
ma. The Saharn Is blissfui retreat
by comparison.
Some authorities state that the
whole desert is not worth the price Of
good maIacca cane. Others give ere
dence to the legend that treasures and
hidden cities lie In the heart OF the
sands,
OF quite different character are
the enormous mountain Businesses Of
South America. which lie along the
t1urar A fr,..-t.~ ...J q. tha .If.frfafs 80
Colombia and Peru The celebrated
treasure Of Cuzco lies secreted among
the Peruvian heights lmnenetrable
forests. mountain jungles and lnnu-
merable fever spreading rivers hold
the most intrepid adventurers at bay.
to say nothing Of carnivorous ants.
malignant snakes. water moccasins
and those most deadly Of serpents. an
acondas. During recent years over a
dozen expeditions have been either
wholly or partially wiped out In their
efforts to wrestle with these regions.
Although the famous FL Dorado
which set the sixteenth century ablaze,
has never been unearthed, the country
generally might ittingy be called Ell
Dorado from the rich minerals and
priceless stones emanatlng therefrom.
Strange, wild eyed men descend oc-
casionally from the mountains. bring
ing wonderful fragments with them.
But they refuse to act as guides to
those who would accompany them
back.
It is curious to realize that vast por-
tons of the British empire have never
been seen by British eyes or the eyes
Of any white men. Nearly quarter
Of Australia is still unexplored, mainly
in the west. where the population av-
'erages only one person In about every
twenty square miles.
New Guinea has bafled countless
expeditions. though many are still try
ing to fight their way inland from the
coast Despite the fact that the inte-
rior of this island is practically a geo
graphical blank, it is neatly divided
on the maps between Britain, Germa-
ny and Holland Among its products
are birds of paradise. spices and can
nibals.
AASthci ptlitlCuiuIi9 lhtcANSAAh- Nto-
trict which has so far defied civiliza-
tion lies seereted among the Himalaya
mountains. Rumor accounts that 1t
is presided over by women. who are
responsible for such rude laws as are
necessary even in a lawless district,
manage the affairs of state and live in
e luxury of inverted Mormonism by
possessing four or FIVE husbands apiece.
To the hill men are relegated all the
rough tasks and menial labors. Mere
man" is Of small account beside there
Himalayan amazons But we may as
sumo that in due season the men will
rise to claim their vote.
The foregoing selection does not ex
haust by any means the list of SEQ
graphical blanks waiting to be filed
Before the atlas complete can lie On
our shelves we must penetrate the
darker haunts Of Borneo. North Ameri
ca, the Kongo basin. the 700 mile
mountain range that stretches from
Der Fur into the heart of Sahara and
numerous other spaces.-London An
svarS