The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-06-06
MAPLESS REGIONS
An Eighth of the Worlds Land
Surface Still UnexpIored.
AREAS WRAPPED IN MYSTERY.
sThe Dwelling Of tho Void" In Arabia
10 Supposed to Be the Most Desolate
Waste on tho Globe-kew Guinea
Has Baffled Countless Expeditions.

II would seem as though this little
world OF ours should be pretty thor
oughly known by this time, yet there
are many unexplored territories which
have yet TO receive the impress Of
human foot and which doubtless, like
the north and south polar regions, will
take their toll Of heroic victims from
| the hardy explorers who first enter
their closed portals.
On n rough estimate about 100000
square miles. or one-eighth OF the to-
tai land surface OF the world, are walt
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 10
the sole use OF whales, seals, pen
gums, petrels and other animal and
bird inhabitants of frozen homes.
1t Is true that human habitations
could never be formed I'm such climes
as these, but the scientific world is
ever eager for the discoveries OF ex-
plorers, and even among unlnhabited
districts their work IL never wasted.
In Arabia there exists tract OF un-
explored country nearly five times as
large as Great Britain. 1t stretches
from Mecca almost 20 the southeast
coast and IL called Dahkna, or "the
Dwelling OF the Void" Probably no
more desolate waste IL TO be found In
the globe, for not n single river Is es-
tknated TO flow throughout Its entire
4OO, 900 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 Sahara IL blissful retreat
by comparison.
Some authorities state that the
whole desert IL not worth the price or
n good malacca cane, Others give Gre
dence to the legend that treasures and
hidden cities lie in the heart Of the
snnHA
or quite n different character are
the enormous mountain Businesses or
South America, which lie along the
upper Amazon and In the districts ot
Colombia and Peru. The celebrated
treasure OF CuZco lies secreted among
the Peruvian heights Impenetrable
forests, mountain jungles and innu-
merable fever spreading rivers hold
the most intrepid adventurers ut bay,
TO say nothing OF carnivorous ants,
malignant snakes, water moccnsins
and those most deadly OF serpents, an
acopdas. During recent years over
dozen expeditions have been either
wholly or partially wiped out In their
efforts TO wrestle with these regions.
Although the famous lei Dorado,
which set the sixteenth century ablaze,
has never been unearthed, the country
generally might flttingly be called El
Dorado, from the rich minerals ana
priceless stones emanatng 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.
1t Is curious TO realize that vast por-
tions OF the British empire have never
been seen by British eyes or the eyes
OF any white men. Nearly n quarter
OF Australia Is still unexplored, mainly
In the west. where the population ay-
erages only one person In about every
twenty square miles.
New Guinea has baflled countless
expeditions. though many are still try
Ing 10 fight their way inland from the
coast. Despite the fact that the inte-
rior OF this island is practically geo
graphical blank. Il is neatly divided
on the maps between Britain. Germa-
nv and Holland. Among Its products
are birds OF paradise, spices and can
nibals.
Another particularly interesting dis
| trict which has so far dened civiliza-
ton lies secreted among the Himalaya
mountains. Rumor accounts that II
is presided over by women, who are
responsible for such rude laws as are
necessary even In lawless district,
manage the affairs OF state and live I'm
n 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 these
Hlmalayan amazons. But we may as
sumo that I'm due season the men Will
rise to claim their vote
The foregoing selection does not ex-
haust 10y any means the list of geo
graphical blanks waiting Co be filled
Before the atlas complete can lie on
our shelves we must penetrate the
darker haunts OF Borneo. North Ameri-
en-, the Kongo basin. the 700 mile
mountain range that stretches from
Der Fur into the heart Of Sahara and
numerous other spaces.-London An
swers