The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-05-31

@ thrilling adventure
49, on this daring an
p1ucky expedition
IRE Of too recent occurrence TO Nave
been entirely forgotten.
To have crossed Africa in an auto
mobile is no mean boast, when on
remembers that there are no roao'
and no renair or gasoline supply
stores en- route The Cape-to-Calre
raiIway-that great dream of truly
great empire builder, Cecil Rhodes-is
fast nearing completion: and In
year, or perhaps little more, traVei
ers may journey In luxurious com
fort by train and steamer from Cape
Town to Alexandria They who dc
this will be able then to realize to the
fullest possible extent what the
pioneers of. travel in the African hin
terland had to contend with.
One would think that to bring to
successful termination such q 81
gantic feat as that which Lieutenant
Graetz set himself In his famous At
rican automobile expedition would be
sufficient to satisfy even the most
gluttonous appetite for adventure. Yet
1t Is typical Of Lieutenant Graetz that
he should not rest content with this
one truly great achievement.
His project, undertaken on behalf
of the African World, was to cross
the great and practically unknown re-
gions of Central Africa from the IN
dian to the Atlantic ocean. by way
of the Zambesi river, Lake Bang
weolo, and the Congo river. How
ever, not by automobile this time, but
| by motor boat This offered some
thing unique In the way of African
travel. It meant hardships and dis
appointments innumerable, but what
of that?
He mapped out route that would
take him from Quilimane, the port on
the coast of Portuguese East Africa,
to the mysterious Lake Bangweolo,
by way of the River Quaqua, LAGER
donia, River Shire, Port Herald, Chi
GUIANA, Fort .Johnstone. Lake Nyassa,
Karonga, ana then across the water
shed to F3fel he motor boat was
specially prepared for this part OF the
Journey, being fitted with wheels for
use on land s.
From Fife he decided 10 travel by
way Of the Chambesi river Kabinga,
and thus arrive at the shores Of the
small inland sea, Lake Bangweolo,
upon which no white man had ever
sailed. After spending some time ex-
p1oring this unknown water and col
lecting specimens Of aquatic and land
life, Graetz planned to push On to the
Atlantic by way Of the Luapula, Lake
Meru, Paula, Kasengo, Lukongzolva.
Kiambi, stanleyville, Coquillhatville,
Yumbi and Leopo1dviIle, and thus to
the mouth of the Congo.
Take up a map Of Africa and trace
out this route for yourself, and you
may realize in part what this stupen-
dous journey of six thousand miles
following for the necessarily tortuous
route to be followed) meant to Lieu
tenant Graetz and his companion, the
French cinematograph operator, Mon
sfeur Octave Fiere.
Graetz had heard OF the magic
Lake Bangweolo from the Awemba
tribe. 1t had a sinister reputation
among the native tribes resident both
hear and far from its shores. The
Awemba people told him that Bang
weolo was studded with islands, on
which were to be found colossal ele-
plants and gigantic giraffes, while on
its waters swan huge sea-serpents
and other strange creatures. From
the surface of the lake hot springs
rose and fell like fountains in the air;
and pestilential winds, sweeping
across the reedy marshes, carried
death to all living beings.
No health resort this; rather !
Dante's Inferno! No natives ventur-
ing upon It's waters in their frail,
Enthusiastically shaped canoes had ever
returned. It was regarded by some
tribes as sort of Hades, where de-
parted souls suffered continually the
most dreadful torments; while others
-~Gs"A@A sAAodSAl ticaL ~ "G1o VIC op-
proach to Paradise, where the spirits
Of their dead relatives enjoyed per-
feet life under the protection of their
gods. /
1t was known to be surrounded by /
:hick and impenetrab1e rushes, max
ng its exploration matter Of great |
iifflculty. The great prize which
5raetz hoped to secure, in addition to
,eing the first explorer Of this won
lerful lake set deep in the heart Of
he wilds of Africa, was specimens of
species Of gigantic buffalo, which
we're commonly believed by the ma
ives to make their home on the
hores Of the lake They were known
D be unusually fierce and dangerous.
ut this did not deter Graetz and his
lucky companion from their adven-
lrous quest after them.
Lieutenant Graetz left Berlin on
'ebruary %, 1911, accompanied by
iere and his motor-lauuch the Sarot-
!. Elaborate arrangements were
lads at Quilimane for their plunge