Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-06-06

on this daring and
plucky expedition
are of too recent occurrence 10 nave
heep entirely forgotten.
10 have crossed Africa in an auto
-.ohiIe Is no mean boast. when one
members that there are no roads
md no repair or gasoline supply
-.oras en- route. The Cape-to-Cairo
-s,Ivay-that great dream OF truly
at empire builder, Cecil Rhodes-is
a., nearing completion; and in
=, ar perhaps a little more, travel
srs may journey In luxurious com
a., nv train and steamer from Cape
Tovn 10 Alexandria. They who do
,h,. will be able then to realize to the
mIlest possible extent what the
n,oneers of travel in the African him
ierland had to contend with.
One would think that to bring to
successful termination such a 81
.sntic feat as that which Lieutenant
G,aetz set himself in his famous Al
r,cau automobile expedition would be
.ufncient TO satisfy even the most
gluttonous appetite for adventure. Yet
Is typical of Lieutenant Graetz that
he should not rest content with this
oue truly great achievement
His project, undertaken on behalf
NJ the African World, was to cross
The great and practically unknown re-
sions of Central Africa from the In
dian TO the Atlantic ocean. by way
Of the Zambesi river, Lake Bang
veolo. and the Congo river. How
aver not by automobile this time, but
nv motor boat This offered some
thing unique in the way of African
travel. II meant hardships and dis
appointments innumerable, but what
Of that?
He mapped out a 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 tombstone, Lake Nyassa.
Karonga. and then across the water
shed TO Fife. The motor-boat was
specially prepared for this part OF the
Journey. being fitted with wheels for
use on land.
From Fife he decided to travel by
way of the Chambesi river, Kabinga,
and thus arrive at the shores OF the
small inland sea. Lake Bangweolo,
had
sailed. After spending some time ex-
ploring 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 Leopoldville. 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
sieur Octave Fere.
Graetz had heard of the magic
Lake Bangweolo from the Awembs
tribe. II had a sinister reputation
among the native tribes resident both
near and far from its shores. The
Awemba people told him that Bang
weolo was studded with islands, or
which were to be found colossal ele
plants and gigantic giraffes, while or
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 Infernol No natives ventur
Ing upon its waters in their frail
fantastically shaped canoes had eve
returned. II was regarded by some
tribes as a sort Of Hades. where de
parted souls suffered continually thu
most dreadful torments; while Others
again thought that II was the ap
proach to Paradise, where the spirits
Of their dead relatives enjoyed per
feet life under the protection of thei
gods
II was known to be surrounded b.
thick and impenetrable rushes, max
Ing its exploration a matter of grea
difficulty. The great prize which
Graetz hoped to secure In addition 4
being the first explorer Of this won
derful lake set deep in the heart o
the wilds OF Africa, was specimens o
species OF gigantic buffalo. which
we're commonly believed by the ma
lives to make their home on tn,
shores Of the lake. They were know
70 be unusually fierce and dangerous
but this did not deter Graetz and hi
plucky companion from their adven
turous quest after them.
Lieutenant Graetz left Berlin OF
FEBRUARY %, 1911, accompanied b.
flere and his motor-launch. the Sarot
Elaborate arrangements wert
made at Quilimane for their plung,
INTO the wilderness.
At last all vaa ready for fha star