The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-19
Left 10000 Feet Of
Film In Jungle
In Central
Africa.

An interesting story has recently
come TO light regarding the ad-
ventures Of A party OF motion PIC
ture experts IN Central Africa
which not only gives an excellent
Aaea of the hardShips that Will be
oheerfully faced to get a few thoUs-
and feet of film Tor the amusement
Of people who sit in comfortable
theaters, but also throws a most in
hsresting sidelight on the effect OF
the war in Europe on out-of-the-
way places of the globe 10 which the
interests of the warning factions eN-
tended. II. T. Hargan, a camera
operator in the employ OF the Is
sanay company, accompanied by e.
A Luperti, another expert camera
man, set out for the WiIds of Cen
trial Africa about a year ago to get
a series of films of life in that little
known section of the world. They
returned TO Chicago a few days ago,
Sz1nburned and cheerful. but with
out the 5000 feet of film which they
had used. The story of why they
left the film behind has an intimate
association with the European war,
and goes to show how the best laid
plans may be Unexpectedly upset
When the expedition left the
United States last spring, in addition
10 the camera men, IL included
James Sutherland. welI-known
English elephant hunter; Capt. g.
II. Anderson, of the Eighteenth Brit
ISL Hussars: T. p. Lindsey, OF BOS-
ton. son-in-law Of Thomas Nelson
Page, American ambassador to Italy,
and Elton Clark, another wealthy
Bostonian with an inclination for
travel and adventure.
- sraE -,
man East Africa. some distance
south OF Zanzibar. Thence it ad-
vanced into the elephant country
with 100 native bearers. and, on May
a established a permanent camp
on the Luwago river, in the Mo-
hsnE district The story, as 1t CON
Guides, Is best told in the words
Of Csmeraman HaTgan:
On August "a, runners arrived
from the German colonial govern
ment with a note commanding US to
leave the country at once. and on
rur way out to report at q German
'ort, which was designated. We
knew that Captain Anderson would
be seized as q prisoner, and that
sutherland also would be grabbed.
% we decided to make common for
-,Ine together and 80 through
Portuguese territory TO Fort John
n. a British post at the southern
nd OF Lake Nyassa, and thence To
ne coast We delayed answering
he German message as long as We
uould. in order TO hold up the Ger
mans native courierS until night,
curing that then there would be
mother delay. owing to their wait
g until the next morning to start
LuDerti wrote a note to the German
authorities stating that II would
take two days for US to get our stun
DEether and get started We figured
together We would have 2 start OF
our OF five days before pursuit could
be Instituted.
sixteen of our bearers deserted.
leaving thirty blacks with six white
u1en. We then left our films in tin
trunks in the permanent camp. We
crossed the RovumR river into Por-
ruCuesc territory on September 3
here we found the natives hostile.
9 nd had TO take turns standing guard
- night with our revolvers. To make
matters worse, our three cameras
we're mistaken for machine guns.
and word went ahead to Fort John
son that German attacking force
VAS on the way. A scout from Fort
Johnson came out disguised as a
prospector and recognized Suther-
and Then We learned that two
machine guns would have swept US
1sd We arrived at Fort johnson in
he night
"Tantain Anderson left US at Ma
deria to enter France, and join his
egiment at the front There's a pos
ibility that we'll get the 5000 feet
+ film We left in German East
Africa hut its a long gamble"