New-York tribune., 1919-08-10
Around the World
Air Trip Next Feat
For Intrepid Filler
National Geographic Society
Expects Some Aviator to
Emulate Magellan by a
Long Cruise in plane

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-'Now that
the Atlantic has been crossed and there
are plans afoot to fly over the Pacific,
the day may not be far distant when
some aerial Magellan will make an
aeroplane tour around the worldt' says
bulletin of the National Geographic
Society.
"There are still many corners of the
world where aeroplane, automobile and
even the horse would be curiosities
And if a man set out to tour the globe
and do as the Romans do in respect
to adopting native conveyances he
would have to:
"Resort to donkey in Spanish
America and in the Holy Land,
"Climb aboard camel to traverse
African deserts,
Gross some rivers of India on the
inflated skins of bulocks, and others
by d bridge of one rawhide rope,
Using Elephant as Taxi
Submit to the sea-gong motion of
an elephant when he continued his
journey on land.
Get into a man-borne palanquin at
Calcutta.
Jolt over Far Eastern roads in a
non-shoch absorbing cart drawn by
oxen.
and in China be prepared to climb
into a jinrikisha, sedan chair or a
whcelbarrow."
A few Of these curious means of
travel aye described in a communlca-
ton to the society by 0. ?. Austin, as
follows:
In all parts of that great line Of
deserts, stretching from North Africa
across Central Asia to Northwest
China, the camel is everywhere IN evi.
dence; The total number in the world
being estimated at about three millions.
"Not only is the camel valuable
freight carrier, but he serves as the
travelling car Of the Rockefellers, the
Carneges, the Morgans and the Narri-
mans Of the desert When he is chosen
for this more pretentious service a
light framework is placed upon his
back and covered with cloths to screen
the occupants from the sun and the OBJ
servation OF the passers, and decorated
with pompons Of various colors. In this
gorgeous compartment, which may be
not inaptly termed the palace car of
the DESERT the master of the camel
train places his wife and children, his
choicest merchandise his cooking uten-
sils and daily requirements. and travels
in state, the observed of all observers,
the envy Of the wandering native of
the desert.
Craft on the Euphrates
"On the Euphrates and the Tigris are
still retained the curious water trans
ports of centuries ago the taft OF
Il lO lo,
RATS are sustained by inflated skins,
prepared for this especial purpose. and
after the raft floats down the river to
its destination the inflated skins are re-
moved, the air permitted to escape, and
the skins carefully folded and carried
back to the upper waters, where they
alc again inflated and used as the sup
port Of another and still another raft.
Even more curious to the eyes Of
the traveller from other parts Of the
world are the circular boats, made Of
wlckelwork and covered with skins, or
made wateltieht with pitch. which are
stll in daily use on the Tigris and
Eurhrates rivers.
The three principal methods of
transportation of people IN Central and
Southern China are the sedan char,
the jinrlklsha and the wheelbarrow.
"Probably more freight and more
passengers are transported in China by
the wheelbarrow than by any other
land method. The Wheelbarrow there
used differs from that used by us in
the fact that the wheel is set in the
centre and thus supports practically
the entire load, while TIE handles are
supported in part by strap or rope
over the shoulders of the man who
operates it. AS a result, the wheel
barrow coolie in China will transport
NJ. rlM o. hllf tnr, on hls vaEl cln >,