New-York tribune., 1922-12-03

found in France, and last year they were
tried out In northern Africa. There they
were tested for more than 10000 kilo-
meters in every kind Of sand and over the
worst rocky hills. Although this was
done within easy reach Of towns and cities
they purposely tackled the most extreme
types Of country that would prove diff
ficult for even eamels or horses. Now
they are not worried about the technical
end Of the trip. The main difficulties
which give big margin Of chance against
their returning safely to civilization and
in favor Of having their picked bones
found by some later expedition come from
the lack Of water and the hostile inhabi-
tants Of the desert.
While waterholes are eharted as far
as In Salah, the furthest reach Of eivili-
zation to the south, and as far north OF
the Niger as Tin Zaouten, which is known
as the last Of the water holes on the edge
of Nowhere, there is only a vague idea
of where water can be found between
these two jumping-of places Of human
ity. Even the known wells, as far apart
as they are, cannot be relied on. Some
wears they are full of water and few
weeks later a caravan may find them as
dry as the rest of the desert. This is
often the reason why missions fail to re-
turn.
General Laperrine, an intrepid French
man, who was the first to attempt the
crossing Of the Sahara in an airplane,
was eventually found dead near dry
waterhole. His plane had broken down.
but his maps told him where an oasis
could be found He had reached II on
foot in time to save himself, but the
waterhole was dry. He had evidently
lacked the strength TO make the four-day
walk TO the next well, which might have
been equally dry.
Major Vuillemin, another aviator, was
more successful, being the first to make
a fight directly across the desert from
the Mediterranean to equatorial Africa.
The preparation was stupendous ana
costly. Vuillemin sent out auto camlons
with supplies and gasoline as far as they
could negotiate the dunes and then re-
loaded camels, which forged on to estab-
lish stations.
But lust 10 establish gasoline stations
for this one aeroplane was such great
undertaking that 800 camels were killed
from the heavy work it eniailed and
thousands were rendered useless for a
long time. The formerly friendly tribes
who raise the camels and live by renting
them we're thrown into such disorder by
this wholesale slaughter Of their sources
of income that they renounced their ale
glance to France and have never yet been
thoroughly rcconciled.
Unless the water situation is extremely
bad the proposed auto invasion Of the
Sahara may risk a few dry holes, as cars
are of sufficient speed TO forge on until a
wet hole is found. A camel caravan could.
never do this, men and beasts after GER
tain stage becoming powerless 70 90 on.
Their main trouble will probably come
from unfriendly tribes or marauding
Djiouch. Even tribes with the best in
tentions might take them for some kind
Of demons from Hades and proceed to elm
mate them. For a snorting, fame spit
ting monster suddenly TO rush upon him
faster than a camel can run would sur
prise a simple child Of the desert as
white person would be astonished If one
Of Wells's Martian machines suddenly
came around the corner.