Evening star., 1922-04-30
FOUR HOURS TO CLIMB MOUNTAIN
THREE WEEKS IN DESCENDING
Personal Experience Of Guy G. Catlin,
Who Motored Through the Wilds
!. :. of South Africa.

~rt took Us Four hours to labo-
riousls work our way up the moun-
tain side But 1t took us nearly
three weeks 70 get down the other
Fad as was the Journey up the de-
scent was terrible As the crow flies.
the distance was probably not more
than eighteen miles but our speed
omster showed sixty~three miles for
the Journey DOWN
At one place the declivity was so
Stecp that We had TO rig a make
shit windlass attach our heavy rope
IL the rear axe, and let the car down
slowly,
Even when operating under the
cars power. tho grades were so steep
that the water would run out of the
radiator overflow and tho carbure-
tor was frequently flooded.
I'VE would reach n spot where IL
seemed We would have TO abandon
the car, but we would search and
after hours find way. although it
usually called for more hours OF work
IN both removing rocks and IN fll-
ing up holes"
Given "a object Lessen.
You motorists who complain when
YOU run into "A little rough for a
few miles. or have to make slight
deto1r where hard road Is under
construction, can read the above lines
with interest.
They arc par, OF the personal nara
tive Of Guy G, Catlin Of Johannes
hurG, South Africa. telling of a re-
cent motor trip he made through the
wiIds of South Africa.
Mr.. Catlin Is the South African
representative Of the Hupmobile, and
trt yrh 00l
miles. he penetrated sections which
had never known the automobile.
About one-fourth OF the trip was
over fair roads and another quarter
over. OK trails, but the remainder
was through the wilderness where
settlers and roads were utterly un-
known.
The natives were at FIRST desper-
ately afraid Of tho motor car. but
finally, they were induced to ap-
proach 1t and some of them rode
in il,
One Distlnguished Passenger.
A most distinguished passenger
took great delight In sounding the
horn and In bouncing on the seats.
And she concluded by demanding
money TOR allowing us to entertain
her says Mr.. Catlin.
The queen Is thrifty soul, but
she is the absolute ruler over a
good many thousands of the simple
natives, Her people are gentle and
lazy and live almost exclusively on
sort OF corn mush they make from
the kaflr corn they grow.
I'VE had learned from natives we
had met that we were near the
queens kraal and determined to visit
her. 1t was certainly rough country,
but we finally made it
Her ladyship was in mourning for
hnr nd frs Vaf In
us. But some of her attendants
uage about he wonderful wagon that
did not need oxen to pull it in which
we travelled. and she finally came
out of her kraal. or grass house
She would not believe at first that
our motor car could move of its own
accord. and she was a rather fright
ened middle-aged woman when one of
the party started it off.
Finally Consents to Ride.
she finally rode in it and had a
great time. She knew a little mis-
sionary English and wanted full
explanation. but we all failed to
really convey to her what made the
car 60"
Mr.. Catlin insists that South Africa
is a land of wonderful possibilities
and that some day 1t will be an i'm
portant raiser OF beef and grain for
the world.
It's got long ways to so. of
course" he says, but some day 1t
will arrive. Now the farmers simply
raise food for themselves, or rather
their natives raise enough for them
selves and their white landlord, and
such money as comes is the result of
the sale of wool and somet cattle.
Transportation is bad. but it is
improving, and with its improvement
is coming greater prosperity.
N1,o F-r lNNNN ,rr
motor cars 1t used to take them
days to make the journey to town