The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-05
LAME EXPLORER,
81, L|MPS 1900.
MILES IN W|LDS
Or. Henry n. Rusby. After
Leaving Expedition, Walks
to Port.
KEPT COURSE BY COMPASS.
Arriving at Civilized Town, He
Was Forced to Go
to Hospital.

NEW YORK. March 4.-Dr.
Henry H. RusbyI the first Ameri-
can to traverse the South Ameri-
can continent from ocean to ocean.
including the hazardous crossing
of the Andee mountains. is back
at his home in Newark. N. j.. with
an even more notable travel
achievement to his record.
His Second Trip.
When DIR. Rusby made his won.
derful crossing of South America
in 1885 he was only thirty, in the
prime of health and physically cap
able of enduring the arduous trip
without iii effects.
His latest feat, therefore, Is far
more notable, for he has, at the
age of sixty-seven and desperately
ill. broken in physique and fight
ing each step to prevent a break
down. travelled alone desperate
stretch of 1 500 miles to reach a
port from which to sail for treat
ment in New York.
Limps 1000 Miles.
This marvellous achievement is ac-
counted by his friends the most re-
markable of the many he has &C.
complished in his long career as an
explorer. DIR. Rusby is dean Of
the Columbia University College of
Pharmacy. He left New York July
!, 1921, at the head Of the milford
Biological Expedition which set out
10 find new vegetable growths of
medicinal value. lie had seven COM
panions, all younger and sturdier.
He was keeping the pace splend
idly until November, when the party
was encamped at Rurrenabaque,
Bolivia, when he was stricken with
neuritis. His left leg became 80
lame he had to crawl along. An
infected tooth intensified his
misery.
Age and lameness and the ailing
tooth combined to impel his resig-
nation from the expedition. His
companions urged him to continue,
saying they would progress slowly
and set their pace to accord with
IL he remained the expedition would
be badly and needlessly deayed.
They protested he would never be
able to make the trip to the coast
alone, that the journey was too
fraught with perils.
Nevertheless. the veteran started
back to civilization by way of the
Amazon river for the town of
Manaos, 800 miles northeast of
the camp. And Manaos is / 900
miles from the port of Para.
Recounting his adventure DR..
Rusby said. at his home, at No. 776
Degraw avenue:
1T was really not an adventure,
this expedition. 1t was for scien-
tific purposes. My getting to the
port didn't amount to much"
Explorers Story.
He was reluctant TO go on. but
finally told his story.
He started for home with a heavy
load Of foods, a gun and ammuni-
ton, compass, clothing, medi-
cines and tools. He walked slowly
for many days through the wilds.
He used prepared food and supple
mentcd II with game he shot. He
kept his course by compass. Where
Bolivia and Brazil join are many
rivers: He got natives to take him
northward by raft.
At other times he managed to
get passage on Brazilian Govern
ment launches from point to point.
Most Of the way he had to walk.
He walked for almost all of Nov
ember, all of December and part of
January. When he reached Manaos
he received hospital treatment. He
rested two weeks and started by
boat for Para, where he boarded
the Polycarp for New York.
The expedition. he said. has col
lected $4,000 kinds of insects, sew.
eral hundred varieties of fishes, 100
reptiles and 1900 botanical speci-
mems. Motion pictures were taken
everywhere, one film picturing the
life history of a white ant colony.
The Ayrnara Indians in Brazil were
filmed while in battle.