Evening star., 1925-03-29

some II miles in diameter, and that
walking party over such smooth
surface should readily be able TO ad-
vance 90 miles in one day: and con-
sidering it TO be scarcely probable
that the lake before US could be as
large as or larger than that one.
which already was known as the
greatest in the world. we concluded
that provisions for five days would
furnish an ample supply.
At dawn of the following morning
the exploring party, made up of the
chief geologist, an assistant geologist,
Jones and myself, with seven Indian
porters, undertook it's task. During
the early hours Of the morning. the
| travelling was quite easy. By noon.
we calculated that we had advanced
approximately 10 miles. Yet. that
same hour, we comm enoed to expert
| ence difficulties.
The blazing sun not only exhausted
us, but the glare il produced on the
| black, shining asphalt blinded US.
| The asphalt, also, softened by the
heat, became as mush beneath our
! feet.
Into this We sank, beyond our
ankles. From such a mire one had
to struggle in order to free himself
and be able to take the next step
forward.
Soon we realized that it was futile
| to try to travel during the heat of
| the day. So, under that blazing sun
and on that blistering asphalt, We
stretched out and tried to rest in
order to be fit to march again after
sunset.
| For two nights we travelled thus.
On the third day, we knew that our
situation was critical We found as
we advanced toward the center Of the
lake that the asphalt became softer.
Even during the cooler hours of the
night we sank into il deeply. We
made but tile slowest and most fatigu-
ing progress. This was particularly
true, as we now were suffering
from large, painful blisters and sores
on our legs and feet
We deemed 1t most probable that by
this time we had travelled more than
half the distance between the shore
where our camp was located and the
opposite side. We determined. there
fore, to- continue on our course, be-
lieving 1t to be in all probability the
shortest distance between ourselves
and land. Half-rations also having
been accepted as measure of pre-
caution. we felt that, although our
situation was a grave one. with the
careful conservation of our supplies.
we should be able to work our way
out.
For four more nights we travelled.
Then we found ourselves al the point
of exhaustion. Half-starved, parched
with thirst which made us spit cot
ton" through cracked lips. we stagger-
ed on. We were filled with the terror
Of that black waste. Our brains.
feversh from the heat, the exhaustion
and anxiety, brought fantasies to our
minds so that, at times, we were little
better than half mad.
At times some shrieked, pointing
forward. There it is-water, water"
I damned the black asphalt which
did not sustain even blade of grass.
x x x
MYTH their bloodshot eyes. crack
w ed lips and swollen tongues. the
entire party was the embodime ent of
despair. All superfluous equipment
long since had been cast away. Of
all our armament, there remained but
one si1-shooter hung from my belt.
Three canteens contained all the
water that was left. And so the
party staggered and stumbled on,
now one of it's members falling, while
another would give a helping hand,
and the helper soon after would fall,
to be helped in turn by some one else.
Came the heat of the seventh day to
add to our torments. Only the slight
est relief was to be had from the
handkerchief which, with one corner
soaked in the tepid water, was passed
around to be suck ed And as was