Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02


Africa. For three years Mr.. Hoover, his wife
and young daughter, and Fred A. Greedy fell
low scientist, lived in a corrugated iron hut on
top solitary mountain. 81 miles away from
the nearest provision center.
Mr. Hoover was in charge of the joint ex-
petition of the Smithsonian Institution and
the National Geographic Society to establish a
solar radiation observatory at the peak of
Mount BrukkaroS, q dead volcano. Just before
starting back to Washington a short time ago.
the Hoovers and MIR. Greedy were relieved by
Louis o. Sordahl and A G. Froiland who
rived at the mountain to carry on the work
of shooting" the sun six times a day.
More specifically, the purpose of the expedi-
ton was to set up research center which
would make reports similar to those being made
regularly by the Smithsonian solar obServa-
tories in Chile and at Table Mountain Calf.
The three obServatories on three continents are
reporting daily variations of the heat of the
sun that reaches the earth. Every activity on
the face Of the globe is dependent to some
extent on the suns radiation, the variation of
which is the subject Of the recent Hoover study
While individuals are only conscious of such
variations in radiation as the earth itself brings
about through the procession of the seasons,
evidence of the variation in the strength of the
itself is not far to seek Smithsonian
authorities think there is definite connec-
ton between variation in solar radiation and
changes in weather The observatory in remote
Africa may some day warn Chicago of a COM
ing drop in temperature
MIR. HOOVER describes Mount Brukkaros
as: "A small isolated peak rising 1000
feet above the surrounding plateau which is
nearly nat for a radius of SO miles around the
mountain. The plateau itself is 1900 feet
above level. Brukkaros forms a nearly
round cup with the floor of level meadow
about half mile in diameter. A steep rim
on every side renders it practically inaccessible
except where break some 80 feet wide drops
over 6O-foot precipice to a dry stream bed
The sole approach to the mountain is by
this bed"
Little Betty Hoover was only year and a
half old when her mother and father took her
to the remote mountain top. Now she is A
years old. A flock of chickens and COW were
her only playmateS for three years
The nearest human neighbors were Hotten-
tots whose crude beehive huts dotted the
valley around the mountain. Following some
early contacts with these people, Mr. Hoover
sent the following information to WASHINGTON:
The Hottentot tribeSmen, black people of
very primitive habits, actually believed from
the start that we Yankees were able to make
rain. For months after our arrival on their
dusky shores they waited confidently for us to
demonstrate our power in this respect. But no
rain came, so the black fellows wanted to
know what they had done to offend the
Bosses, as they referred to us. One little girl
But the natives did not look for rain more
frequently than we did. Back in the early
days OF 1926, until the rain filled our reservoirs
built with the splendid cooperation of Dutch
engineers, the only water supply we had was
In the crater some 1000 feet below our resi-
nence and observatory. One day, however, we
were pretty close to being dried out SO I told
native servant to get couple of our donkeys
and fetch up some water Two days later he
returned without the donkeyS, claiming he
couldn't ind them. Once more I sent him
out on his errand. Meantime we'd decided
unanimously not to wash the dishes. Next
day came along and still we had no water.
So we didn't even try to wash our faces we
were mighty dirty bunch when the water
supply finally did come by the third day"
Mr.. HOOVER gives q graphic description Of
battle with ferocious leopard: "A6r
Greely and had a precarious foothold on o
small ledge Of the mountain leopard had
destroyed our chickens, and we were ON the
hunt for him, had followed his trail almost
20 the mountain top. Now however, the
tracks were becoming pretty scare, so we had
almost given up our search when all at once
we saw him, hudd1ed IN a crevice hardly an
arms length above US.
knowing very little about the habits of
4eopardS, we two men were armed only with %
rifles poor protection against such ferocious
beasts. And we now knew all too well that
he was prepared to spring at us at any
moment One mtscue and man or beast would
go plungng into the abyss below But we
couldn't stop to argue the why's and where
1ores of the situation-we had to act and act
quickly.
Seconds passed. They seemed like hours
when suddenly out e. the corner of my eve
j saw the leopard assume an offensive position.
Somehow managed to pull the trigger.
Wounding him somewhere on the hack Vet