The Washington times., 1931-05-05
JUNGLE A|RMAN
SAVED; AIDE
HANGS SELF
Italian Aviator Is Rescued
After 13 Days Of Hardship
in Wilderness of Brazil

in Wilderness of Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, May S
UN:S0 "A dramatic story of the
rescue Of Count Edmondo Di
Robillant, wealthy Italian aviator
and explorer, who had been lost
for 13 days in the jungles of
Brazil, and the death of Di Robil.
lant's mechanic, was unfolded to-
day by Lieut.. Francisco Mello, the
reScuer.
Count Di RObiIlant Is now at a
hospital at Sac PaulO recovering
from the hardShips he endured
following the crash of his plane
on the banks of the Parana
Panema River, while attempting
to map the course for an airmal
route from Sac PaulO to Bolivia.
The mechanic, Mauranta Quar-.
anita, went insane after several
days of trekking without food or
shelter through the trackless jun
giles and hanged himself.
FlierS Find Count
Count Di Robillant was found
by Lieutenant Mello and his OBJ
server. Lieut.. Nelson Wanderley,
after search by plane and on
foot through the jungles. He told
Mello:
"ThOse terrible days and
nights that we stumbled
through the dark jungles will
always live in my mind. We
had no food and the insects
attacked us in swarms. The
trees and undergrOwth were
SO thick that for days at q
time we could not see the sky,
to say nothing of sunlight.
"The darkness was the hard
est to bear. Every minute of
the time we heard noises in the
darkness about us. There were
pantherS prOwling around out
there, and now and again we
would come across snakes. We
went on and on until our
nerves broke.
"After / was compelled to
leave Quaranta was almost
without hope. spent two
days alone, always stumbling
forward, hOping-always hop
ing, for r. e."
Search Is Related
Mello, relating his experiences
20 International News Service,
told of the rescue expedition
which he headed. He said:
I'VE, that is, Lieut.. Nelson
Wanderley, my observer, and
myself, spent about seven hours
each day searching for Di
RObiIlant. We flew over some
of the most inhospitable jungles
Of MattO Crosse State, but
never were able to find any
trace Of the missing men.
Finally, on April 26, when
we had all but lost hope of
finding them, we sighted some
thing white down among a
number Of enormous green
trees. This was about $50 miles
from Assis, on the Parana
Panema River.
we circled lower, and Lieu
tenant Wanderley suddenly
cried:
THAT is the planet
we then searched for a
place to land, and found an
opening about seven miles
away. set the plane down
and we made our Way through
the jungle to the scene where
Di RObillant had crashed.
I'VE found the plane had
been abandoned. The fuel
tanks were dry. Then we be-
gan a search for Di RObiIlant
and Quaranta, attempting to
determine which way they had
gone by searching for foot
prints. This was almost a hope
less task, owing to the dense
ness of the jungle, but we were
able to find a few cigarette
stubbs and several burnt
matches, which pointed out the
route they had taken.
1--WE finally found RObillant.
He was alone, and he told us
that Quaranta had died after
suffering from fever, insect
bites and the effects of pol
luted water and no food"
JACQUELINE MEHLFELT
Funeral services for Jacqueline
Iehlfelt, 7 years old. who died
4onday at her home, 1923 Illi-
lois Ave. N. w.. following a brief
'lness. will be held tomorrow at