Evening star., 1937-06-16
BY JUAN CARMONA AND
RAFAEL ANGEL PETIT.


In keeping with the self-reliance Of
Scouts everyhewer, and following the
footsteps Of our adventurous ances-
tors who fought nature and man to
make their way to the Americas many
centuries ago, We started out from
our homes in Caracas on January IL,
1895. with Washington as our ultimate
objective.
In the first place. We determined to
make every step OF the way on foot,
without the use OF any sort OF modern
conveyance at ALL We have sue
ceeded. The only conveyances We
have used besides our feet have been
handmade RATS for crossing rivers Of
the jungles of Central America.
Turned Back at Border.
To date We estimate we have come
10000 miles through forest. swamp
and mountain, although this has
sometimes been hard for US to deter
mine. since We are accustomed to
measuring in kiometers, not miles
Not little OF this mileage was added
when We were refused admittance to
the United States at Laredo, due to
misunderstan nding at that port, and
were forced to return to Mexico City
on foot for an 20. K" OF our pass
ports.
We have visited the republics of
Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Mica
ragua. Honduras. Guatemala and
Mexico. and now the United States.
We have averaged about IS miles
a day while travelling. although We
have been detained several times-by
Indians, by authorities and by friends
in cities along our route.
Our trip has not been easy. We
have encountered all sorts of difi-
culties, particularly in Colombia and
Panama. where there are few roads
and which contain great jungles and
deep rivers.
Pioneered One jungle.
We believe We have trayersed one
jungle which had not theretofore been
penetrated by civilized man-the
Choco Colombiano, which separates
Panama and Colombia.
We had to cut our way through this
territory with machetes, not being able
to take one step forward through the
unbelievably luxuriant vines, trees
and grasses without first clearing our
path
We were forced for many miles to
lay a constant bridge before us OF
tree trunks in order to avoid quick
sand and quaking marshland.
For nearly six months we were wet
constantly, as the normally dif1icult
crossing Of these jungles was further
complicated by our striking it at the
rainy season.
In our travels through Central
America we heard tales Of three Bra
lillian Adventures who had attempted
to come this same route, but who left
their footpath at Barranquilla OF
Turbo. in Colombia, and made their
way by boat from there to Colon
Panama. We found the Indians who
had bought an automobile from them
extremely indignant, as they had never
been able to make the strange-looking
machine run an inch.
We also heard much talk of an
Argentine who had made this trip by
horseback. He really made the trip
as stated, and we spoke with many
people along the way who entertained
him. However, he did not attempt
to 60 through the Choco Colombiano
Coming through the tropics we suf-
fered with malaria, from the bites OF
insects and from dampness. We were
obliged to sleep in hammocks swung
in tall trees more than q month, to
avoid wild animals, poisonous snakes
and insects and the dampness OF the
earth However, We were happy when
we found place where the earth was
dry enough to sleep on. In the jungle
We often made a speed Of two and a
half miles . day.
One Of our most interesting and
dangerous experiences was our contact
with the San Bias Indians in Panama.
They live very primatively and are
said to be very ferocious and suspicious.
We were fortunate enough to ind q
few who could speak little Spanish,
AZ We understood them otherwise only
by signs.
Their chief, 1napakina, gave us q
banquet and an invitation to attend
religious ceremony. After the ban
quet we disliked the idea OF further
welcoming ceremonies, but discovered
we dared not risk appearing discourta-
GUS by refusing.
The banquet consisted Of d9ied 6aa