Evening star., 1941-07-07
BY SULLIVAN C. RICHARDSON.

southern terminus.
BY SULLIVAN c. RICHARDSON.
PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY
EXPEDITION, Lima, Peru (Via air
maiD The first time this expedi-
ton turned on the car heater after
leaving winter in Michigan last No.
vember was within one day of the
Equator. We were crossing a range
of the Andes at 10000 feet.
In the morning We were shivering
in cold wind two miles in the air
BY noon we we're down sweltering
in the heat Of heavy tropics. BY
night we were back up in the cold
again. Three times that day we
climbed from low attitudes OF
uncomfortable heat to attitudes of
over 10000 feet. We spent the night
in broken and abandoned mud
grass hut above 1000 feet where
greasy Smokesoot accumulated
from years of inside fire when the
hut was inhabited-hung from the
bamboo gables like ragged black
moss Tipping in the cold wind.
From Bogota, Columbia, where
We sent the last article north. we
travelled good gravel roads to Quito,
Ecuador. There were four major
mountain passes over 10000 feet
In Colombia and a long stretch of
'sola via'-one way traffic-over
single track mountain road. Traffic
goes one way in the morning, the
other way in the afternoon.
Cars Well Inspected.
Before a car Is allowed to start
this one way stretch, it Is well IN
spected by an officer. The car must
be equipped with chains in case
rain Is encountered on the high
mountain grades. The officer banged
our car up the road at 40 miles an
hour, whirled it around and tried
to stop on a dime with our 1000
pounds of luggage.
Twelve times that morning, in
fact, until 2 o'clock that afternoon,
We we're stopped by officers with
chains across the road. They cau-
toned us about dump trucks work.
ing ahead. shovel men on the curves,
speed on the grades, etc. We listened
respectfully, got their rubber stamp
and signature on our long page of
permit" paper we carried, and went
on. At the last chain, begged the
officer to sign the paper and return
1t to me. I wanted evidence of Co
iombias efficiency in handling traf-
fic on mountain grades. It's control
we'd never think of In the States.
But at least 1t gives lot of name
signers and rubber-stamp makers a
Job.
The mountain sides in Colombia
and Ecuador are plastered with ma
tive farms. Like plaques hanging
on wall. these acres cover the pre-
cipitous slopes. And in most places
the irregularity of sizes and bounda-
ries give the scene an appearance
yellow "cobblestone" kitchen lino-
ieum tipped on edge and glued to the
sky. We've never seen anything like
1t before.
Both Colombia and Ecuador con-
tinued unbroken the train of mag
niicent cooperation the expedi
ton has received from officials of
government from the Rio Grande to
Lima. Our car is full of cameras, |
film, equipment and camp necessi-
ties. Not once have we paid cent |
of duty, or deposit, on the car or |
its equipment. Certainly, we believe
that indicates friendliness and CO. |
operation from our Latin American |
neighbors that sets record difficult |
to beat by anybody. We appreciate |
such courtesy and cordiality.
Snow on Peaks Near Equator.
At the equator. few miles north |
of Quito, we stopped more than three
hours. A great monument marks |
the spot, with latitude carved in
stone. Two high peaks sit within |
q few miles of the monument, one |
almost exactly on the equatorial |
line. Both are covered with snow |
that never melts.
While in Quito, the expedition on |
a side trip down into the jungles |
along the Pacific to visit the little
photographed Colorado" Indians. |
We wallowed in mud for two days |
to reach them. Three times we had |
to lift our mules out of the bog by |
their ears and tails, and pick cam
era cases out of the mud. When we |
finally reached the home of fam
aly clan we found a fiesta going on.
For three days they had been drink |
ing ouiche and aguadiente, and the |
old medicine man didn't like our
cameras. I left mine running as
they came up the trail from their
canyon pow WOW: men first, women
and children tagging. I walked |