Laurel outlook., 1947-02-12
African Depths
To Be Explored
New Expedition to Penetrate
Mountains of Moon and
Lost Lakes.

rica's fabulous Mountains of the
Moon to explore the mysterious
Lost Lakes of the Ruwenzori and
to conduct scientific research and
short-wave radio experiments will
leave the United States in August.
Equipped with mobile radio sta
tons, travelling laboratories and
specially built equipment, the expe-
dition will explore the haunts OF AT
rica's obscure tribes of pygmies and
Living Pharaohs," the giant Watus-
81 princes, while technicians accom-
panying the party plan to study ra-
dio phenomena under climatic con-
ditions ranging from snow-capped
mountain peaks to steaming equa-
torial jungles. The expedition Will
spend six months in the field.
Led by Comdr. Attilio GATH, famed
explorer and author who has spent
more than IA years on African ex-
petitions, the undertaking IS being
sponsored by the Hallicrafters COM
pany of Chicago. The expedition
will carry with it assignments from
several scientific organizations and
similar institutions - assignments
which are expected to bring the
answers to questions on radio phe-
nomena as we'll as anthropologic,
ethnographic and scientific mystic
ries that have baffled scientists In
those fields for years.
Maintain Radio Contact.
The expedition is expected to be
in constant touch with "hams'-am-
ateur short wave radio enthusiasts
throughout the world for the en-
tire six months during which the
party will explore parts of Zanzibar,
Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda n
possibly the Belgian Congo.
Near Fort Portal, Uganda, high on
the eastern slope of the Ruwenzorl
mountain range, native laborers Will
erect the base camp.
A powerful radio station Will be
set up on Ruwenzori, capable OF
short-wave contact with Command
er Gatti's home station at the Halli-
crafters plant in Chicago. From
this field camp the expeditions
short-wave equipment will broadcast
to amateur radio operators through
out the world.
Here the expedition leaders will
plan the scientific safari into the leg
endary Mountains of the Moon,
which lie surrounded by almost m
penetrable jungle forest-the "Fons
of the ancients, with snow
clad mountain peaks towering nearly
II, 1000 feet into the equatorial sky.
Members of the expedition will
plunge into deep, %untrodden forests
and great stretches of elephant grass
in search of the fabulous Lost
Lakes" innumerable craters hun
dreds of feet below the peaks OF
Ruwenzori-the mysterious Bijongo,
held in superstitious w by the ma
tive Batoro.
To Utilize Planes.
Here, where no white man has
ever approached, and where even
the tribesmen have left the region
Untouched, will appear for the first
time the Gatti-Hallicrafters' float
ing island" a strange silently pro
oelled craft entirely camoufiaged by
vegetation, which will ap-
wild life along the lake
shores to photograph them and re-
cord their sounds for science, mean
while sending back radio reports on
he safari to the base camp. The
'humming Bird" a specially adapt
ID helicopter, will hover over these
hidden game Ravens, photographing
and recording the life of strange
UNCLE animals, many of which have
lever been seen even by natives.
Down into the virgin depths OF
hese lakes will sink the diving
,ye," a ~grotesque contraption which
will photograph in natural color the
ubmarine monsters described in
uperstitious awe by the few natives
Who have dared to penetrate the
acred shores of dread Bijongo.
Scientists of the expedition will
,enetrate the Eturi forest, along the
western slope of the mountain,
yhere t~orrential rainfall and per-
Ietual seepage Of snow have made
/ the wettest spot on earth.