ACROSS AFRICA BY MOTOR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 15

ACROSS AFRICA BY MOTOR

ALr. ( . M. Barlow, a member of the Nigerian Administrative Service, lias (says “The Times,” London) arrived in Nairobi by motor-ear irom Kano, Northern Nigeria. He is en route to uroaf Britain on leave, and conceived fins idea of joining tlio boat at Mombasa. As he. had imported the ear, an ordinary two-seater Morris Cowley, at Lagos, he continued his journey from .Nairobi to Mombasa in order that lie might complete the journey from west to east. He brought with him a Nigerian native, Ills personal servant lor the last lour years, who has set on a. pilgrimage to Mecca and will leave his employer at Port Sudan.

No special equipment was attached to the car, except an additional spare wheel, but Mr. Barlow carried with him a. piece of coconut matting and two short strips of expanded metal, which he found to be useful in overcoming the difficulties presented by sandy stretches of road. The route he followed was Kano-kort Lamy, Chad, thence down through French Equatorial Airica by Fort ArchaniIbault and bort Crampel to Bongassu, thereafter into the Belgian Congo byway or Buta to Aba on the Sudan border, from Aba to Rejaf, and by the well-known road to Moale and Torero in Uganda, and thence to Nairobi and ALombasa. He left Kano on February 23, and arrived in Nairobi on March 23, having maintained a rate of 100 miles per day without, any difficulty. Air. Barlow declares that a large high-powered .car could perform the trip from Nairobi to Kano in 16 clays, but the journey should be undertaken between Christmas and the middle oi March, if it is intended to carry on to Lagos before the rains break. With the exception of a small stretch of 45 miles over steep hills and deep gullies, immediately after crossing into the Belgian Congo from Bougassu, the roads were good all the way, and the onlv uncomfortable sections were those in ’Kenya. On the way from Fort Crampel to Nairobi it is easy to obtain supplies of petrol, and oil, and even to ia e repairs done. Air Barlow set out with 96 gallons of. petrol, half of which he carried in a. small trailer. Nine days out from Kano the trailer caught fire and was gutted but that was the only incident on the 3450 miles journey. Although he slept beside his car in the bush, and • ji not carry any tent/Atr. Barlow-was not disturbed by animals, and saw very few until he came to Kenya. The Nigerian native who accompanied him was outwardly unaffected by the- adventure. He was only once* disturbed, when lie saw a zebra, and discovered in a type of horse he had never seen before.