AFRICAN TRAVEL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 12

AFRICAN TRAVEL

THE SEMPLE SYSTEM OF MR LANDOR. 1 Mr A. Henry Savage Landor, the inheritor of a celebrated name and posseeeer of unappeasable desire for travel and exploration, returned to London recently after a journey across Africa from east to west, in its region of widest latitude. At the Royal Institution, on May 31, Mr Landor took the platfoim before a distinguished gathering and gave many graphic and dramatic details of his latest travels. Mr Landor’s journey occupied 38 i days, during which he covered 8,500 miles, his course being from Djibuti, in French Somaliland, to Cape Verde. 110 said that with the exception o-f a flying machine he aA-ailed liimself of every possible means of transportation. Horsea mules, donkeys, oxen, camels, human can iers, canoes, steel boats, rafts were used, and naturally” on the long journey he lest many animals and some men. At no time of .his journey did lie possess more than thirty pack animals, and never more than some forty men. But he had hardly gone- one-third of the way Avlien lie found himself abandoned by eA’erybody, and in the most difficult part of the journey, in the heart of Africa he had only one faithful Somali Avith him. The couple managed to take the entire caravan across the forest during the season of heavy rains, a iabour requiring a deal of patience. His expedition was the greater part of the time in very unhealthy regions, wb.eio malarial fever is rampant. In the Senegal yellow fever was very bad last year at the time of his visit. He/ carried no medicines to speak of, and no filters for the water, nor did he adopt any of the precautions suggested by the medical profession. The lesult was that he returned to England in excellent health-. No sun helmet, no patent clothes for explorers, no patent boots were worn, but just the ordinary attire of London, the head gear being a mere straw hat.

During the entire journey he carried, no firearms upon him, .nor Aveapons of any kind* not even pen-lmive. Although he armed his men Avith excellent repeating rifles he never gave them any cartridges. There was no other Avhite man in the expedition, avliich. Avas taken entirely at Mr Landor’s expense and risk.