ACROSS CENTRAL AFRICA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10777, 27 May 1911, Page 2

ACROSS CENTRAL AFRICA.

SEARCHING FOR TRACES OF PREHISTORIC ANIMALS. 6000 MILES' JOURNEY. Lieutenant Graetz, the young, exofficer of the German army who intends to cross the African Continent from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean by motor-boat has now arrived at Quilimane, in Portuguese East Africa, the starting point of his trans-continental voyage. The most interest part of his voyage will be along the Chambesi River, long stretches of which are still unexplored, and Lake Banguelo. This mysterious lake is surrounded for many miles by dense growths of reeds, which render access from the shores extremely difficult, and none of the natives of the surrounding country have ever venturned upon its waters. In their minds it is associated with many strange legends, some believing that it is a kind of Hades where departed souls wander for punishment, while others look upon it as the approach to Paradise, where their dead relatives and friends enjoy an ideal existence under the protection of their deities. The preliminary preparations for this voyage which will be 6000 miles in length consisted of sending stores to 20 different places en route by native carriers. At each of these stations Lieutenant Graetz will find meqt and fruit preserves, butter, jam, salt and pepper, Jlour and rice, vinegar; oil, soap and sausages o le is a good German), tinned milk, mustard, cakes, preserved cucumbers, pates de fois gras, chocolate, matches, and candles. From this list it will be seen that he does not intend to deny himself all the luxuries of life during his arduous undertaking. At each of the stations he will also find the following beverages Six bottles of cognac, five bottles of white beer, a Berlin speciality, five bottles of lager beer, five bottles of champagne., ten bottles of mineral waters, five tins of coffee, five tins of cocoa, and two tins of tea. The following miscellaneous stores are also awaiting him at each of the 20 places: 100 cigars, 100 cigarettes, two bags of tobacco, two bottles of dentifrice, one medicine chest, 100 Mauser cartridges (.9mm.), 100 hunting cartridges of three different sizes, ten Browning cartridges, 400 meters of cinematograph films, chemicals requisite for developing the films, and oil for the motor.

Lieutenant Graetz, who revealed remarkable resources and courage in many trying situations on his last journey across the African continent in a motorcar, is a firm believer in peaceful methods of dealing with the natives, and never resorts to violence unless driven to do so by the extreme necessities of self-defence. He carries with him a plentiful supply of fireworks, which lie employs to frighten natives who molest his expedition, most of whom regards the wheels and strange figures of flame as supernatural productions, which demonstrate that the explorer is a kind of deity. The explorer also carries with him various conjuring by means of which he will also impress the natives with a due sense of his superhuman qualities. One of his simplest tricks is carried out with the help of a glass eye. Pretending to take outone of his eyes, he holds his hand over the supposed cavity, while he exhibits in the other hand the glass eye. and the natives readily believe that- it is one of his own. Pretending to replace it in the supposed cavity, he redoubles his hold on their imagination and superstition. He uses many kinds of cheap clothes, false jewellery, and other simple ornaments as articles of exchange, and his cigarettes and cigars are also chiefly destined for this purpose, as they are eagerly sought by the natives, who readily give large quantities of provisions in return for these luxuries. Lieutenant Graetz's motor-boat is

25ft long and sft Gin in beam, with, a draught of ltiin, and is equipped with a 10-li.p. motor. Jjieutenant Graetz acts as his own navigator and chauffeur, and is accompanied by one European cinematograph operator and four natives. On arriving at unnavigable, waters, and at the watershed in the: centre of the continent, the motor-boat will be placed on wheels and pushed over the ground by the four natives, a specially constructed axle having been ; provided for this purpose. 'Lieutenant Graetz's undertaking- is interesting, not only as a magnificent sporting enterprise, but also on account of the exploration of districts hitherto impenetrated by Europeans. , Lieutenant Graetz believes that traces of prehistoric animals may be found in some of the regions near the liver Luapula and Lake Meru, and that there may be interesting new discoveries of fauna and flora.