HISTORIC MOTOR TRIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21649, 20 May 1932, Page 10

HISTORIC MOTOR TRIP

THROUGH ASIA’S WILDS DEATH AT END OP TOUR. The first man to cross the Sahara Desert in a motor car, M. Georges M. Haardt, recently died from pneumonia in Hongkong at the age of 47. He was a Belgian explorer. In 1922, accompanied by M.: Audouin-Dubreuil, hp crossed Africa from Algeria to French ' West Africa. The thrilling journey of 2000 miles was made in 22 days, a saving of nine weeks on the camel caravan. M. Andre Citroen, the famous French. motor car manufacturer, under .whose auspices the desert journey whs made, i engaged M. Haardt three years ago to' organise and to undertake ‘‘ The Yellow Cruise,” a trip with ■ six-wheeled • motor cars and seven caterpillar tractors across Asia and back—ls,ooo miles in aIL The route lay via the wild spassea of the Pamir Mountains in Turkestan and, the Himalayas, and the goal of the out-’ ward -trip was Peking, the .old capital Of China. „ The expedition, consisting of, 34, men, started from Beyrout, Persia* in April of last year. Unfriendly tribes menaced them during the last 1000 miles of the 7500-mile journey. They were frequently fired on. Bandits stole their spare treads and , tyres, and asked for arms and ammunition in exchange. The expedition ■had no spare arms or ammunition, so the mechanics repaired the . worn treads to enable the journey to be finished. During the crossing of the Himalayas M. Haardt and- his preached the record altitude for a motor car 6 i 13,775 ft. Snow added to their troubles, and the loads had to be transferred to. ponies. In one mountain pass snow war 12ft deep, and it took three days to coye : 18 miles. Despite all their hardships, the entir party arrived in Peking in excellen-. health. The expedition was preparing ti return when M. Haardt caught infljicnzr 5 at Shanghai. He refused to be pursed and left for Hongkong, where pneumonia developed.