FLASHLIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14042, 28 October 1909, Page 3

FLASHLIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE.

TO SNAPSHOT BEASTS. A photographic expedition, armed with balloons, kites, and 'flashlights, is about to follow in the footsteps of Air. Koosevelt in Uganda, to "pot" lions and lionesses, and hippopotami witli the camera. Mr. \V. D. Boyce, the millionaire owner of the Chicago Ledger and • the Chicago Saturday Blade weekly papers with a vast circulation —is responsible for this most remarkable expedition. His aim is to enter the wildest parts of Africa, not to shoot wild beasts but to snapshot them. He makes no secret of his reason in going. He wanted an original idea, as he put it, for the Chicago Blade, and he is going to spend £20,000 in carrying out his project of photographing wild beasts in their lairs from captive balloons and box kites. There is one man famous all the States over for his wonderful photographs. He is the pioneer baloon photographer, and his name is George It. Lawrence. I have hired Lawrence for a year, Mr. W. D. Boyce said, and I am paying him £2O a day. We have already shipped ten tons of sulphuric acid and ten tons of steel tilings to Nairbobi," he added, "to make our own hydrogen for the . balloons. We expect to reach Mombasa on September 15, where white guides will take charge of. the party. We shall have 400 porters; each white man wants 30 porters, and there are seven of us, and then we have our balloon and appliances. The equipment of the party includes: —Three balloons, 23 cameras, cinematograph, 10,000 feet of film, 6,000 plates and films, electrical plant, a whole shop of. chemicals, 600 flashlight cartridges, 40 bz kites, and 10 high wind kites. The cameras measure from 3Jins by siin to .22in by ooin. The balloons . and kites are on their way from America. There is an entire cinematograph aparatus, with screens for projections. It's an idea of mine.to keep the natives quiet. I shall give them free cinematograph shows in the jungle. I have also o dozen or so with the latest records. VVe shall give them. Tetrazzifti or Caruso after a hard.day's work, llemember there are 400 natives to be kept in order. The boz kites are for photography when the wind is too high for ballooning. From ten to twenty of them will support one of the large cameras. The greatest feature of the expedition is the battery of cameras. They are automatic instantaneous cameras, for flashlight purposes. Mr. Boyce explained how they will work. We shall place the carcase of some animal as a bait for the prowling ilions. Bound tho carcase will be six of our reat cameras and close at hand will be a microphone transmitter, connected with a cable. Where shall wo be ? Why, two miles away at the end of the cables, with receivers over our heads, listening. If there are lions alxrat we shall hear them roaring and fighting over the carcase. That will be our time. We press a button, and two miles away the flashlights flash'one after another, the the shutters click. We ought to get some startled expressions on those lions' faces. Thereis no danger to them, but six flashlights arc enough to scare the life out of any able-bodied lion, in the dnrkness of the junszle. We tried it on dogs in America and got some fine pictures.