LOVE PILGRIMAGE TO AFRICA

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1911, Page 7

LOVE PILGRIMAGE TO AFRICA

A LAST TRIBUTE TO EXPLORER , 5000-MILE JOURNEY. Letters have been received from Miss Olive MacLeod describing her pilgrimage to the grave of her sweetheart, Lieutenant . Boyd Alexander, the famous explorer, who was murdered in Central Africa in May of last year. ' She has accomplished this journey of nearly 5000 miles through difficulties and dangers in a country never before entered toy a white woman. Miss MacLeod acknowledges with gratitude the assistance rendered by .French officers in her passage through the Soudan to Maifoni 1 , a British' post near Lake Chad, where the remains of Lieutenant Boyd Alexander lie near those of his brother, who died in 1904 during an* expedition from the Niger to the Nile. Lieutenant Boyd Alexander left England in 1908, and after many wanderings entered Nigeria with the intention of reaching Maifoni, in order to restore the cross on his brother's grave. In tie French Soudan he met his death through the treachery of the natives of Wadai, with whom the French were at war. His remains were recovered and interred by tEe side of his brother. Miss MacLeod, who is the daughter of Sir Reginald MacLeod, late Permanent Undersecretary for Scotland, determined to make a pilgrimage .to Lake Chad in order to place a memorial cross on her sweetheart's grave. She started on. her journeyin August last and landed at the mouth of the Niger. For 1000 miles Miss MacLeod was borne in a litter by native boys,/ and finally reached Maifoni without mishap. Many parts of the country through which she passed are still disturbed, though the natives who murdered Lieutenant Boyd have been severely punished by the Frencfi troops. Miss MacLeod has faced the dangers and endured the fatigues and privations of the journey with heroic fortitude and without injury to her health.