15 MONTHS IN THE SAHARA.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1923, Page 4

15 MONTHS IN THE SAHARA.

- - ■aenffia* 1 BRITON'S ADYENTRE. ALGIERS, dime 11. The presence of two bronzed Englishmen in weird and ragged attire, and ot two more or less panic-stricken, coalI.Jack Sudanese hunters, standing round a pile of heterogeneous baggage on one of the platforms of Algiers railway station yesterday morning, marked the successful ending of one of the most remarkable expeditions in the history ol travel. The principal figure in this scene was Captain Angus Buchanan. .M.C.. the explorer and naturalist, who. accompanied by Air T. A. Glover, photographer and kinematograph operator, lias arrived here, after travelling from the port of Lagos, in .Southern .Nigeria, across the uncharted Sahara Desert, up to the shores ol the Mediterranean. Of the total distance

o; I, INI milts, 3,7>!N1 were covered ol camel back. Two davs ago the explorer ?.:• ~t

the back of Ids favourite <anui i: Southern Algeria, .Tail in a kilt madout of a blanket, with a sporran consisting of the head of a mountain sheep ami two ground squirrels' tails ornamented by n piece of biscuit tin. The sudden transition from desolate wastes of the Sahara to the modern civilisation of Algiers has greatly aston- I ished the two Sudanese attendants. > who were literally overcome with panic ] at tlieir first si-pit- of the sea. Urn i clanging electric tramway ears, and the swift-moving motor-cars e-i Al.e.it rs. The little expedition set out at th“ end of .March last year from Lagos, whence the journey to Kami, in Northern Nigeria, was made by railway Near Kano, an important caravan trading centre, the first camp wa- • established, and the party s"l to work > to collect transport camel- and nal:\e.- : for the trans-Saha ran journey. When Captain Buchanan left iim j neighbourhood ol Kano a lew week* i later Ids caravan comprised Ti camel- j and To natives. Good progress wa mad)' as far as Air, in the Central Ha- j hara. whence considerable time w> : spent in exploring this hitherto hub' j known region, lo which ( a.plain Bn- i rhanan made a journey in 1919 and i I *J2O. | From Air. ( antain Buchanan made j a digri -sion . aicoiupaliving a (arevim : of 7inmels titll! miles over barren j wastes into tile very heart n) the 8a- j Imra as far as Rilma. This caravan j of trailers makes the journey om-e year Iv to obtain sail- from mine- at I’ilma. j Wlk'li Captain Buchanan plumed to: Air from Ellina, the expeudil ion | lln on tenet! with failure owing lo <:Hi- j cullies regarding permission to travel j mo inward-. The Freii-b feared for the | solely of I lie liies of the members oi , i lie expedition and would indy consent j in tlieir proceeding with a military e<t- : con. and this lhex were nimble to oro- : i ale. Even! ually. when Captain Bn-j chaimn Inal l iirned buck, the I rein h ; anthnrilie- consented to li e expedl- j lion proceeding northward. After reaching the Alutggar Monte- j tains, m the Western Sahara, where! some {oiled ion- of birds, animals, and butterflies were made, tlie exp edition achieved a wonderful performance by trekking fur 122 days across tlm iles.eri to Toiiggoiirt. the railhead in Southern Nigeria, by wav of the oa-e.s oi in Salah and Ouarghi. Captain Buchanan and .Mr Glover have taken over -I” 0:10ft of him niateg: iiph lilio portraying every aspect ol

animal nnrl hitman life which the Sahara contains. They have also brought back a collection of big game, lesser animals, birds, and butterflies, which, in conjunction with tlie collection made during his previous expedition to Air, are the first speeiments from the heart of the Sahara.