A WORLD WALKER.

Otaki Mail, 15 October 1923, Page 3

A WORLD WALKER.

VISITS OTAKI. STRANGE WAGERS AND'ADVENTURES. _ Strange wagers have been made from time to time involving trips around the world, but. for novelty of conditions few can compare with the feat undertaken by Mr. B. Herbert. who arrived at -Otaki on Saturday. Two years and a month will have elapsed since Mr. Herbert set out

from London to circle the globe under conditions which, if adhered to. will a reward of £.IOOO m cash and the proprietorship of an hotel in England. A "Mail" reporter interviewed Mr. Herb irt on arrival. Mr. Herbert signed on the Mnunganui's articles at isydney for the run lo Wellington, and cheerfully turned-to in his temporarv vocauoii. The terms of Ins wager require that he mur! visit all ihe principle countries of the world, travelling by foot over,land and working his wav by sea. He is not to beg, uorrovv, or steal money, ami must prove his safe return to London exactly at midnight on the fifth anniversary of his departure from that city. Convincing proof of his presence 1 in London at the hour prescribed is to I b • afforded by his breaking a winuow, ! for which he will seek to b'e arrested. He is not permitted to wear boots or shoes ami to overcome this disadvantage he wears sandals improvised from portions or the outer cover of a motor-car tyre. Mr. Herbert has become quite accustomed to this novel footwear, and to» alleviate any inconvenience arising from it he wears thick stockings. At every town anu ci.y he visits, Mr. Herbert has to g'et the seal of the Mayor or other olncial affixed, to tho books he carries for that purpose. The protection of firearms is denied the adventurous globe-trotter, and lie must carry all his luggage, which, however, he has got down to the irreducible minimum contained in a knapsack and two haversacks. He is also required to write an account of his world tour. The identity of the parties to the wager is not being divulged by Mr. Herbert, who by the way. is travelling under a pseudonym. Leaving London in August, 1921, Mr. Herbert walked to Dover and crossed -by steamer to Calais. Down through France, Spain, and Italy, he tramped and stopped long enough at Monte Carlo to win a small sum at the .gaming tables. He took steamer from Italy to Alexandria and resumed his trudge, passing through Cairo and visiting the Great Pyramid. Through Faslioda. he went, along tho White Nile, and into tho Belgian Congo. In the latter country ho was arrested as a spy, but soon proved his innocence and pursued his way. He passed through German East, Africa, the Dinkadinka country, Portuguese East Africa, all three Rhodosias, Zuzuland, Swaziland, North and South Transvaal, Griqualand, Natal, and Cape Colonoy. j

Some Adventures. As might be expected, tho intrepid tourist did not tramp from one end of Africa to the other, through tho wilds, without adventures with dangerous animals. One evening ho found himself hemmed in by four leopards, which ho treated to a few miscellaneous tunes on a mouth organ. This resourcefulness had the desired effect, for the leopards after listening to sundry melodies withdrew. Another night was spent by Mr. Herbert in a tree, to which he had taken to avoid the attention? of a very largo and hungry lion and his mate. The king and queen of bear-ts lingered wistfully around the tree throughout the night, which they made hideous with their growls. When day broke tho lion and lioness departed, after venting their disappointment, by nerve-shattering roars. A ihrilling adventure befel Mr. Herbert, one day when he was about to slake his thirst at the Zambesi. He observed a huge python, fully 25ft. in length, a few yards away, with a large bull sable anteJope, about the size of a donkey, in its toils. Mr. Herbert stood transfixed with terror for some minutes before he recovered his senses and cpiickly retreated. His adventures in Africa alone would fill a fair-sized volume.

At Cape Town Mr. Herbert embarked as a seaman on the liner Runic, which carried him to Port Adelaide, where he disembarked, The voyager walked from Adelaide via Melbourne, to Sydney, and from the New South Wales capital crossed to Wellington. Mr. Herbert has managed to make sufficient money for his needs by giving lectures at various places. His health has been generally good, although after leaving Adelaide he experienced an attack of dysentry. He proposes to tour through portion of New Zealand and then proceed to Darwin, on his way to India, China, Siberia, Japan, North and South America. Mr. Herbert, is a native of the Midlands of England and although he is 52 years of age is as Tobust and active as a man at least twenty years younger. He saw active service in the Matabele War, the Zulu Rebellion, and was on active service for 3J years in the Great War, in which he fought as a second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery. He has been in the Navy also.

Mr. Herbert, who dined at Kapiti House on Saturday 'morning, 'expressed himself as delighted, with the beautiful scenery in this district, was' greatly taken'with the Natives and their customs at Otaki, spoke highly of the roads as compared with those in Australia, and expressed surprise at the lino lands. Mr. Herbert spent Saturday and Sunday in Otaki, and then moved north to Levin. Prom here he will go to Palmcrsfon on to Auckland, atfd then return by a different route to ■Wellington. He is fit and well and is positive he can win his wager.