25 YARDS A DAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 378, 12 June 1928, Page 7

25 YARDS A DAY

MOTORING IN THE JUNGLE

BIRTLES REACHES AUSTRALIA

The arrival of Francis Birtles, the pioneer explorer and motorist, at Darwin, Australia, yesterday, marks the tnd of a remarkable trip from London in a Bean car.

Leaving Olympia, London, on October 27 of last year, he drove to Folkestone, where he went by steamer to Boulogne, and then traversed France, Germany, Austria, Czecho-Slovakia, and on to Greece.

Here he learned that the Turkish Government had refused permission for him to journey through Turkey. This meant a change in the plans, so he went by steamer to Alexandria—soo miles—from there through the Sinai Peninsula on to Syria, then across the desert to Iraq, Persia, Baluchistan to the northwest frontier of India; to Delhi and Calcutta, which was reached on January 6.

In his 2,500-mile trip through Persia, Birtles found the people anything but friendly.

From lmpal he met with the greatest obstacles. He had to cross tlje Naga Hills, which no one but natives had ever done, and they only on foot. No cart tracks, no roads, nothing but footpaths. On one side the bank, on the other a sheer drop in some instances of thousands of feet.

Where the journey led Birtles down, he and his companion had to cut away part of the cliff to permit of a footing for the four wheels of the car.

Often tho car had to be roped to prevent it from crashing over the cliffside, or to be swung to safety. On occasions a path had to be hewed through the thickest jungle. Many a day went by when less than a mile in distance had been covered. Sometimes the growth of bush would be so dense that a day’s work only enabled the car to advance a matter of 25 yards. Having overcome the most difficult part of his journey, and doing what had never before been accomplished, Birtles reached Pakokku, where he got his first puncture in 11,000 miles.

What all the rocks, boulders, pointed bamboo and dense jungle from Manipur to Burma could not do, a bullock shoe nail did.

The same six Dunlop tyres that had been taken from London were still in use alternately.