Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1914 — Cape to Cairo by Motor Car [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cape to Cairo by Motor Car

FROM time to time It has been announced that Capt. R. W. Kelsey, Mr. Scott-Brown, and two companions were undertaking to traverse Africa In a motor car from the Cape to Cairo. It Is now possible to put before our readers a first report from the expedition. The task as it proceeds will become a more and more difficult one. Even In this first section of the route some very rough country has been traversed as is evident from the picture given here. A correspondent of the Dally Telegraph who is one of the party has sent home an interesting message. . - The initial difficulties which are inseparable from all big undertakings have been met, and the lessons learned in the hard school of experience during the first few days of the tour proved Invaluable. **' The journey from Cape Town proved varied in the extreme and: full of interest, for, in addition tp enabling the party to see some of the most fertile fields of Cape Colony and also the desert of the Karroo, It has given them an opportunity of seeing how some of the biggest industries are conducted. The first place of note passed •was Paart, a curious straggling town of one street, extending for seven miles. It is surrounded by vineyards and produces some of -the best wine of South Africa. Its wagons are famous in the days before the railway it was no uncommon sight to see long trains of these wagons, tied one behind the other, ‘ being dragged by oxen miles into the interior, where they were sold, occasionally for cash, but more often bartered for cattle. Through a Fruit-Farming Area. Much of the land in the locality is devoted to fruit-farming, oranges and peaches doing particularly well. To-bacco-growing has also been tried with considerable success. A few miles further on Wellington was passed, where, in addition to the wine and brandy industry, there are jam and fruit-drying factories, m’ainly supplied with fruit from neighboring orchards. Another great wine and fruit-farming district is at Worcester. Then there is a change, and in place of fruit one sees sheep, cattle, and ostriches. But no matter what the industry, the party always -observed an air of prosperity and comfort From the fertile valleys outside Cape Town the car passed to the desolate wilderness of the Karroo. Owing to the formation of the surrounding mountains this vast area, which is said to exceed 100,000 square miles, gets but a scanty rainfall. It is a great inland plateau at a level of between 2,000 feet and 3,000 feet above the sea, and save after rain the vegetation is burnt up by the fierce rays of the sun. The earth is of a color varying from a warm red brown to fawn, and is very stony. In many places there is deep, loose sand. G>ass cannot live owing to the lack of moisture; but the Karroo bush, a little green shrub usually some 8 to 10 inches high, manages to flourish by sending its roots several feet into the ground. There is also a green bush which reaches a height of 2 feet or 3 feet. All these plants appear to grow individually or in small groups, but never In great clusters as we are accustomed to see gorge in the home country. The only tree that grows at all plentifully is a thorn with treacherous spikes, 3 inches, 4 inches, and even more inches long. For miles—as far as the eye can Bee —there is the same monotonous outlook, the only variation being the rugged kopjes which here and there break the even surface of the plain. But their stoneatrewn slopes, looking in the distance to be devoid of even a vestige of vegetation, only add to the melancholy inspect of the place. One of the illustrations gives a good idea of the difficulties before the car in this district ■*-' Life In the Karroo. - Looking at this silent soene of desolation one gains the impression that mo animal oould possibly live there. JBut as a matter of fact the Karroo %ush, even after it has been burnt by the sun into a bunch of dry twigs, provides food tor innumerable sheep, and Karroo mutton* and lamb are well known tor their quality. \ ■ " Later advice Informs us that the car kas proceeded via Johannesburg, suo; cessfully negotiating the northern Transvaal; thence it has crossed the

by MOTOR CAR

Limpopo river into southern Rhodesia, and passing Buluwayo reached Wankles, seventy miles south of the Zambesi, on November 10. Here a halt had to be made to repair the broken back axle and a ball race. The message says that the Jractnres were caused by strain. “Angus McAskill, our mechanic,” continues the message, “is suffering from malaria and jaundice and will probably be unable to proceed further A new axle and ball race are being obtained from Johannesburg. Captain Kelsey is taking steps to secure another mechanic. McAskill is progressing and all the rest of the party are •well.” -

ROUGH ROAD IN KARROO DESERT