THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1930.
TWO WHEELS ACROSS AFRICA.
(Contianed from Page 10.)
THE CHINA MAIL.
from the town I passed near a hill! on top of which a medieval con- struction was perched, the Italian mission of Santa Maganga. Iringa. seems to be owned by the Indians. There are two hotels. The best
and most up-to-date of the two is owned by an Indian and managed Nearly all the by a German, farmers are Germans. In their
Dodoma, flats, which are a couple of thousand, feet lower than the 'surrounding country, descended
IMPROVEMENTS..
Four Things Wanted at Once.
Roan Antelope is the biggest and a single car on the road; but at the most spectacular. The road the time the novel feeling of utter from Nodia to the Roan is lorry-solitude damped my apirits. with
Largely, of course, it depends on ruined and pack-marked
Near Fort Rosebery, I stopped I had a bad spill and at the camp of a Greek trader. The shorts and felt hats they look like whose memory
the point of view. Those of us potholes.
goes hack any found myself pinned under the man's tent was full of skins the sturdy inhabitants of Tirol.
length of time before the war are machine with, something sharp leopards, pythons, otters, and wild
My next objective was Dodoma, very well aware that, cars and stuck in my leg and my foot twist- cats. I stayed for lunch; lingered
then left for on the Dar-es-Salaam-Kigoma rail- ten:
pearly everything connected with ed in such a way that I was unable till after to lift the cycle or drag myself Luwingo, a small station north of The road passes through the them have been so immensely im free, I lay there for half an hour, Lake Bangweolo. The road. was
proved that they might now be re- garded as almost perfect. But our and wondered whether I would be good, the air cool, but the bush
ideas of perfection have developed | relieved before nightfall. A lorry was too dense for my liking, and turned up, and soon after I was I blamed myself for having start into the plain below by means of with the cars themselves, and wo ed so late. Shortly after sunset I have seen during the whole trip. we have not yet got are required the most dangerous, escarpment I now find that a great-many things able to proceed.
the light. A red Elisabethville, which 1 reached switched on after a lonely drive through rather glare, a flicker, then darkness. For eight miles I went down a nar- to satisfy us.
row, my path, abruptly border- I did
Other people doubtless have Probably a short circuit,
ed on one side by a pracipice not care. My emergency acetylene several hundreds of feet deep. The chiefly wanted. Let us name four their own opinions as to what is lighting set would cease to be a
corners were sharp right angles. formidable gadget, and be promot I was obliged to drive straight to things that I think should come ed forthwith to the rank of necessity. But nothing would inwards the void, then make a quick first, and which do not require any be had as soon as the manufac- duce the gas to pass through the turn, keeping us near to the wall wonderful inveniffeness, but can
as possible. The view was an un- tarers make up their minds. burner. With the help of an forgettable one.
Fata Morganas
Lubrication. electric torch I discovered that the
were playing above the fats and
First and foremost. I should put been far away, I could see that rain was perfect and easy lubrication. I do burner-holder had drilled through, a very rare ac falling. A portion of this plain,
80, not merely because the ideal is a game reserve and I vision of leopard gazelles by the hundred. Once I lubricating system would be auto- got off the machine and explored matic, and thus save the motorist a lot of tedious, dirty work, but A deep clearing in the bush. because even I reasonable
wild country, is a quiet, cheery, neut little town. Not "little Faris in the bush" as some people are fond of calling it, but still an oasis of comfort and security. The shops Are attractive and well stocked; the hotels are rather drab and give the traveller very little for 258. a day. There is only
one
biggish impressive-looking building, very little trallie in the streets, and the very heart of the town has all the amiable sleepi- ness of Cape Town's Public Gar- dens,
But E'ville, as the Belgians call it, is still in its teens. It is to to , copper. what Johannesburg 19
gold, and has grown with amazing swiftness during the last ten
years.
Swimming Among Crocodiles." Steering due east, I headed for
Just before sunset I had
currence.
I had ก
never
23
to
neatly fitted ол re-i skins silient bodies, and decided drive in the dark to the native village. I must have done, about six miles when
next
saw some lights on a hill, and a
one man.
actual travelling.
I
noticed spoors of elephants,
1
at-
ap-
The Ruaha River runs through proach to that fusal would save! the Dodoma lats. Before crossing consider how repairs would be cut him a great deal of money. Just It on the ferry, 1 stopped for a path leading towards them, Half while at the camp of the engineer down if every bearing or rubbing an hour later I was sitting at din- who was building a bridge in this surface in a car were always kept ner in company with three women fever-stricken spot, With no other perfectly. lubricated.
That, no doubt, could be done The place was white man to relieve him of some and
just now if overy owner OF the Luapula River, Ithodesia and Chipili, the Universities Mission, of the work and with the sole help chauffeur were to follow faithfully Fort Rosebery. After crossing the to Central Africa.
of a gang of raw natives and a river un a ferry. I resumed my
Since that night I have visited few Indian artisans, he had nearly the book instructions for lubricat- many missions. I have seen tho journey certain that I would reach
completed the erection of a four- ing. But how many do? Any ro can tell what a pairing garage Fort Rosebery the same day. But missionary at work, I have seen span bridge; two spans being 136 my throttle cable broke almost him in his home and in his church. feet long and the other two a little proportion of its jobs is due sim- immediately, and I returned to the The subject of the mission is a high shorter. The story of this bridge lubrication is neglected as it is ply to neglected, lubrication. And river bank, where i set up camply controversial one, which cannot be
is one of the obscure minor epics and effected the necessary repair. broached in an article devoted to; of progress in tropical Africa, because on a great number of cars
a swim
Consequently, Man-eating lions focused the
the job is troublesome, lengthy and after a sceptical glance at the shall name and enumerate, but tention of the public on the bridge more or less messy.
This neither tell nor describe, except at Tsavo, on the Kenya railway number of cars nowadays in which We have, to be sure, a large swim in a river which Leistock Dr. Albert Cooke's medical mis- The bridge on the Ruaha has no the labour of lubrication has been Reid calls the Kingdom of Creco- sion, which is one of the sights of blood-curdling history, although dfles was a case of "ignorance is Kampala.
Ilons are numerous in its vicinity cut down nearly to a
But this development should go! I duly reached Luwingo, where It is simply one example of what further yet, and there are still far bliss."
Later I learnt that to let one's my kind hostess, the district happens in every corner of the hand dangle over the side of a officer's wife, advised me not to Empire. A year and a half ago lubrication is more or less scamp- too many cars on the road on which canoe is foolhardy, and that bath leave my boots outside my door, our engineer, a Scotsman, pitched ed and neglected because nobody ing in an African river is an ugly because # hyena would
pro his tent in the heart of the Dodoma ikes the job and many will not do way of committing suicide. After bably carry one away; pass-game reserve. For six weeks he it. hearing a few harrowing tales ed through Kasama, and drove tried in vain to get labour. He about reckless bathers,, overturn to Abercorn on the Great North erected the pillars of his bridge cara indestructible is not a prime If it is suggested that making ed canoes and sinking ferries. 1 Road, which is nothing but before the rains, then undertook to object of the motor industry, my awung to the other extreme and refused to bathe in a river or lake even after the natives had nasured me that the stretch of water we were facing was free from the in-
benevolent-looking water.
cursions of crocodiles. Eventual ly. I took a reasonable view of the subject, and in the Northern Congo and French Equatorial Africa I had many a good swim. But I mude the natives go in first.
The next morning, speeding along a smooth forest track, I felt I was penetrating the bush in earnest. When I look back, I must admit that the 320 miles journey from the Luapula River to Aber- corn should have been a joyride, in. spite of the fact that, I never saw
LEAD
THE
WAY
ON A
B.
S.
*
A.
Sole Agents:
SINCERE'S
FOR QUICK REPAIRS
FIAT GARAGE
a
minimum.
grass-grown track winding hoist the two land-spans. Every- through endless bush.
thing had to be lifted by hand reply is that anything is in the
Our
Marquette
BUILT
BY:
BUICK
FEATURES COMBINED'ONLY IN MARQUETTE IN THE $1000 CLASS
14
Wheelbase 114 Inches. Closed Bodies by Flaber,
Non-glare Fisher VV windshield.
New type mobair upholstery.
Adjustable front seat. Remarkable power
15 brake horsepower.
plant-7.51
High-compression cylinder hand. Rubberenginia Rubber mountings.
Completely sealed
engine. Forced lubrication Lovejoy hydraulle shock absorbers. Four-wheel internal- expanding brakes. Adjustable steering wheat.
A host of other extra- ordinary features that, combine to make the Marquette America's most complete car in the $1000 Bald.
EXTRA VALUE
Body by
Fished 1
THAT ONLY MARQUETTE PROVIDES
Here is the most complete car ever offered in the thousand-dollar class. Lift the hood and inspect the Marquetto's power plant. Go over every feature of construction In the chassi. Fine workmanship everywhere. Superlative engineering. Expert design.
And the Body by Fisher. The very latest expression of the finest body croftimen in the world. The upholstery is a brand-new type. The finest mcholrwith a rubberized backing that makerit waterproof and dustproof —there's a special type windshield that eliminates glaro and gives naw pleature and security to nigh! driving. It's a marvel in appearonco, Inside and out.
The Marquette proves it is a true Buick product with a type of performance never before aqualed in a car of the price. Getaway like a flash! Sky- rocket pick-up-to to 60 miles an hour in high gear In 31 secondsl Brakes with stopping ability to match auch spead-positive, easy-oper ating and as smooth as satin.
Drive it today just to prove to yourself that there never has been anything like it anywhere near its price.
BUICK MOTOR
П
Canadian Factories MdLoughilar-Buick, Oshawa, Ont.
1
COMPANY, FLINT, MICHIGAN
Division of General Motors
Büder p Corporation
Buick and Marqueita Motor Care
G.$1,460 to G.$1,580
.G.$1,775 to G.$1,910
.G.$2,125 to G.2,165 ...G.$2,115 to G,$2,725
114" Wheelbase. Marquette Models 118" Wheelbase Buick Models 124" Wheelbase Buick Models 132" Wheelbase Buick Models
THE DRAGON MOTOR CAR CO., LTD
Telephone 30228.
33 WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY,
WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT...BUICK WILL BUILD THEM.
which makes cars better and cheaper and easier to run, and the industry is not to short-sighted as could be made either open or clas- not to know that.
The Gear-Box.
I settled down in the municipal from the river bed with the help interests of the motor industry reat-house, as the hotel was still of an ordinary derrick. in the course of construction. solitary engineer had to do every Abercorn is a large station, 26 thing; recruit, supervise, blast the miles from Lake Tanganyika, and rocks, feed his workers, chastise is the centre of a coffee-producing them and nurse them. district. Twelve miles from, the town I came to the edge of the Great Rift Valley, which extends from Rhodesia to the Red Sea, and
steamer which plies the lake was
Next to the greaser, I want to abolish the gear-box. There are people who say, they enjoy going to round the car and conscientiously
Game Reserve in Hidden Crater.
After showing me round the works, Mr. Watson asked me
minute
a hood
ed by one person in one and without any of the drawbacks still attendant in existing devices. There are, it is true, some very fair compromises on the market, and though personally I dislike all, a quick plunge of a couple of have a drink. We were having a giving turns to the greasers; there closed bodies, I am willing to thousand feet brought me to the chat over a whisky when we saw are also people who say they enjoy agree that for other people these lake shore. The small landing something moving between roof playing with their gears. So they compromises are a great deal bet-
and tarpaulin. atage was quite deserted, for they host, and before I could shout that there are a good many who or an open budy with
"A rat," whispered do, but only because they know ter than a permanently closed body not due for eleven days, 1 fancied "Don't!" he snatched the bottle, botch gear-changes and this gives which cannot be put up and down
still three-quarters full,
lot of trouble and and them a happy feeling of cleverness without a I had reached the shore of some
Irritation. unknown bay in the Mediterranean swinging it like a battle-axe he and superiority.
aimed at the rat, and... and The reasons for abolishing the But we have still a good way to Sea. After a night's rest on my broke the bottle against a beam. ground-sheet and some dry grass, Yes, I saw a Scotsman smashing patent to everybody.
gear-box are perfectly simple and go before we get the perfect solu- In the first tion of this problém, and the I woke up to find four natives waiting to take me on the lake, in a good bottle of whisky, a bottle place, there are many people who manufacturer who gets it first a large dug-out canoe. made the almost full, in a vain endeavour to never quite master the art of gear- should make a fortune.
never quite tour of one of the islands. The kill a rat, an amazing experience, changing: they are paddlers sang all the time. Every- thing was blue; the water, the sky, the hills.
Springs. I would rather'not any: anything sure whether they are going to As A fourth requirement I about Dodoma. It is an ugly place, make a nent and silent change or should put the perfect-springing On the contrary, Kondoa-Irangi, a-horrible scrunch and an awk-system. We are still a good way .100 miles further north, is a ward jerk in the car's motion. from this, especially considering Into Tanganyika.
pretty as its name. It still shows In the second place. It is quite two things that springs (oven Leaving Abercorn behind. I on traces of the old slave-raiding easy even for a fairly good driver with galters) do not remain in tered former German East Africa, days, and hea a definite eastern to make a bad change, in certain their first condition, and that we now Tanganyika Territory uniler atmosphere. I found an excellent circumstances. In both these cases have not yet discovered how to British mandate, and after paying little German hotel. During din- the eventual result is a gear box make them easily variable for short visit to the famous ner a French Catholic missionary repair or replacement, usually different loads and different roads. Mwenze Scotch Mission, the Mbosi told us how he used to kill the preceded by a lot of disagreeable
Springing, however, is a very Moravian German Masion, and buffaloes which strayed into his noise on the indirect gears.
difficult problem Indeed, and we having passed through the customs back garden, and a German big- In the third place, every gear- must leave it to the manufacturers at Mberya, I descended Into! game hunter gave me the latest change, however successful lin
to work away and inventors the Bahora flats, and drove information on the fauna of the itself, unless accompanied by the for forty miles in a strange world. famous Ngorongoro crater, hid- most skilful control of clutch and patiently until they have found
out much more about it. The Bahorn flats seem to be the den in the bush near Lake Eyasi accelerator (of which not one bottom of a dried-up lake, Parts Ratclyffe-Dugmore in his "Won- driver in a thousand is capable) are all sorts of things for which of it are as smooth as a tenis derland of Big Game" and Mason means an abrupt and more or less we might ask them, and some of court ha place was teeming in "Deserts Idle" have described violent shock throughout the whole them we shall get before we get with 'gazelle. Lots of natives, and this game reserve at the bottom of transmission from crank-shaft to the ideal springing system-Ex. big herds of fine looking cattic, a crater 22 miles in diameter and hub, That is inherent" in "the During the rainy season, the data protected against the outside nature of the ordinary "gear-box| are one huge swamp. I met a world by a high escarpment. and has always been the argument white man who studied the pos
During the Arst half of my against it. sibility of growing cotton there. Journey from Kondoa-Irangi, to I might add in the fourth place After negotiating several pole Arusha, I had to cross half a dozen that the constant talk about “top- bridges made with roughly hewn, sandy river beds, and, unlike the gear performances" is in itself a loosely laid loga, I reached river beds of Northern Nigeria, condemnation of the gear-box; and Malangali, which boasts a native there were no grass mate to make the efforts which are being in- Experimental School well worth things easier. Then I drove on a creasingly made to get away from visiting. AMATE
narrow path through thick bush, the old style of gear-changing
FIAT "514.”
Successful Local Mileage Test.
There
The performance of a Fiat. The school has its own court of and all the time the tsetse flies the free-wheel devices, the do "814" Tourer which arrived in Justice composed of six elders and were after my blood. The second Lavand transmission, the Daimler Hong Kong lately has proved its of six boys. The judgments are half of the journey was made on "fluid fly-wheel," the "self-chang- great efficiency and economy sometimes disconcerting to the black alluvial soil which the ing" gear boxes-all endorse the A local owner only having run European school masters. A young tramping of innumerable game condemnation.
his car for 800 miles, and with native was brought up before the during a recent downpour, had Manufacturers have been singu- the engine naturally still a little court for having forged a letter made to look like a choppy sea. larly conservative, but the next stiff, made a test of mileage per Informing the head of the school After 40 miles of continuous jolt five years will see a very big callon, and found that it showed
28.69 m.b.g. that the boy's father was dying ing the road gradually Improved change, and wanted him heme. This was and the Inst stretch of 15 miles
Open Or Shut
The Fiat Garage will only be written on paper taken from an was a glorious dash through The third thing I should men too glad to give a demonstration other boy. As forging and lying prosperous-looking coffee farms. tion would be bodywork which to any prospective buyer. were no crimes according to these During the day I saw gumo in in. people, the boy was punished for creasing numbers. Whenever
stealing paper,
Dodowa Flats.
Herde of bras, wildbeasts, or d
In accordance with an agreement
antelopen spotted me they would me. The giraffer used to gare at reached between the Vatican and I had a pleasant drive to Irings, race, alongside with the intention me, unabashed, until they saw me the Italian state, the latter will even of crossing the road in front of getting off the minchine. Then establish an academy for the train
I used to slow down in order they would amble away with
I saw several fan
bacon factory The landscape was unusual the ground was dotted with stones lying at fairly
interv
bukur butre
grace
the Tua
them to do so, then at the weird slowness of movement which
forward, and fasemed unreal, and ridiculous would fly scrub The next day 1 Baw Kilimanjaro. Ja few yards from To be continued naxt week.
ing of Catholic journalists which
will be placed under the directorship of Conte della Torre, the editor. In-chier of the Vatican's organ "Osservatore Romano."
11
BUYERS GUIDE
MOTOR CARS.
ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY.-Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's
Road. Tel. 24759,
BUICK The Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd., 33, Wong Nei Chung,
Road, Happy Valley. Tel. 30228..
CADILLAC.-Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road. Tel. 24759, CHEVROLET. Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road, Tel.
24769,
FIAT MOTOR CAR-A Goeke & Co., China Bldg., 7th floor.
Tel. 22221.
Tel,
Tel.
MARQUETTE.-The Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd., 83, Wong Nei
Chung Road, Happy Valley. Tel. 30228. MORRIS-Hongkong Hotel Garage,, Queen's Road. Tel. -24759. OLDSMOBILE.-The_Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd., 39, Wong Nei
Chung Road, Happy Valley. Tel. 30228. ROLLS-ROYCE-Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road.
24759. STUDEBAKER-Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road.
24759. WILLYS-KNIGHT & WHIPPET MOTOR CARS.-Gilman & Co.,
Ltd., da, Des Voeux Rd. C. Tel. 28011.
OUTBOARD MOTORS.-Rudolf Wolff & Kew, 54 Queen's Road
C. Tel. 22178,
Tel.
MOTOR TRUCKS AND TRACTORS, CHEVROLET Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road.
24769. G.M.C.-The Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd., 38, Wong Nel Chung
Chung Road, Happy Valley. Tel. 30228.
}
DODGE South China Motor Car Co., 83, Des Voeux Road, C.
Tel. 25644,
MORRIS Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road. Tel. 24769. STUDEBAKER Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's Road. Tel.
24769.
WILLYS-KNIGHT & WHIPPET TRUCKS-GIlman & Co., Ltd,
da, Des Voeux Road C. Tel. 28011.
MOTOR CYCLES.
NORTON The Sincere Co., Ltd., Des.. Voeux Road C. Tel.
27767.
B.S.A. The Sincere Co., Ltd., Des Voeux Road. Tel. 27767.
MOTOR OILS.
GARGOYLE MOBILOIL-Vacuum Oil Company, King's. Bldg. SHELL-Aslatie Petroleum Co., (S.C.), Ltd., Asistic Bldg.
TYRES AND ACCESSORIES. ACCESSORIES-Hongkong Hotel, Garage, Bucea's Road Tol
24759, ACCESSORIES-The Daro Motor Co., Nathan Road, Kowloon.
Tel. 56226.
FISK TYRES. Gliman & Co. Ltd. 4a, Des Voeux Rd. C. Tel.
28011200K A MY NAME
INDIA TYRES.W R. Loxley Co., York Bldga. Tel. 22285, MICHELIN TYRES-A. Goeke & Co., China Bldg., 7th floor.
Tol-2222100 200 300
PRESTOLITE BATTERIES, Hongkong Hotel Garage, Queen's
Road. Tel" 24758.
WILLARD BATTERIES GILman & Co., Ltd., 48, Des Voeux Rd.
Tel 28012