Observers' Field Reports 69 



French military authorities were followed, except where modification seemed necessary on 

 account of the nature of our work. 



Preparations having neared completion at Algiers, I went on October 20 to the rail- 

 way terminus at Biskra. This was to be the point of departure of our first caravan, and it 

 was my duty to make final preparations. In the meanwhile preparations at Algiers were 

 completed bj' IVIr. Sligh, assisted by Mr. Sawyer, who was to join me at Biskra with the 

 rest of the equipment, so that a start could be made without delay. 



It was deemed advisable to carry sufficient provisions to last the expedition for 7 

 months. As the party was to consist of 3 white men, these provisions, though limited to 

 essentials, made a considerable item of our luggage, the total of which was estimated at 

 about 4,000 pounds. To transport this and ourselves, a caravan of about 20 camels 

 would be required. Such a caravan I proceeded to engage as soon as possible after my arri- 

 val at Biskra. Through a military contractor a caravan of 19 camels was finally engaged. 

 Three army mules were to be furnished for transporting the 2 .\merican magnetic observers 

 and a Maltese interpreter of Arabic and French. On the advice of Captain Chenin, of the 

 Bureau Arabe of Biskra, 3 men were engaged to join the party as servants. One of these 

 was to act as cook and two of them were to act as personal servants and to assist in camp- 

 duties. These men were vouched for by Captain Chenin. One of them, the cook, an 

 elderly, black Arab, had been to Timbuktu with a previous French expedition. The 

 other two were brothers, Josef ben Saad and Isa ben Saad, professional guides. I had 

 every confidence in the judgment of Captain Chenin, as he had seen hard service in the 

 Sahara, had been severely wounded, and was an officer of the Legion d'Honneur. This 

 confidence was amply justified in the services rendered throughout the long route to Tim- 

 buktu bj' the two brothers, Josef and Isa. 



The expedition left Biskra on October 29, 1912, under my charge. The personnel of 

 the first caravan was made up as follows: 2 American magnetic observers, 1 European 

 interpreter, 1 Arab cook, 2 Arab servants, 2 soldiers (courteously provided by the military 

 authorities), 6 caravaneers, 3 muleteers, making a total of 17 men; 19 camels for transport 

 of provisions, and 3 mules, hence a total of 22 animals. The more important items of 

 special equipment were 3 living tents, with sleeping outfit for each, a cooking outfit and 

 field medical outfit. Each white member of the party was armed with a Winchester rifle 

 and a revolver; for each weapon 500 rounds of ammunition were carried. The 3 Arab ser- 

 vants of the party were armed with shotguns. The chief of the caravan was similarly 

 armed. The arms of the servants were personal, the expedition only providing sufficient 

 ammunition to keep them effective in case of need. 



The instrumental outfit was as follows: universal magnetometer No. 20; Dover dip 

 circle No. 223, with needles Nos. 1, 3, 5, and 6; theodoHte-magnetometer No. 13; Kittel 

 pocket chronometers Nos. 254, 259, and 260; Leroy watches Nos. 8282 and 8650; Howard 

 watch No. 820; aneroid barometer No. 5; boiling-point apparatus No. 2; magnetic observ- 

 ing-tents Nos. 17 and 20. 



The preparations had consumed some extremely valuable time. The entire month of 

 October should have been available for travel, in order to avoid the hardship that would 

 ensue by being overtaken by the hot season before arrival at Timbuktu. A working 

 program was drawn up which should delay travel as little as possible and yield a maximum 

 amount of data. WTiatever magnetic observations the conditions of travel and energy 

 of the two observers allowed were to be made every day ; but on every third day of travel 

 every effort was to be made to obtain a complete set of observations. This program was 

 rigorously adhered to as far south as the military post of Motylinski. 



An ordinary day of travel where the desert was mild was as follows: The party was 

 aroused at 4 a. m., and 15 minutes were allotted to intercomparison of timepieces; during 

 this time the cook prepared breakfast; 4'' 15" to 4'' 30 was assigned to breakfast; at 4'' 30" 



