402 AFRICA SPEAKS 



In trying to pull it out with a rope, the other truck 

 dug below the hard surface, becoming hopelessly mired. 

 So it went, day after day, alternating mud and sand, 

 hope and despair, seemingly without end. 



While crossing one dazzling expanse of desert, we 

 saw what we thought to be a mirage. It appeared as 

 if an automobile were approaching, but we didn't 

 believe it. Some time later, however, we found a 

 parked car in which a black boy rechned. He told us 

 in French that two white masters were in a near-by 

 hut having their midday meal ; so, without further ado, 

 we joined them. One proved to be a French captain 

 of aviation, who, with a doctor companion, was mak- 

 ing a tour of survey. He didn't say what for and we 

 weren't particularly interested, because, as Joe re- 

 marked, if they were contemplating a paved highway, 

 it would be constructed too late to do us any good. 

 I suspect, however, his visit had something to do with 

 airplane landing fields, for the intention of the French 

 government is to estabhsh regular air lines here, the 

 only logical way to solve the transportation problems 

 of this far-flung empire. Om* meeting was one of 

 mutual advantage, for after lunch and a glass of 

 wine, during which we swapped information, they were 

 able to follow our wheel tracks toward Bousso, while 

 we used theirs as a guide to Fort Lamy, and the fact 

 that these tracks marked the way gave us renewed 

 courage. 



Toward evening, as we rounded a curve into a httle 

 vale, a large leopard sprang out of the short grass, but 

 was gone before anyone had a chance to fire a shot. 

 He was stalking a herd of hartebeest or a group of 

 water buck which were standing near by. For days 



