Through Wildest South America by Six-wheeler
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A N exceedingly interesting journey ,tinf exploration and survey in unknewn parts of South America was recently made by a Frenchman, 31. Coarteville, on a Renault six-wheeler. The object of the journey, during which some 14,000 kiloms. were covered, was to Ptrvey the country with a view to the construction of a new trans-continental road. The projected road would pass through Central Sofia]. America and link up the capital Cities of Rio de Janeiro, La Paz and Lima.
The road, which it is proposed shall be made in ferro-concrete, will be of immense importance in its bearing upon the general development of South America, as it will put the Pacific coast within less than two weeks' journey of the great Brazilian ports of Rio and Santos.
The survey journey was made by AL Courteville and his wife, accompanied by a Brazilian mechanic, Mr. Julio Kotzent, on a standard Saharatype six-wheeled Renault, purchased • out of stock. This vehicle, which has been a catalogued model for some two years past, is useful machine
. for serious exploration work.
Starting from Rio, the vehicle was loaded up
with 300 litres of petrol, 100 litres of water, 50 litres of lubricating oil, three spare wheels, a cinematographic camera with 20,000 metres of film, provisions for 15 days and surveying instruments. Camp equipment, a small arsenal of guns and ammunition were also carried. The 900 kiloms. separating Rio from SaoPaulo were covered in two days. Site Paulo is a remarkable town which has risen in 20 years from a collection of huts to a sort of 'South American Chicago a vast city with magnificent parks and buildings having 38 floors.
From Sao-Paulo 900 I-iloms. of coffee plantation were traversed to Inhere& 'Preto and Rio-Preto, the centres of the 'coffee-growing industry. Rio-Preto is, perhapie an even more astonishing example of the mushroom town than SaoPaulo. Six years ago it did not exist ; to-day, it is a city of 600,000 inhabitants I
The almost unbelievable prosperity now being experienced by some of the South American republics naturally 'brings in its train a need for better transport facilities—hence the import ance of M. Courteville's arduous journey. From Rio-Preto the travellers made for Porto-Taboado and thence across the Parana River, where they were obliged to make a big detour southwards, in order to avoid a swamp. At Lagoas they took in fresh supplies of petrol and provisions. Beyond this point 700 kilores. of almost 'waterless desert country had to be negotiated.
This stage was just being completed when a small but annoying accident to the six-wheeler occurred. The damage was not serious, but it Pecessitated repairs and replacements beyond the resources of the equipment carried. Assistance was forthcoming in a most unexpected manner, for a convoy of five military lorries happened to be crossing the same wild stretch of country. The Brazilian officer in charge of the column decided to tow the Renault as far as Santa Rita de Araguaya. Here the six-wheeler was left, while 31: Courtevilla obtained the loan of a military lorry and proceeded to Cuyaba, 1,200 idioms. away.
At this point, unfortunately, no help was. • available, so M. Courteville. handed the lorry over to the military authorities and eoutinued by water, descending the Cuyaba, Sao-Lourence and Paraguay rivers to Corurnba. Here. again, a fresh disappointment awaited him, as no assistance could be obtained. The traveller proceeded by river to Porto-Esperance and, at length, to Campo-Grande.
Campo-Grande is the general head-, quarters or the Brazilian army, and the commanding officer, General Nicola!' Silva, at vice gave the explorer all the assistance in his power. A motor-lorry, together with the necessary tools and spare parts, was placed at M. Courte vine's disposal, aud-he set out Tv land to retrieve the six-wheeler, nearly 1,000 kiloms. away.
The repairs were successfully effected awl the Renault had to be taken all the way back to Campo-Grande, in company with the military lorry, as the latter had, naturally, to be returned to its owner.
Leaving Campo-Grande, the sixwheeler resumed its journey, passing through Corumba into Bolivia. A distance of 8,100 'slides. had already been covered and now, the red. difficulties of the trip began. Bolivia, which was entered by way of Poro-Suarez, offered, first of all, 700 Idioms. of uncultivated forest, mostly flooded, for it was the rainy seasom before one could reach Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Bogged for Two Days.
One night the six-wheeler sank into a bog, where it subsequently remained for two days. Eventually, it hauled iteelf out of the mud with the aid et a pulley on the first differential and a rope attached to a tree.
On another occasion the Renault was pulled out o the mud by oxen, and eleven pairs had to he yoked before the vehicle could be moved. The ground around was so swampy that the machine could not be Started withont the certainty of sinking in again. The body was then removed, the engine taken out of the chassis and the parts hauled four kiloms. by oxen to a drier spot, where the machine was re-erected.
The Bolivian rivers are shallow, for the most part, but deep enough in flood
time to immerse the engine. Fortunately, unlimited supplies of rubber and gutta-percha were at hand. With these materials magneto, carburetter, etc., were completely enclosed, a rubber air pipe fitted to the carburetter, and thus equipped the Renault six-wheeler managed to ford 20 rivers in succession.
On arriving at Santa. Cruz de la Sierra, the crossing of the Rio Grande presented a difficult problem. During the dry season this river is often a streanalet only 18 ins. -wide, but in flood time, the season at which M. Courtevine reached it, the river has a width of 2 kiloms. at this point, whilst the current is faster than that of the Rheme. Two attempts to cross by raft failed, as
the six-wheeler was too heavy. Once again the entire vehicle had to be dismantled and transported in sections by means of boats to the other side. Floats, each made from a complete oxhide, which were towed across, were also employed. Sixty crossings had to be made before"the whole outfit reached the other bank and could be assembled again.
An Isolated Town.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra is a curious town, lost in the very heart of the Fe'outh American continent. It has no facilities for communication with the outside world, yet 11,000 people of all races manage to live there quite comfortably on the resources of the district. The country is roadless and has no railways. but the Bolivian Government is, at the moment, organizing an aerial service from Cochabamba to this most inaccessible town.
The ascent of the Andes from the eastern side being out of the question for anything except mule transport, the Renault had, once more, to be dismantled and placed on the backs of a team of 40 mules. Twenty-nine days were taken to reach Totora, the summit of the pass, which has an altitude of over 13,500 ft. When the vehicle was re-erected for the 'descent to the Pacific coast it was found difficult to run the engine satisfactorily at such a high altitude, owing to the low atmospheric pressure 4 m.p.h. was the highest speed obtained on level stretches at this altitude.
From Totora the travellers descended to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, which is dominated by the enormous Illimani mountain. Here they were cordially received by the President of the Republic, who is keenly interested in the proposed road scheme.
Peru was entered via Desaguadeiro, in the direction of Pun°. Arequipa was feached and shortly afterwards the travellers arrived at Camana, on the Pacific coast.
Caruana is the cotton metropolis, destined to become a most important station on the trans-continental road when it is constructed.
The Renault proceeded satisfactorily through the mountainous district in spite of difficulties. Before reaching Atico the dry bed of a river had to be followed for 100 kiloms. This was difficult on account of the huge rocks and boulders with which the river bed was strewn. Between Atico and Clialla matters were even worse. Here the six-wheeler could only advance by stages of a few hundred yards at a time, .while a path was blasted but for it with dynamite cartridges! This process was continued for 16 consecutive days. • The Pacific coast of South America is one of the driest regions in the world, and at Caraveli, the "earthquake town," no rain has, to human knowledge, ever fallen. Drinking water had to be carefully husbanded and sea water was used for the radiator, as by this time the vehicle was actually running along the sea shore. This was an extremely risky past of the journey, as the machine was continually in danger of being caught by the tide under the enormous cliffs.
Lima was safely reached at last, however, and here M. Courteville had a wonderful reception. The Renault sixwheeler was presented to the Peruvian Government and placed in the Bolivar museum.
M. Courteville considers the construction of a trans-continental road to be perfectly feasible and, this being the case, the enterprise will almost c-ertainly be undertaken With the goodwill of the three great countries concerned.