Note 1 — Front matter

The use of motor cars for reconnaissances in the Libyan Desert, initiated by the British Army during the Great War, has been considerably developed in the last few years by Prince Kemal el Din Hussein (son of the late Sultan of Egypt), who has made several long exploratory journeys with a fleet of cars of the caterpillar type, specially constructed so as to be capable of carrying considerable loads over sandy tracts which were impassable to the Army patrols. The expeditions organized and led by His Royal Highness have resulted in important additions to geographical knowledge concerning the Libyan Desert, especially the southern and western regions, which have hitherto been practically inaccessible. I had the pleasure of accompanying the Prince on three of his journeys, and am much indebted to him for thus affording me the opportunity of making many observations which would otherwise have been impossible to me. I have further to thank him for kind permission to illustrate this paper by reproductions from a selection of the excellent photographs taken by him during our travels.