Reuters' representative has had an interview with Mr Douglas Carruthers, a young Englishman, who has done much travelling in Turkestan and Syria, and has completed a most interesting expedition in Central Arabia, being the first European to penetrate to the border of the Great Nafud, or "desert of great waste."
Dressed as an Arab, he lived for some time as a Beduin with Nomad tribes, it being only by this means that he got into the country. The journey was one of much hardship owing to the absence of water and the constant warfare among the tribes but despite this Mr Carruthers filled in the blank of a large portion of hitherto unknown country. He was taken prisoner, and finally escaped after a continuous ride of 24 hours.
On the conclusion of over a year's travelling in Russian Turkestan Mr Carruthers, who, in his own words, "had much difficulty in getting into Arabia, and more difficulty in getting out," left known country east of the Dead Sea with the intention of crossing Arabia.
For reasons already given he was unable to do this, but he succeeded in following entirely new country, of which he covered over six hundred miles. This region he has roughly mapped, and in it made collections.
The Irish Times, October 12th, 1909.