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Recent Trends in Carbohydrate
Chemistry
Recent Trends in
Carbohydrate Chemistry
Synthesis, Structure and Function
of Carbohydrates
Volume 1
Edited by
Anup Kumar Misra Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India
Frédéric Renou Institut des Molécules et Matériaux du Mans, UMR CNRS 6283, Le
Mans University, Le Mans, France
Chapter outline
1 Introduction 3
2 Synthetic transformations of carbohydrates using nonhazardous
environmentally benign solvents 5
3 Transformations of carbohydrates in water 6
4 Transformations of carbohydrates in room temperature ionic liquids 15
5 Use of ionic liquids as reaction solvents 15
6 Ionic liquid tags in enzymatic reactions 24
7 Transformation of carbohydrates in supercritical fluids 25
8 Transformation of carbohydrates in deep eutectic solvents 26
9 Transformation of carbohydrates using fluorous solvents 29
10 Transformation of carbohydrates using nonconventional energy sources 34
11 Oligosaccharide synthesis using microwave irradiation 34
12 Transformation of carbohydrates using ball milling 38
13 Sonication-assisted transformations of carbohydrates 40
14 Ultrasound-mediated functionalization of carbohydrates 41
15 Transformation of carbohydrates under photoinduced reactions 48
16 Photoinduced glycosylation 49
17 Photoinduced synthesis of S-linked glycoconjugates 53
18 Electrochemical glycosylation 55
19 Glycosylation under high pressure 61
20 Conclusion 62
Acknowledgments 62
References 62
1 Introduction
Functionalization of mono-, di-, and higher oligosaccharides using a variety of pro-
tecting groups is a fundamental requirement for the synthesis of oligosaccharides.
Judicious selection of protecting groups plays important roles in the stereo- and
regio-selective outcome of the glycosylations. Since the first report of the glyco-
sylation by Fischer in 1893, several glycosylation techniques and functional group
Recent Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817467-8.00001-3
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
4 Recent Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry
odifications have appeared in the literature. The reactivity and participation of the
m
substrates in the glycosylation reaction is highly influenced by the protecting groups
present in the molecules. However, it is quite difficult to predict the exact nature of
a functionalized saccharide derivative in a chemical reaction due to the presence of
multiple numbers of functional groups. In addition to the functionalization of carbo-
hydrates for the synthesis of oligosaccharides, transformation of carbohydrates into
a variety of compounds with biological and material science significance is another
important area of research. Several molecules having pharmaceutical importance have
been prepared from carbohydrates, for example, heterocycles,1, 2 carbocycles,3, 4 nu-
cleosides,5, 6 natural product like compounds,7, 8 chalcogenides,9, 10 and nitrogenous
compounds11, 12.
Traditional reaction conditions for the transformation of carbohydrates into dif-
ferent classes of molecules involve the use of volatile organic solvents and a variety
of metallic reagents and catalysts. Similarly, functionalization of hydroxy and amino
groups of carbohydrates such as multiple protections and deprotections13, 14 and glyco-
sylation for the preparation of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates15 also involve the
use of hazardous reaction conditions. Most of the conventional reaction conditions for
the aforementioned transformations do not meet the requirement of environmentally
benign nature, are devoid of sustainability, and involve the use of hazardous chemi-
cals/reagents, produce chemical wastes. Considering the concern for the environment,
the current thrust in the organic chemistry is to develop sustainable processes using
cost-effective, pollution-free synthetic strategies. In this context, the most attractive
concept for sustainable chemical transformations is to adopt “Green chemistry” ap-
proach. In 1998, Paul Anastas and John Warner16 proposed some pioneering principles
for designing green and sustainable reaction conditions by reducing or eliminating the
use or/and production of hazardous substances, which are presented:
1. “Prevention” such as designing of reaction methodologies without production of waste.
2. Highest level of atom economy for all components should be maintained in the final product.
3. Chemical synthetic methods should be designed to use and produce substances having low
or no toxicity to the environment.
4. In order to make the synthetic method safer to the environment, reagents, catalyst, and
solvents should be used in minimum quantity or preferably avoided.
5. Chemical reactions should be designed in such a way that they require minimum energy or
can be carried out without requirement of any energy, for example, heating, electricity, and
high pressure.
6. Renewable starting materials or feedstocks should be used in the chemical reactions.
7. Development of one-pot reaction conditions, iterative multistep reactions in one-pot, etc.,
reducing the number of steps for deprotections of functional groups.
8. Use of catalytic amount of catalysts/additives avoiding the use of their stoichiometric
quantities.
9. Use of biodegradable chemicals in the reactions, which do not persist in the environment
after their functional lifetime.
10. Controlling the reactions prior to the formation of hazardous by-products with the help of
analytical techniques for real-time, in-process monitoring.
11. Selection of inherently safer chemicals/reagents in the synthetic strategies, causing less
chance of chemical accidents.
Perspective on the transformation of carbohydrates 5
Bragnier and Schermann29 applied similar reaction condition for the preparation of
β-glycosyl ketones of 2-amino sugars. However, the yield of the reaction was moderate,
and products were obtained as a mixture of gluco- and manno-isomers (Scheme 3).
Besides the preparation of glycopyranosyl ketones, Wang et al.30 reported the forma-
tion of glycofuranosyl ketones in high yields from pentose sugars under alkaline aqueous
conditions. It was also observed that an exclusively single product was formed at elevated
temperature and a mixture of unprecedented products was obtained at lower temperature
(Scheme 4). It is noteworthy that glycopyranosyl ketones were formed at elevated tempera-
ture, whereas reactions at low temperature furnished glycofuranosyl ketones.
The β-glycosyl ketones prepared in aqueous medium have been used as precursors
for the preparation of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid hydrazide derivatives of
C-glycosyl glycolipid analogs in an aqueous medium37 (Scheme 9).
Yadav and Rai38 have developed an expeditious one-pot synthetic protocol for the
preparation of benzoxazinone C-nucleosides via dehydrazinative β-glycosylation in
alkaline aqueous media (Scheme 10).
Scheme 15 Ionic liquid mediated preparation of glycosyl azides and thioglycosides in water.
Zhu and Schmidt45 reported the synthesis of S-linked glycopeptide derivatives un-
der phase transfer conditions. Since S-linked glycopeptides are important mimics of
natural O-linked glycopeptides, high-yielding synthesis of such compounds is useful
for the development of glycomimetics (Scheme 17).
12 Recent Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry
A variety of aromatic acids have been esterified by sugars using suitably protected
sugar (d-glucose, d-galactose) chlorides in the presence of Cs2CO3, Aliquat 336 or
TBAB and granular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) under aqueous phase transfer
conditions47 (Scheme 19).
Wang and coworkers48 reported the synthesis of azasugars via lanthanide salt-
promoted aza-Diels-Alder (DA) reaction in aqueous medium. They have synthesized
a series of chiral heterocyclic compounds by aza-DA reaction of sugar-derived chiral
aldehydes and cyclopentadiene in the presence of benzylamine hydrochloride under
aqueous conditions, which were transformed into azasugars as inhibitors of glycopro-
cessing enzymes (Scheme 20).
Perspective on the transformation of carbohydrates 13
Recently, Pelletier et al.53 carried out glycosylation reactions between sucrosyl ac-
ceptors and glycosyl fluoride donors to yield trisaccharides. These reactions proceed
at room temperature in an aqueous solvent mixture. Calcium salts and a tertiary amine
promote the reaction with high site-selectivity for either the 3′-position or 1′-position
of the fructofuranoside unit (Scheme 24).
ILs have been used as solvents for the preparation of carbohydrate based gels.64 In
addition, ILs can act as catalysts by accelerating the rate of a wide range of chemical
transformations of carbohydrates such as acetylation, ortho-esterification, benzylidene
acetal formation, and glycosylations, to name a few.
Forsyth and coworkers65 reported a rapid and clean acetylation of unprotected
mono-, di-, and trisaccharides using dicyanamide-based ionic liquid as solvent cum
catalyst (Scheme 26). A series of reducing sugars, for example, d-glucose, d-galactose,
d-mannose, l-rhamnose, l-fucose, lactose, maltose, and cellobiose were successfully
acetylated under the reaction conditions.
Scheme 27 Acetylation and benzoylation of simple sugars and sulfated sugars using ILs.
Abbott et al.67 developed zinc-based ionic liquid for the acetylation of carbohy-
drates by mixing choline chloride and zinc chloride. A variety of reducing sugars
have been acetylated using this IL. However, an anomeric mixture of acetylated sugar
derivatives was obtained under the reaction conditions (Scheme 28).
Benzylidene acetal is an important protecting group frequently used for the simul-
taneous protection of two hydroxy groups in carbohydrate backbone. High-yielding
preparation of benzylidene acetal containing carbohydrate derivatives from unpro-
tected sugars using IL as solvent cum catalyst has been reported by Ragauskas’s lab-
oratory68 (Scheme 29).
Perspective on the transformation of carbohydrates 17
Anas et al.69 reported the application of IL as task-specific solvent for the prepa-
ration of acid susceptible orthoester derivatives of carbohydrates (Scheme 30). It is
noteworthy that acid susceptible functional groups also remain unaffected under the
reaction conditions using ILs.
Thioglycosides70 have been widely used as glycosyl donors for the preparation
of complex oligosaccharides. Conventionally, they are prepared by the treatment of
acetylated sugar derivatives with thiols in the presence of a Lewis acid in organic
solvents such as CH2Cl2, CHCl3, and CH3CN. Misra et al.71a prepared thioglycosides
18 Recent Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry
in satisfactory yields by the reaction of glycosyl acetates with thiols in the presence
of BF3·OEt2 in [Bmim][BF4] avoiding organic solvents. Later, an odorless prepa-
ration of thio- and selenoglycosides has also been reported by Misra and cowork-
ers71b using IL as reaction solvent. Disulfides or diselenides were reduced to thiolates
or selenolates in situ using a nonmetallic reducing agent (combination of Et3SiH-
BF3·OEt2), which were reacted with glycosyl acetates to furnish thio- and selenogly-
cosides (Scheme 31).
ILs have been successfully applied as the solvents for the preparation of oligo-
saccharides using glycosyl phosphite and fluoride derivatives as glycosyl donors
activated by catalytic amount of protic acid. Toshima et al.78, 79 demonstrated that gly-
cosylation with glycosyl phosphites in [1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium][NTf2] led to
the formation β-glycosides, whereas the use of glycosyl fluorides led to the formation
of α-products under similar reaction conditions (Scheme 36).
Galan et al.81 reported the use of a sulfonic acid-based surfactant ionic liquid as
mild glycosylation promoter of thioglycosides in combination with N-iodosuccinimide
(NIS) (Scheme 38). They have extended their methodology in the reactivity-based
one-pot glycosylation reactions for the preparation of linear and branched oligosac-
charides using thioglycosides and trichloroacetimidate derivatives as glycosyl donors
and [Bmim][OTf] as cosolvent and promoter82 (Scheme 39).
Besides the application of ILs as solvents and catalysts, they have also been used
as ionic support for the multistep synthesis of oligosaccharides. Chan’s group and
Huang’s group independently reported the first oligosaccharide synthesis using ILs
as soluble ionic tag. Chan et al.85 used imidazolium cation as the ionic tag and used
glycosyl sulfoxide as donor and thioglycoside as acceptor to provide an orthogo-
nal glycosylation approach (Scheme 41). Huang’s strategy86 was to use glycosyl
trichloroacetimidate as donor and thioglycoside as the acceptor which was tagged
with the soluble imidazolium cation following the orthogonal glycosylation con-
cept (Scheme 42).
22 Recent Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry
Subsequently, Yerneni et al.87, 88 and Pepin et al.89 reported the synthesis of lin-
ear α-(1→6) linked oligomannan and α-(1→4) linked glucan, respectively, applying
similar approaches involving soluble ionic liquid supported oligosaccharide synthesis
(Schemes 43 and 44).
More recently, Galan and coworkers90 developed an elegant approach for the ionic
tag linked oligosaccharide synthesis. This “Ionic Catch and Release Oligosaccharide
Synthesis” (ICROS) approach is equally suited for parallel and combinatorial synthe-
sis of libraries of oligosaccharides. The linker is attached to the acceptor by anomeric
glycosylation and after carbohydrate chain elongation the ionic tag is removed by
conventional reaction conditions. Random synthesis of oligosaccharides was achieved
using this strategy (Scheme 45).
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mind upon hers, while staring at the back of her head, thus drawing
her attention to him.
Heinecke, who was somewhat upset by this strange and
unaccountable state of affairs, questioned Sana as to the cause. As
briefly as possible and in a low trembling tone, Sana answered,
“That man, the fourth table over, is François de Rochelle, who was
once my sweetheart. He possesses a strange hypnotic influence over
me and may cause me to commit rash acts. Even now I feel his
power and I am afraid.”
Sana’s companion looked over to de Rochelle, who did not once take
his eyes from the girl, although he was aware that Heinecke was
watching him. This attitude made even the phlegmatic Heinecke
furious. As in the days when he was a member of a student’s corps,
he was ready to fight a duel at a moment’s notice—the three scars
on his right cheek bore mute testimony to this spirit of younger
days. So calling a waiter he sent his card to de Rochelle.
Rochelle well knew the intent of that action. He picked up the card,
looked at it and with a sneering laugh, tore it into bits, tossing the
scraps of paste-board back on the salver, in such a way that there
was no mistaking his meaning.
Heinecke could only stare, muttering to himself, “No satisfaction to
be had. Too bad.”
Sana was eager to get away from de Rochelle, from the hotel, from
everybody, so hurriedly taking Heinecke by the arm, she fairly
dragged him away, saying, for want of something better, “Now, look
at what you have done!”
From the time that Sana had been carried unconscious from the
morgue, in New York, to the hour of her departure for Europe Sana
had been under the constant care of Dr. White and the O’Briens and
they had purposely withheld from her the news that the body that
had been found in the river was not that of de Rochelle. A
newspaper reporter, who was at the scene of the drowning when the
body was recovered, took it upon himself to say that the man was
de Rochelle. Some cards and papers had been found on the body
bearing the name of “François de Rochelle,” so it was as a “François
de Rochelle” that the man was buried. As a matter of fact it
developed a few days later that the suicide was a young bank clerk,
who, with de Rochelle, had speculated heavily with part of the funds
raised for the purpose of carrying out the work of the Sahara
Development Organization. Things had gone wrong on the market
that day and the clerk had called on de Rochelle, with a view to
securing some money to cover their margins. De Rochelle was not to
be found, but on the table lay a note, addressed to Sana, in which
he stated that he had been discovered at last. He was going away
forever. He asked her, also, to tell the bank clerk of his leaving.
The clerk, believing at once that de Rochelle was referring to his
shady dealings on the Street, in his note to Sana, set about to
destroy the note upon the radiator. He had been equally guilty in
these money matters and wanted to hide his trail as much as
possible. It was while crossing the Bridge that his mind, haunted by
the fear of possible consequences, gave way and he took the fatal
leap.
Once more had Fate thrown Sana and de Rochelle together. To the
girl it meant grave dangers and misery. In the silence of her
apartment she determined to leave the place—secretly if necessary.
Slipping quietly down to the lobby of the hotel, she dispatched a
message to her mother, announcing her intention to come home.
Sana realized what she would have to sacrifice, but nothing counted.
She only wanted to get away, far away from de Rochelle.
The following day, about noon, Sana was crossing the gardens at the
Kurhaus, where hundreds were promenading and listening to the
band. She had been shopping, purchasing little odds and ends,
among them gifts for her mother.
Suddenly a hand was placed upon her arm. Frightened she turned to
confront de Rochelle. She tried to evade him, but he only grasped
her arm more tightly so that escape was impossible. In a low, but
not unkindly tone, de Rochelle spoke, asking her to join him at lunch
at the Messmer. Sana refused and while he was insisting upon her
doing so, aid came in the form of Heinecke.
A few curt words from him placed de Rochelle on the defensive. An
instance later, however, Heinecke had taken his glove and struck de
Rochelle across the face. Taking Sana’s arm he walked off, leaving
the furious de Rochelle, whose face had turned to ashen gray, to cry,
“You will meet me?”
Heinecke turned, drew himself up to full height and with a stiff bow,
retorted, “I am at your service!”
The next morning, before Heinecke had arisen, a knock was heard at
his door. The seconds of de Rochelle were announced. They had
come to inform him that de Rochelle was the insulted one and that
he was exercising his privilege of choosing weapons. He had decided
upon pistols, shots to be exchanged until one or the other fell.
Had Heinecke the option he would have chosen the sabre of his
student days, that being his favorite weapon. However, he was not
afraid. His army training had taught him the use of a pistol, and in
his heart he was sure that this affair would certainly win Sana.
Sana, however, on hearing of the coming duel, sought Heinecke and
begged him to desist, saying “de Rochelle is an expert in the use of
a pistol. I have seen him sever a telephone cord at twenty paces and
hit a plum I had thrown into the air.”
To which entreaties Heinecke replied, with a shrug of his shoulders,
“This is an affair of honor.”
The next morning, the two duelists, with their seconds and a doctor,
went to a secluded section of the Black Forest, about an hour’s ride
from the resort. The day was bright and the cleared spot in the
forest, where blood would flow and probably a life be sacrificed, had
been well chosen by the seconds the preceding day.
The preliminaries over, the two men took their stand, facing each
other at fifteen paces. Pistols were leveled. They awaited the word
to fire—Heinecke cool and determined, de Rochelle perhaps equally
determined but rather shaky, having spent the previous evening
drinking champagne in celebration of the coming duel.
Sana was up before daybreak that morning. When Heinecke left, she
followed in an automobile, at a distance, so as not to arouse
suspicion. At a road crossing she had lost track of Heinecke’s car, but
shortly afterward discovered it, and another, parked by the roadside.
She ordered the chauffeur to stop the car, jumping from it before it
had come to a standstill.
As she did so, she heard two shots ring out simultaneously, echoing
and re-echoing through the silent forest. In feverish haste she ran in
the direction from whence the sound had come. Another deafening
report vibrated the morning air. Turning aside, Sana came upon the
clearing. The two combatants still held their ground, while the
seconds were reloading the pistols. The weapons again in their
hands, Heinecke and de Rochelle renewed the combat. As they
leveled the pistols, Sana wanted to cry out, but running forward
blindly, stumbled and fell. As she arose, she heard the word “Three”
and looking up saw the flash of the shots. To her horror, she saw
one of the men, she could not tell which, waver and sink helpless to
the earth.
“Oh, God!” The words came in a quivering cry. Because of her, a
woman, a man had just fallen wounded, perhaps dead.
At the cry a man stepped forward. It was Heinecke. He pointed in
the direction of de Rochelle, who, badly wounded in the right
shoulder, was being attended by the doctor.
Sana looked at the fallen man. Then came reaction. With a withering
look of scorn, and unmindful of Heinecke’s outstretched hand, she
upbraided him, “Shame unto you! You have soiled your hands and
stained your soul with the blood of a creature not worthy of the
bullet you fired into him!”
At her cry he stepped forward, pointing in the direction
of de Rochelle, who, badly wounded in the right
shoulder, was being attended by the doctor.
That evening, leaving notes for her friends, the Princess Cassandra
and Heinecke, Sana secretly left the gay watering-place to go home.
CHAPTER V
THE GREAT DESERT
THE plan for flooding the Sahara, as fostered by the French
Government, attracted widespread attention. Even in America,
accustomed as it is to great engineering undertakings, the plan
created a great deal of interest, much of it critical.
Among the Americans to challenge the proposed work was Carl
Lohman, a New York engineer and writer of international reputation.
Lohman counted among his friends the foremost editors, men whose
fearless pens are watched the world over by financiers and
politicians. The pages of the daily press were open to him and in
them he attacked the plan.
So thorough was he in his attacks and criticisms that the French
authorities invited him to submit alternative plans. To this end,
Lohman left for the Sahara on an inspection tour, arriving at the Gulf
of Gabes, on the Mediterranean Sea, where the canal was to be
built.
Here he met the pilot who was to lead him over the desert to study
the territory at close range. After studying the canal site, on
horseback, for a few days, they boarded an aeroplane, which was
well provisioned, and soon they were flying over vast stretches of
sand. They made wide detours, in their flight, so as to get a more
general view of the situation. Finally they turned southward to reach
Timbuktoo on the Niger river.
Two nights were spent on well selected ground. On the third day
they came to the Queen City of the Sahara, Timbuktoo, where they
intended replenishing their gasoline supply, and thus be able to
return to the Mediterranean coast.
During the entire flight Carl was busy making copious notes to be
used in connection with his plans on his return to America.
Carl was proud of his mission. And rightly so. The son of a New York
banker, with the advantages of a family name and all that wealth
could buy, he had spurned them, rising in his profession solely by his
own ability and perseverance.
His college days over, Carl had gone to San Francisco. Here he
secured employment with an engineering concern engaged in
extensive hydraulic and land irrigating developments. A few years of
this work and he returned to New York, where he joined an
efficiency engineering firm. Here, too, he showed his ability. By his
methods of handling material in various manufacturing plants much
money was saved and with greater efficiency. Electric stations, he
proved, could be operated at less cost, while in the field of street
lighting, several cities benefited by his knowledge, securing better
light and at a great saving to the municipality and the electric power
companies.
Carl recognized as his greatest asset the teachings of his parents.
From childhood he had been taught by them the virtue of “Economy
and Efficiency.” It had been their watchword through life and he was
determined that it should be his. Not alone to himself but to those
who came to him for advice did he preach this doctrine.
His books and numerous scientific publications, too, brought home
to the reader the value of those two words. Before establishing
himself in a business of his own, he widened his field of activity,
going to the Charlottenburg University to study city planning and its
kindred subject, municipal engineering. Charlottenburg was the only
college teaching these subjects, although German cities, for the past
two generations, have been practicing the art in connection with
municipal improvements.
His studies took him on extensive trips over Europe to study the art
of the great masters Sitte, Stuebben, Baumeister, Hausmann and
others. He visited the medieval cities of Nuremberg, Rothenburg,
Regensburg and others, all of which showed that the Romans, who
laid the original foundations of these cities, had certain definite
knowledge of city planning. However, these early city planners did
not impart their theory but left only their accomplishments as a
record of their work. It remained for the Germans to place the art of
city planning on a scientific basis, and realizing the great benefits
derived, other countries fell into line, following the system
established by the Germans.
During his travels Carl did not fail to visit the ancient Roman and
Greek cities, where the remains of once great structures and
roadways testify to the skill of the city builders.
While L’Enfant, who planned the city of Washington, admittedly the
most beautiful city of America and one of the finest in the world,
enjoyed the double good fortune of having the support of the
founders of the Republic and an unencumbered site upon which to
build, the problem in most cases today is to replace existing cities
and provide for future developments.
Upon his return to America, Carl located in New York, opening an
office as consulting engineer and advisory city planner. He applied
his knowledge to getting “hard cash,” but he very often worked for
little or no compensation. It did not matter to him—all he wanted to
see was the ultimate result.
His reputation as a successful engineer and writer became
widespread, with the result that he was besieged from all sides with
requests to engage in industrial campaigns and the like. Quite a
number of concerns owe to him and his writings the fact that they
got out of the rut and were able to re-establish themselves on a
sound financial basis.
To him, also, came concerns with shady reputations in the hope that
he would lend the weight of his name to their prospectuses. But
they were politely requested to seek such assistance elsewhere.
But city planning was his forte. It appealed to him as did no other
work. He recognized the great opportunity for the replanning of
American cities, so long neglected with such costly results as are
seen in the unnecessary congestion and crowded conditions of some
portions and the backward development of others—in the slums on
one hand and the inaccessible suburbs on the others—so
characteristic of the majority of our cities.
The citizens of a small town never imagine that it will become a
large city. They may, at times, dream of it as spreading out around
the nucleus in which they live and they may frequently boast of the
progress their town has made in the previous decade, but the day
that will see their town a great city seems so far distant that, as a
rule, they do not imagine it will ever occur.
Time slips quickly by and the sites for great improvements, which
might have been laid out and reserved for convenient plans, that
only need to be committed to paper, become impossible save at
enormous and prohibitive expense. It thus happens that many cities,
expanded over ground that once was made up of farms, have street
plans originally determined by the fancy of the home-wandering cow
and her calf. But great volumes of traffic must inevitably follow the
path marked out by these dumb animals, unless costly changes be
made.
Carl was aware of the great importance, to cities large and small, of
having plans prepared by experts to serve as a guide for the gradual
development of the city on a scientific basis.
Since engaging in such work, Carl had received many contracts for
planning new towns and remodeling old cities. Besides he did
considerable work along electrical lines. His spare time was occupied
in writing books and contributing articles on city planning, industrial
efficiency and national economy, to various newspapers and
magazines. Carl was recognized as a man of great versatility. His
prestige as an authority in his profession rose rapidly and his
absorbing interest in his work caused many complaints from old
acquaintances who still felt the lure of Broadway.
With a sudden jar he was shaken out of his mental dream as to his
own importance. The aeroplane, in landing at the outskirts of
Timbuktoo, struck a sand dune and was damaged considerably, and
its occupants badly shaken up, although not seriously injured.
They climbed from their seats and while the pilot looked after his
aeroplane, Carl stood on the fringe of the Great Desert, wondering
how he would solve that vast problem of so world-wide a character.
He felt the importance of his mission. The realization came to him
that his work would have a unique influence on the world. Its
welfare he held in his hand.
He had done important work before. But now! Alone he could move
the world—change the great laws of nature! He could create a new
land or destroy an old one. He could do this—he—Carl Lohman! Was
it to be wondered that his bosom heaved with emotion as he gazed
out over the endless barren wastes, which, at his command, could
be made to blossom with the fullness of the Earth’s fruits.
How true, he thought, the saying “Knowledge is Power.” That phrase
answered the questions in his mind. Yes, his knowledge would bring
it about.
A mental picture came to him, like a fata morgana, a mirage of the
desert, reflected high in the heavens. A picture of the day to come.
This picture, however, came to an abrupt end. The pilot, who had
been endeavoring to repair the damaged aeroplane, had come up to
Carl, saying, “The damage to the engine is too great to be repaired
here. What are we going to do now?”
“I have been thinking of that. I think we should go by camel to the
north and have some fun.”
The other smiled “Fun? Fun you will get all right if you should ever
fall into the hands of the bandit tribes that infest the sands. I know
them. During the war I was handled rather roughly by them in
France, although I was no enemy of theirs. They had been forced
into the fight and they wanted to be savage. And they knew how.
You talk about the Turk. He was nothing compared to them. At least
the Turk was fighting for his country—these just fought for the sake
of killing. They would have put an end to me, had not help come in
time.”
“All right! We can talk matters over tomorrow. Let’s find a hotel, if
there is one, where we can get a bite to eat. I’m starving.”
The pilot rejoined, “All right, so am I.”
The aeroplane had landed but a short distance from the city and it
had already attracted a host of bewildered people. They had never
seen an aeroplane before, so on they came, old and young, black
and white, to examine the strange monster from the sky. No less
strange to them appeared the two men who had come with it. In
language unknown to Carl, they pointed from the machine to the
men, showing plainly their awe and fear.
A French army officer came up to Carl and questioned him as to the
accident, but Carl could only refer him to the pilot, who had returned
to the wrecked machine, the motley mob scattering to all sides at his
approach.
After the pilot had secured all that was likely to fall prey to the
thieving fingers of the crowd—the Arabs and their kin are born
thieves—he and Carl set out for the hotel to which the officer had
directed them.
As they approached the hotel, the proprietor, a shifty-looking
Arabian-Jew, stepped out to greet them with a great show of
welcome and a greater anticipation of gain.
Carl had learned from his pilot that caravans left very seldom and at
irregular intervals for the north, because of the unexplored
conditions of the desert and of the still greater danger of being
beset by the roaming bands of bandits, who ever lay in wait for
caravans of merchants.
He came to the conclusion, therefore, after studying his maps, that
he had best secure an automobile to take him to Bammurka, from
which point he could take the railroad to St. Louis or Dakar on the
Atlantic coast. From there he could get passage to New York, while
his pilot could easily return by water to Algeria. This meant a tedious
journey of some five hundred miles, by automobile, down the Niger
and Joliba rivers, but it appeared the most feasible plan.
He questioned the hotel keeper as to the prospects of securing an
automobile and to his regret was told that such a thing was out of
the question. There were a few automobiles to be sure, but there
was not enough gasoline in Timbuktoo at that time to last half the
trip. In fact every one of the machines was useless because of this
scarcity of fuel. Carl recalled, too, that they had been forced to land
the aeroplane because the gasoline supply was getting low.
“Why not go by caravan?” he was asked.
“Caravan? When?” Carl questioned. This was more to his liking.
“Three days from now. Thursday morning. Yesterday a tourist party
came in. They had made arrangements months ago for a special
caravan from here to Mogador. You can join them. It could easily be
arranged.”
Carl voiced his thanks with a bit of silver.
The Jew added, “They will be here tonight at seven. I will tell them
you wish to meet them. By the way,” his eyes glinting craftily, “there
will be an entertainment tonight for these travelers. Do not miss it. It
will be worth your while.”
Arrangements to join the caravan were easily made. The tourists,
after hearing his story, readily consented to his request to be
allowed to accompany them. In fact they wanted him to come. He
had seen the desert from aeroplane and could tell them more about
it than even the guides.
After a short chat, during which the success of the journey was
toasted by Carl, he excused himself and went to his room to write
the following report to the New York newspapers.
“I find that there are no great difficulties to be encountered in
building the canal, which has to be about fifty miles long. The waters
of the sea, coming through this canal would flood an immense area,
forming a great inland sea. The canal could be made sufficiently
large to permit the passage of ocean steamers through it into the
inland waters.
“While there is a possibility of the canal being silted up with dune
sand, it is estimated that it would take from 1,000 to 1,500 years for
this to occur.
“The cost of the canal would be at least $100,000,000, and it would
take five years or longer to build it. Laborers could be drawn from
the interior tribes, such as Senegals, Moroccans, Algerians and
Turcoes.
“The Gulf of Gabes is separated by a ridge some forty feet across
and perhaps one hundred and fifty feet high, from Shat-al Fejej, a
depression which runs southwest into the Shat Jerid, which, in turn,
is separated from the Shat Garsa only by a still narrower ridge. Shat
Garsa is succeeded westward by a series of smaller depressions and
beyond them lies the Shat Melrir, whose northwestern extremity is
not far from the town of Biskra, a favorite winter resort of North
Africa.
“The original author of this scheme to flood the Sahara was Colonel
François Roudaire, who proposed it some fifty years ago to the
French Government. Roudaire’s plan was strongly advocated
between 1870 and 1885, receiving support from Ferdinand de
Lesseps, the French builder of the Suez Canal, now controlled by the
English, who acquired it through crafty diplomacy. That plan fell
through, because of the adverse criticism and it will fall through
once more. While it would have a certain great result for France, the
consequences due to the change of climate would not only affect
Africa, but would be disastrous to the entire world.
“After having inspected the site of the proposed canal I have been
piloted by a French aviator over the mysterious deserts. Contrary to
my own and most people’s ideas, I found to my delight, that the
desert is not all sand.
“The story my father once told me, when I was a small boy, came to
my mind. He said that the easiest way to catch the lions of Africa
was to sift the sands of the deserts, and what did not go through
the mesh of the sieve were the lions.
“We flew over depressions and mountains, ranging from 100 feet
below sea level to 6,000 feet above. In isolated instances, the
mountains rose up to a height of 8,000 feet or more. A few of the
mountains were of volcanic origin as could be seen from the craters
and cones.
“It is said that some of these mountainous regions, never actually
explored, are the dwelling places of the descendants of pre-historic
cave men. Whether this is true or not I cannot say. I kept a sharp
lookout for them, but did not succeed in seeing them.
“We passed over valleys through which, at one time, water must
have flowed. Vast tracts of loose stones and pebbles were to be
seen, their surfaces highly polished by the sand winds passing over
them.
“On every hand there was sand. Sand and more sand. The sand
dunes seemed to be without end. These dunes, or sand waves, for
that is what they really are, vary in length and height and run
diagonally to the prevailing winds. Shifting under the force of the
wind, they travel slowly in different directions, filling old depressions
and leaving new ones in their wake. Oases have been literally
swallowed up by these sand waves, which, in their irresistible march,
passed over them and on, leaving no trace of what was previously a
garden spot in the desert.
“Most curious are the inland mountains, known as the ‘Witness of
the Arabs.’ These are the remains of a one-time widely distributed
mountain terrace. The sand winds and storms passing over them
through the years have robbed them of most of their bulk, leaving
only the solid hard cores, which now form a group of flat-topped
pyramidal mountains.
“While flying over these mountains, a band of savages began
shooting at us. They had become frightened at our aeroplane.
Luckily we were high enough to be beyond range of their rifles and
no damage resulted.
“A great many oases were to be seen. Some cover great areas, while
here and there are smaller ones. Some of the smaller ones are
grouped together.
“Most of these oases are rich in vegetation, especially in fruits, such
as apples, peaches, oranges, citrons, figs, grapes and
pomegranates. The date, however, predominates. The oases are the
home of the date palm and these trees play a most important part in
desert life. Staple foods, such as corn, wheat, rice, barley, durra and
dukhn, are also grown. Besides these a few other tropical products
are cultivated.
“Asses, camels and a breed of black cattle are the main domestic
animals. Of course the full-blooded horse is to be seen in large
numbers.
“The population, made up of Berbers, Arabs, Maurers, Negroes and
Jews, is chiefly engaged in cattle raising and trading. The caravans,
in their journey across the desert, pass through various oases at
which they replenish supplies. It is at these oases that trading is
liveliest. For products of the oases are traded guns, ammunition,
gold dust, clothing and quite often slaves brought with the caravans
from the seacoast cities.
“France also contemplates building railways through the Sahara to
furnish easy communication between Algeria and Nigeria. This
proposed plan has already found many advocates. Two principal
railroad routes have been suggested: one taking the easterly line
from Biskra through Wargla to Air and Zinder—the route followed by
Fourneau in 1898, under the protection of Major Laury; the other
starting from the terminus of the most westerly railway already
existing at the Harbor of Casablanca, and reaching Timbuktoo by
way of Igli and the Tuat Oasis. But these plans are dreams. At any
rate the railways themselves are a long way off, as they would not
earn interest on the capital invested.
“For a long time to come travel across the Sahara will be by caravan.
There are five principal north and south caravan routes. One from
Rio de Oro leads over the Waran Desert to Timbuktoo on the Niger
River; one from Mogador, in Morocco, goes through the sand-hill
region of Igidi to Timbuktoo; another from Tangiers and Algiers
through the Tuat Oasis to Timbuktoo; another from Tripolis, over
Ghadames and Ghat at the Tasili Mountains to Kano and still another
from Tripolis over the Oasis Blima to Kuke, at the Tsad Sea, and then
on to Bengasi and Wadai. The foremost are those leading to
Timbuktoo, the Queen City of the Sahara.
“Long before Christ, some of the present routes were used by the
Romans in their explorations of the desert for its products. In the
fourth century, Field-Marshal Salomon penetrated from the north to
Timbuktoo and as far as the Sudan. Missionaries, preaching the
doctrines of Mohammed and Islam, in crossing the desert, used the
same routes as are used today. For centuries, so far, there has been
nothing new under the sun of the Great Desert, with probably the
exception of the Frenchman Lebaudy’s adventure in 1913,
attempting to crown himself ‘Emperor of the Sahara.’
“Progress is not made here as in other countries and as a result this
vast land is the least populated of any on the face of the earth.
While the climate is not what might be termed unhealthful, the
climatic conditions of the desert are, however, the cause of the
stagnation. The temperature ranges from seventy to one hundred
and twenty degrees, Fahrenheit, during the day time, while the
nights are cold with a temperature of thirty-five to forty-five and
quite often below zero.
“Very little rain falls, and the desert rarely experiences a rain storm.
However, frequent and terrific electrical discharges take place and
the desert dweller is ever in fear of the terrible blizzard-like sand
storms.
“But for all that, the Sahara has played her part in history. In the
days of Julius Caesar and the later Roman emperors, the Sahara was
called the ‘Granary of the Roman Empire.’ Rome, then at the
pinnacle of power, took the wealth of the desert. Slaves were carried
to Rome together with vast quantities of grain, oil, wine, leather,
spices and perfumes. Served and fed at little or no cost by the
subject colonies of North Africa, the Romans were enabled to lead a
life of the maddest luxury, idleness and self indulgence.
“While landing near Timbuktoo yesterday, the pilot drove the nose of
the plane into the sand, wrecking the machine. Neither of us was
hurt. Will stay here for a few days’ rest, and will then take the first
opportunity to return to America.”
The article finished, Carl posted it immediately. He went out to
smoke a cigarette and later, for want of something better to do,
sauntered over to the dance-hall designated by the hotel keeper that
afternoon.
CHAPTER VI
THE DANCE OF THE VAMPIRE
THE dancing place, an open space surrounded by palms and date
trees, under which were tables and chairs for the guests, was
already quite crowded when Carl arrived. As he looked about for a
seat, an Arab, apparently acting as an usher to the Europeans,
guided him through the crowd to a seat near the arena. What
mattered it if the seat were already occupied by another Arab? A few
words and the threat of a kick sent him scurrying away, although
Carl noted, with a smile, that he waited nearby for the other,
apparently in anticipation of part of Carl’s tip.
A native tribe was performing one of their wild desert dances,
swinging their guns and great scimitar-like knives in a most
fascinating way—howling and shrieking at the top of their lungs and
accompanied by the deafening noise of a native band.
The dance over, there was a wild scrambling among the dancers to
get the coins that were tossed to them by the spectators. The last
coin tossed and picked up; the last dancer aided from the scene by a
prod of a booted foot, a man stepped into the circle and in a loud
voice proclaimed,
“You are now going to witness the ‘Dance of the Vampire’ by the
Europeanized Desert Flower. This young siren has been proclaimed
by the art judges of Europe to be one of the most lovely women on
earth. Her beauty is beyond words and her dance extraordinary! But
judge for yourself! Behold Sana, our Desert Flower. None can rival
her. Not even the beauties of the harem!”
Musing to himself, Carl muttered, “If I were not in Africa I should
swear I was at Coney Island.”
The eyes of the audience are turned toward a tent near the dancing
space. There is a low rumble from the tom-toms of the native
orchestra. The flaps of the tent are pushed aside and a young
woman steps out. For a moment she stands there, looking over the
crowd as if in defiance. Then with a graceful movement of her arms
she casts aside the native shawl in which she is wrapped.
The spectators stir in their chairs. From all sides come the “ahs” of
expectant watchers. Carl, too, is visibly affected. The “barker” was
right. The woman, whoever she was, could take a beauty prize
anywhere.
The music grows louder while the dancer with fleet steps, hurries to
the middle of the arena to commence her dance.
Carl notes her costume. About her brow is bound a strand of
flashing gems. Her body is bare, covered only by a pair of violet
colored breast shields, richly embroidered with a bluebird design of
beads; short satin tights, slashed at the sides, and also of violet hue.
These are augmented by a string of pearls, hanging from her neck
holding the breast shield in place. Yet there was nothing indelicate
about this scanty costume. Carl recalled that he had seen many in
France that were shocking when compared to this. Here was beauty
and harmony. It was not the costume but the girl whose beauties it
revealed that made it a wonderful picture.
There were dangerous curves ahead, Carl mused, for those of the
men in the audience who were so inclined. The women, he felt sure,
would appear to be unaware of her beauties, but would,
nevertheless, make comparisons in their own minds.
To Carl, however, no sensual thoughts occurred. To him the girl was
an object of art. With a connoisseur’s eye for beauty he studied her
from head to foot. Her height he judged to be about five feet five
inches; her figure that of Venus de Medici. Having a good memory
for figures he recalled that the dimensions of that statue were, bust
and hips, 36 and 38 inches respectively; waist, 26 inches. The
dancer’s back was long and slender, almost flat near the shoulders,
but deeply curved at the waist. Her limbs were well rounded, soft
and large at the hips, tapering down very gently toward small
dimpled knees. From there they gracefully swelled to her calves and
in exquisite proportion diminished gently to her finely rounded
ankles and slender feet. Her smooth arms were softly molded from
shoulder to wrist, with dimpled elbows like a baby’s. The small wrists
with long slender hands and fingers were those of an aristocrat. Her
entire body, he noted, scarcely revealed the existence of bone—in
fact there were no sharp, thin or angular points to be seen. Indeed a
veritable Venus!
Her soft skin, of fine texture, was uniformly tanned over her entire
body, as if she were wont to take regular sun baths in Eve’s
costume. Powder and rouge were conspicuous by their absence, her
complexion being naturally healthy and full of bloom. A beautiful
symmetrical face, with a delicate lower jaw, a small, distinctly
curved, cupid’s bow mouth; a high finely arched brow added to the
beauty of her sparkling eyes.
Hers was a gracefully molded head, somewhat high forehead, with a
straight, clear cut, slender nose, indicating intelligence. Her dark hair
and silk-like skin showed her refinement of birth; her intelligent
eyes, gray-blue, were lustrous and brilliant, full of fire, and in size
well proportioned to her ruby-lipped mouth. When smiling, slightly
pinkish teeth, semi-transparent, looking like two rows of pearls,
enchanted the beholder.
Her upward curved oval shaped nostrils, and the small wrists and
ankles, together with her entire bearing, betrayed that she was, or
at least could be, a woman of extreme passion. She could be a
vampire, Carl mused, a real one, if once her nature was aroused.
He could not tell whether desire had as yet been awakened in her.
Young and vibrant, she appeared, off hand, as a rare desert flower,
grown up undefiled and now blooming in full glory.
Then came reaction. Carl felt himself consumed by an overpowering
desire for this girl. To make matters worse, the dancer when passing
his table, gave him a glance that caused his bosom to heave and his
eyes to shine with that light that clever women kindle in men.
To his mind came memories of the many girls he had met and
known. None of them, he realized, would ever mean anything to him
now. This desert dancer was his ideal. Yes, Grace, Fannie, Marion
and the rest were out of the question now. None of them could
compare with this girl, either in physical or spiritual beauty. Dorinda
was about the only girl whose figure could match that of this dancer.
But Carl was not alone in his studies of the girl. The others, too, are
gazing intently at her. Not a movement of her lithe form escaped
their eager eyes. Not a sound came from their lips, even their
breathing seemed suppressed. It was as quiet as Mass at church.
Carl could scarcely restrain himself when the dancer came near him,
whirling and gyrating her body. And the dance! Carl had never seen
anything of its kind before. This was no shimmy of the city dance-
hall, no “danse du ventre,” but something wild and free. Wild and
free, he reasoned, like the girl herself.
Their eyes met, and in her look Carl thought he read mutual
understanding. The girl seemed to lose control of herself. Carl feared
what would come next, when suddenly the music stopped its wail.
The dancer stopped and bowing to the audience sought to return to
her tent amidst the applause of the crowd.
With the connoisseur’s eyes for beauty, he studied her
from head to foot. Carl could hardly restrain himself,
when the dancer came near him, whirling and gyrating
her body.
Carl was all fire and flame as he pondered in his mind on how he
could best become acquainted with her. One of his first thoughts
was, “If she were only on Broadway, instead of here in the
wilderness, surrounded by date trees and sand, monkeys and lions.”
He raised his glass to his lips, when he heard a slight uproar in the
vicinity of the dancer’s tent. Looking closely he saw that one of the
visitors, more intoxicated by the liquor he had consumed than by the
beauty of the dancer, was endeavoring to embrace and kiss her.
It was but a matter of a moment for Carl to reach the spot. Angrily
he pulled the man aside. This started a fight. The annoyer
attempted to pummel Carl, who proceeded to take all the fight out
of him with a straight left to the jaw. With a thud the other hit the
ground, but quickly recovered himself and sneaked shamefaced and
properly chagrined from the place.
The hour was late and most of the people soon left the dancing
place. The tourists disappeared, and the place became practically
deserted save for a few natives.
The dancer came up close to Carl, and, much to his surprise,
thanked him in excellent English. He mumbled something as to its
“being all right”; but before he realized what he was saying he had
asked whether he could speak to her a while.
After a moment’s hesitation her consent was given. As he sat
opposite the girl he studied her face intently. Was he dreaming? Or
did he really recall those eyes? A new feeling, far different from that
which he experienced when she danced before him, came to Carl,
supplanting that less worthy one.
The girl, seeing Carl’s hesitancy to speak, began, “I feel as if I must
tell you the whole story—that is, if you care to hear.”
“Please do,” returned Carl. During the dance he knew of many things
he would like to say to her, but now—well he thought it best to let
her do the talking.
“Well, to get to the point, the man you just drove away has long
been an evil influence in my life. His name is de Rochelle. I worked
for him as his secretary in Paris and New York. He forced his love
upon me, through hypnotic influence. Later, he wanted to get rid of
me, so, while he had me under his influence he commanded me to
commit suicide by leaping from one of the bridges that span the East
River, in New York.”
“Commit suicide?” questioned the astounded Carl. “But why should
he command that?”
“I found out, later, that he would have collected some fifty thousand
dollars’ insurance and would have returned to France to marry
another girl.”
“The beast,” was all Carl could say.
The girl continued, “I would have carried out his orders but for an
incident I have never forgotten. As I was about to swing myself over
the rail, a gentleman came up to hand me a handkerchief I had
dropped in my excitement. He kept talking to me, not realizing, I
suppose, my true intentions.”
Carl, his mouth half-opened in astonishment and looking at her as if
dazed, reached across the table to clasp her hand, when she said, “I
believe it was you who saved my life.”
Silently they gazed at each other, the tears coming to their eyes. The
girl had difficulty to keep from crying aloud, while Carl, deeply
moved, could find no word to relieve the situation. Words are
helpless things at times and at best they fail to convey our true
feelings. Volumes were spoken in silence by the look in their eyes
and the pressure of Carl’s hand.
The girl’s hands trembled in his clasp, although he felt a slight
pressure of them on his own. He drew one hand away to reach for a
handkerchief so that she might dry her eyes. For a moment the gaze
of the few people still present, caused him embarrassment. What he
would have liked to have done was to take her in his arms, to
console her and kiss the tears away.
Steeling herself against the emotion which was striving to get the
better of her, Sana dried her eyes and attempted to smile. It was like
the first sunbeam that shoots from out the rifts of the departing
storm clouds. It served to restore the equilibrium which had been so
sorely disturbed by the emotional interlude.
It was difficult for them to continue the conversation on this subject,
so they had some refreshments, talking the while of everything and
nothing. It was the most natural thing for the conversation to drift
back to New York, and drift there it did.
They spoke of many things of mutual interest. Carl told her of his
work at home, of his books, and why he visited the Sahara. Still
puzzled though as to why Sana should be here in the desert, he
asked her the reason.
“That, too, is part of my story. But I shall begin at a point before I
was born.
“As a youth, Baron von Seckt was the ‘black sheep’ of a family of the
German nobility. He was what you Americans call a good sport,
squandering his parents’ money and contracting debts. Naturally he
was much mixed up in social affairs and was the cause of many a
family ‘row.’
“At last his escapades became too much for his father, who decided
that the son would have to go either to America or Africa. The young
man selected the latter.
“He had money enough to last him perhaps a year. He would enjoy
himself while the money lasted—after that he could go to work. With
this in mind he joined a hunting party. While in the region of the
Niger River, near Ansozo, he became separated from his friends. He
wandered around, lost and finally, totally exhausted, lay down to
sleep. In his sleep he was attacked by a giant tiger snake. During
the struggle which followed he was badly bitten by the snake. He
managed, however, to kill it with his knife, and after freeing himself
from its coils, fired several shots into its body to make sure it was
dead.
“These shots attracted the attention of a hunter who at the time was
not far away. He found the stricken man, by then unconscious and
took him to his camp, where he was taken care of by the hunter’s
wife, a young and full-blooded gypsy.
“Blood poisoning set in and the Baron was confined to his bed for
some time. During this time the gypsy nursed and cared for the sick
man, probably with more ardor than was necessary. The result was
obvious. One day, even before the Baron was quite recovered, the
hunter discovered him and the woman in very compromising
circumstances. He pulled his revolver to make an end to the
unfaithful pair, but he was not quick enough. The Baron rushed at
him and in the struggle that followed the hunter accidentally killed
himself.
“Shortly afterward the Baron married the gypsy, who as time passed
gave birth to me, daughter of the Baron. That was at Temmimun, on
the Gurara Oasis, where the couple had settled shortly prior to my
birth. I am thus a ‘child of love.’
“My father taught me German, French and English, while my mother
taught me to play the violin, at which she was an adept. When I
became sixteen my father took me to England to study, and
probably to find a life companion. English life and its hypocrisy did
not appeal to me, so shortly afterward I went to Paris, making my
home with a family I had met in London. Then I learned that my
father had suddenly died of heart failure and that I would be forced
to make my own way through life.
“My knowledge of languages enabled me to secure work with an
engineering concern, contemplating developments in the Sahara
desert. This is the organization of which you spoke.
“Among the promoters of this concern was de Rochelle and soon he
became one of my most ardent admirers. Although I was by no
means in love with him, I often went to dinner or to the theater with
him. One evening after dinner, which was served in a private dining-
room, he spoke to me of his hypnotic powers. I had once read a
book on the subject and was interested. In a joking way he offered
to show me how it worked. Before I knew it, or could say a word in
objection, I was under his influence. Months afterward I discovered
that that night he had commanded me to love him and to marry
him.
“From that night on it seemed that I took a great and unaccountable
liking for the man. Previously I had merely endured him. Now I loved
him and was his willing slave. Before long we were engaged to be
married. At times, though, the feeling of repulsion returned, but
under his influence this soon gave way, disappearing finally for good.
“De Rochelle’s work was to raise the money for the Sahara
Development Organization, and to that end he was sent to New
York. He induced me to accompany him as his secretary. What
followed is already known to you.”
“What do you think of the scheme of flooding the Sahara?” Carl
asked, fearing a further discussion of her troubles might renew her
tears.
“I do not like it. I fear it.”
“But why?”
“The plan is to make the desert fertile as it used to be in the days of
the Roman Empire. It is a great engineering problem and can be
done by building a canal from the sea to allow the waters to flow in.
As a large part of the desert lies below sea level, the water would
naturally flood a large area. As you know, the sun would evaporate a
lot of this water to be returned to earth in the form of rain, which
falling on the surrounding desert would soon make it a fertile land.
“But this undertaking, as I understand it, will not only change the
climate of the Sahara but will affect that of the entire world. At a
meeting of the promoters I heard it said that the result might be
disastrous to the rest of the world. But like any nation or group of
individuals seeking mere gain for themselves, the rest of the world is
not likely to be taken into consideration.
“It would be a good thing for the world at large if the Sahara could
be revegetated, but it must not be the cause of suffering. I would
give anything a woman can righteously offer to the one who will
prevent this destructive flooding. You see, it would destroy my
beloved homestead at the Gurara Oasis.”
“It can be done,” remarked Carl, as he drew a pencil and a map from
his pocket. He spread the map on the table between them and using
his pencil as a pointer explained once more his mission in the desert,
assuring her, at the same time, that he would think of a plan by
which the catastrophes she feared would be avoided.
Sana was overcome with joy. Rising from her chair, she clasped his
hand with both hers, exclaimed, “I have, indeed, found a friend in
you.”
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