The expedition was beset by many hardships. Due to the presence of bandits, the men were always armed and on the look-out for danger. They also suffered from the extremes of the weather. In the heat of the day the temperature could reach over 130 degrees and, towards the end of the working season, they could be blasted with arctic winds and blizzards. Suffocating sand storms descended on them frequently and it was quite a marvel that the mechanics were able to keep the cars running the entire time. Becoming bogged down in snow, sand, and water, it was often an intense struggle just to move the cars a few miles. |