Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-15
FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM EXPEDI-
TON EN- ROUTE HOME.
HAD A MOST SUCCESSFUL TRIP
SECURED A GREAT QUANTITY OF
MUSEUM MATERIAL.
Professor Elliott Tells of the Trip to
Somaliland, and of the Discom-
forts and Dangers Encoun-
tered-Never Attacked
by the Natives.

London, Nov. 14.-Professor D. G. Elliott,
the leader of the Field Columbian museum
of Chicago expedition. with Mr.. c. z.
Ekeley, the head Of the taxiderm.st depart
ment of the museum, left Southampton to-
day by the ST. Louis. on their return to
America, after a most successful expedi-
ton into Somaliland. whittier they went
in March last for the purpose of making a
natural history collection for the museum.
In conversation with a representative of
the Associated Press, Professor Elliott
said:
I'VE left Berbera at tie end Of April
with caravan consisting of sixty-eight
men, all armed with Sniders. and Winches-
ters, and fifty-six camels, which were after
wards increased to ninety-eight Our inten-
tion was to explore certain districts of
Somaliland between Berbera and the river
Chibele.
During our stay in Africa we made three
distinct expeditions from the coast. The
first was to the east of Berbera to the
Gobari plains and the range of the Coils
This journey inland, which was undertaken
expressly for the purpose of getting wild
asses, occupied three weeks. The second
was to the south of Berbera via Mandera
and the Jorato pass Of the Coils range to
the south Of the Toyo plain. This trip last
ed six weeks and. was embarked upon be-
cause We wanted to get specimens of
Swaine's haartebest and Clarke's antelope.
both Of which are extremely rare, and of
which very few specimens have ever come
to Europe. The third expedition lasted over
he
bera and crossed the Hand desert by
route discovered by me ever the Maredleh
plain to point twenty miles from Milmil.
Altogether We were in the interior six
months and returned to Alden at the be-
ginning of October"
Asked regarding the character of the
country visited, the professor said: "a
large portion OF the districts visited by
me was quite unknown to Europeans. and
certainly had never been traversed by a
naturalist before. The whole country was
absolutely a waterless desert. True, there
was some kind of stuff with which to as?
suage our thirst. but the only water to
be got is from the pools left by the rains
or by digging beneath the parched river
beds. But the mixture procurable is thick
ana yellow. and of the consistency Of pea
soup. Even the pools are the resort of
be better imagined than described. We
mad to establish guard over every pool
We reached to prevent its defilement, but
often the water was so bad that even our
mules refused to drink. Despite this and
other difficulties, we managed to keep in
good health.
had no trouble with my caravan. NV
head man was the most competent in At
rica- His name was Dualla Idris. He
afcyhf xr,;t
previously Travelled with Count Teleki and
Dr. Donaldson Smith,
Had you any trouble with the natives
NO; We were SO well armed that we
were never attacked. The Orgadan people
were not friendly, but they did not pro-
ceed to hostile measures. One tribe of
Midgans, armed with bows and poisoned
arrows. were looting and raiding In our
neighborhood, but, although quite close.
they did not molest us.
The country was SO unsettled by rea-
son of Abyssinian raids that large numbers
of natives Joined my caravan for protec-
ton and followed in my wake,
The AbySsinians, l am happy to saw
we did not meet. They were ahead of us,
raiding in the valleys. and we heard ru-
mors OF their atrocities, but fortunately
for us We did not come across them.
The heat during our journey was al
l.
thought We should succumb to apoplexy.
Such temperature I have never encounter
ed before. Two medical thermometers reg
istered their highest, 120. and there the
mercury remained. The heat in these re-
gions is SO intense that even the natives
trying to cross the desert in the daytime
frequently succumb.
THE nearest shave the expedition had
was in the case of Mr.. Ekeley, who was
furiously attacked by a wounded leopard
which was only vanquished by Mr. Exc
1ey's literally suffocating the beast by
kneeling on his lungs. Mr.. Ekeley had,
however. fourteen wounds on his arm and
right hand. He got all right. though, in a
week"
Asked as to the results Of his expedition.
Professor Elliott said: 81 have secured a
very large collection, chiefly of the large
mammals. probably the most complete ever
brought out of any country by one party.
No less than fifty-eight cases and barrels
were shipped direct from Alden to Chicago,
where they will arrive at the end Of No
vember. l obtained, moreover 800 speci-
mems of birds, fish. insects and reptiles"