The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-14
Dense Forest of Oak, Ash, Cypress,
with Underground as Thick as
Hair on q Dog, Are Near.
CANEBRAKES ALSO ABOUND
AND IN THEM BRUIN HAS LONG
FOUND HIDING PLACE.
Two Expert Guides tn BE with the
President-Hfs Out1t and Fa-
vorite Winchester.

MEMPHIS Tenn, Nov. 13-President
Roosevelt tonight is sleeping in a camp
|. i.ched in the canebrakes and swamps of
Mississippi. fifteen miles from Smedes. The
presidential party arrived at Smedes at 3:45
o'clock this afternoon. and at once left the
train and started for the camp on horse
back.
The presidential train arrived here over
the Illinois Central at 800 o'clock this
morning. The train was about fifteen min
utes late. For some distance tits morn
ing IL was run at a speed of over seventy
miles an hour to make up lost time. The
President was anxious TO reach the hunting
camp this afternoon early enough to get
into the woods this evening, and the sched-
ule of the train fastened to meet his
desire. When the train reached here IL
was switched in the. south yards TO the
tracks of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
Railroad and proceeded as soon as the en-
gines were changed.
On the journey down here the President
spent a considerable portion OF his time
reading. of the books in which he is
particularly interested being the ''Nomadic
Life by NJ. Jusseraud, the new French
ambassador, who is to succeed NJ. Cambon.
1t is a history of the troubadors and cru
saders of the middle ages. and the Presi-
dent Is reading 1t in the original French.
President Roosevelt was joined at Mem
phis by the members of the hunting party,
President Stuyvesant Fish, OF the Illinois
Central; General Counsel Dickinson, of the
same road; John NJ. Parker, of New Or
leans, La; John Mc1lhenry, formerly lieu
tenant In the Rough Riders: Maj. George
NJ. Helm. w. w. Mingum and H L. Foote
The latter three are big Mississippi plant
ers and well-known bear hunters Mr..
Foote is considered one Of the best shots
OF the preparations for the hunt, and the
President appeared to be greatly pleased
with the arrangements.
LOCATION OF TIE CAMP.
The camp is located fifteen miles east of
Smedes. on the banks OF the Little Sum
! flower river. in a practically unbroken will
derness. There are no settlers for miles in
any direction. The oak. ash and cypress
forest is choked with an underground of
bud vine as thick. Mr.. Parker said, as the
hair on a dogs back. trail was cut to
the camp and horses were provided for
. the members OF the party. The camp itself
consists OF three sleeping tents and one
cook tent. Hoke Collier, a negro who was
a scout In the Confederate army during the
civil war, and who afterward acted as
guide for Gen. Wade Hampton, has charge
the camp for a week. Among them is the
most celebrated bear dog in this country
He Is now the property of Mr.. Foote. This
is his last hunt, Mr.. Parker told the Pres
ident. as he is old and decrepit. though he
has one more hunt in him, and when he
opens his mouth II means bear. Collier
Mr.. Parker said, was credited with hav-
ing been In at the death of eco bears. He
is said to have killed nearly l50 in single
) season.
/ "It will be rough work." said Mr.. Parker
urh II lfad
President Roosevelt.
But we will have bear meat for Sunday
dinner" added Mr.. Parker.
Let us get the bear before we arrange
Tor the dinner. responded the President,
laughing heartily.
THE PRESIDENTS GUIDES
Mr.. Foote and Hoke Collier are to act
as the Presidents guides. heavily wood
ed ridge beyond the Little Sunfiower, where
there Is chance for panther as we'll as
bear, Is to be tried first. Later the hounds
] will be loosed in the canebrakes in the
swamps on this side of the river Mr..
Parker seems absolutely certain that the
President will get bear. when we strike
trail said he. I'VE will follow 1t until
we get what made it,
That's the kind Of talk / like to hear"
replied the President.
Secretary Cortelyou and DR.. Lung prob
ably VIII not go out after bear, but Mr.
Pdrker promises tnem little less arduouS
sport In the form of deer drive He saws
there are also plenty Of deer in the woods
The President and the members of the
party donned their hunting clothes aboard
. the train in order TO be ready for the
horseback ride to the camp immediately
upon arrival at Smedes. The President
brought with him the outfit used by him
for many years on his hunting trims after
big game in the neighborhood OF his ranch
on the Little Missouri. I'm Dakota and i'm
the mountains OF Idaho ana Colorado II
includes a fringed buckskin suit such a
was worn by the old wilderness hunter and
his favorite Winchester. 1890. With this
weapon he has killed many OF his hunting
trophies. IL bears the interesting scars
OF one OF his battles with a cougar. or
mountain lion. in Colorado. In closing
with a wounded cat the President thrust
the stock into his mouth. IL shows the
teeth marks OF the enraged animal and
the place where small piece was liter
ally bitten away. His cartridge belt has
hunting knife attached. Most OF the bull
, lets are soft-nosed. but few OF them are
steel jacketed for penetrating power in
case the President should get a chance
for a long shot.
An expedent has been adopted to keep
the curious away from the camp at Smedes
The country for miles around its loca-
tion is owned by the Illinois Central road
but OF course there would be no legal way
OF preventing the invasion by onlookers.
IL would be. however practically impossi-
bic for anyone 10 reach camp on foot and
arrangements have been made TO prevent
anyone from obtaining a horse or mule
at Smedes without a permit. In this way
the managers Of the hunt believe that
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