The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-24
HAD A GOOD Time
The President Talks Enthu-
siasticaIIy of His Outing.
Spent the Time Studying the
Animals and Birds.
AMUSING INCIDENTS.
He and Burroughs Fell Head
First In a Snow Drift.
Only Shot Fired in the Park
Was at a Target.

Roosevelts vacation is at end. he
greeted the members of his party ana
a large number of people at the Mann
moth Hot Springs hotel in Yellowstone
park and today resumes his tour, which
is to end in Washington on June 3. The
president is the picture of health. and
it can be seen at a glance that the time
he has spent in the park has been great
~ beneficial to him. His eye is bright
and his face is bronzed. He speaks in
enthusiastic terms of the park and of
the good time he had while touring It,
Word had gone forth several days ago
that he would meet the people living in
the park and vicinity on his return, and
when he arrived at the Mammoth
Springs hotel where the reception was
! held, he found about two hundred men
and women there to greet him The
president addressed them briefly. speak
ing of the good time he had had during
the past two weeks. and then shook
hands with every one. He spent the
rest of the day in inspecting the post
and riding horseback with Major
Pitcher. Before starting today he will
participate in the laying of the corner.
stone of the new gate at the northern
entrance to the park. The president
and all those who accompany him on
the trip. No accident occurred, and the
weather was most of the time delightful
John Burroughs, who accompanied the
president most of the time. was also
greatly benefited by his outdoor life.
and his face is also bronzed.
The president spent prosperous time
in studying the habits OF the species OF
game which abound in the park. He
/ would lie Tor hours near a herd Of elk
frPnlIRnf1V
for eight or ten miles to observe them
He also studied bird life with Mr.. Bur
roughs. and showed himself particularly
well posted on this subject Mr. Bur
/ foughs was able to show him but one
bird with which he was not acquainted,
ranely. the solitaire.
The presidents camp was composed of
two Sibley tents and one wall tent with
out hoard floors. and While everAthink
was very simple, yet it was quite COM
Portable. The party that accompanied
hiln was small one, consisting of Major
! Pitcher. Mr.. Burroughs, a couple of or
derlies. and two cooks. There also was
a small force Of men to man the pack
/ wagon
While fortunately there were no acct
dents number Of amusing incidents
occurred. One of them happened dur
ing the presidents visit to Geyser land
a few days ago. The PRECEDENT and Mr..
Burroughs were on skis and started t.,
race down hill. The snow was soft. and
Mr.. Burroughs, who had never used d
ski before, soon found himself with his
mead IN the snow and his feet in the
air. He had hardly struggled to his
feet when the president repeated the
performance.
Pitcher secured excellent photographs
Of the catastrophe which he has prom
iSed to have developed
The party were fortunate in running
across game. Thousands of elk and
deer and a number of mountain sheep
and goats were encountered and their
habits We're closely studied
One day, in camp with Major Pitcher,
the president fired a new revolver at a
tree. The weapon was defective and
the empty shell flew back and struck
the president on the cheek, drawing
blood If it had struck a little higher
up it would have injured if not blinded
an eye. This bit of target practice was
the only time the president used a fire
arm during his tour of the park
The president rode a big gray horse
named Bor aparte during the whole of
his tour. The horse belongs to troop b,
Third cavalry and is one of the surest
footed animals in the park He showed
what he could do in the first day out.
To reach the first camp which was
named by the soldiers Camp Roosevelt,
it was necessary to traverse about two
miles a narrow mountainous trail which
was covered with ice.
Some of the party dismounted and led
their horses down the trail. for mis-
step meant death or serious injury.
buf the president stuck to the saddle
and guided Bonaparte safely down the
trail
The longest walk enjoyed by the pres
tident was taken on Easter Sunday He
started out alone in the morning. de
cIinine the offer of other members of
the party to accompany him He spent
the day in climbing mountains and
walking along the trail. He covered
fully 20 miles, and did not return to
camp until Z o'clock in the evening
When Major Pitcher found the presl-
dent was determined to go by himself
he induced him to take a revolver so
thai he could signal in case Of accident
The first three DAYS in camp the
weather was extremely cold ana the
,,resident was compelled to break the ice
III his bucket before performing his
morning ablutions. Major Pitcher kept
Diary while in camp. and the follow
ing extracts from it will give an idea OF
how the president spent his days
April o-Left the post at a. m and
arrived at the camp on the Yellowstone
, river about /: 30. At night large camp
fire was lighted near the president :
tent and after dinner the party SAT
around it and told hunting stories un-
til bedtime This was almost nightly
oerfornsaace-
April 1o-Before starting out the pres
ident announced that he under no cir
cumstances would fire a shot in the
park even if tempted to do so by &
mountain lion up tree. lest he should
give people ground for criticism Rode
up the river as far as He'll Roaring
saw a number OF deer and elk and also
saw an eagle attack a band Of elk Hac
= lunch on Hell Roaring creek. consisting
of hardtack and sardines.
April 11-Rode about "a miles and gos
: in among a band of nearly 1000 elk
One band followed the party for over
a mile.
April 12-As this was Sunday. the
president decided that he would TAKE
a walk alone. He tramped about q