Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-01
IN QUEST OF BIG GAME
Expedition to Africa From Field
Columbian Museum.
FOR SCIENTIFIC AIMS, NOT SPORT

Party OF Explorers From chicago
VIII BE Led by Carl E. AkeIy, q
Well known observation-disclosures
shaw Kennedy VIII Accompany
Him - English Expedition Being
Formed For the Same Purpose.
The Field Columbian museum in
Chicago is equipping a great expedi-
ton TO explore the heart of Africa and
TO shoot big game for its collections,
says the Chicago Post. The endeavOr
will be to eclipse in results the efforts
Of all scientific expeditions hitherto
sent into the dark continent.
The museum collectors and explorers
will be led by Carl L. Akely of the in
stitution's geological department, who
is recognized as the worlds greatest
taxidermist, and by Vernon Shaw Ken
nedy of Chicago. 1t is probable that
Mr.. Kennedy's brother will join the
party in London. Mr.. Akely will take
an assistant from the museum with
him, and on the coast of Africa a
large number of natives will be en-
pIoyed to accompany the expedition as
hunters ana DuTueN DedTeES.
The mana cement of the Field Column
bian museum is anxious to complete
its collections of the big game of At
RIGA before communication with the in
terror of the continent is made so
easy that the animals will become q
prey to the English and continental
sportsmen.
The Chicago members of the expedi-
ton will sail from America this sum
mer, the exact date not yet having
been set They will go to London and
from there will sail for Mombasa,
East African protectOrate, where the
native contingent of the party will be
engaged Mombasa Is only a few
members of the expedition will move
due west into the interior and will
conduct their researches and their
shooting under trying climatic condi-
tons 1t is in this section, however,
that the big game which is sought still
abounds A special effort will be made
to kill giraffes, rhinoceroSes, lions and
African leOpards.
The path of the hunt probably will
lie through Masailand, south of the
Victoria NyanZa, toward Lake Tagan-
yika. The party's course and the field
Of it's collecting will lie south of those
of the late Field museum expedition,
conducted by Professor ID. g. Elliot
eight years ago. That expedition en-
countered great hardships, due to heat,
lack of water and danger from the ma
tives and from wild animals. 1t was
necessary to take along an armed
force of sixty men as protection from
the attacks Of the tribes of the interior.
The forthcoming expedition probably
will be guarded in n similar manner.
Carl e. Akely, who will lead the par
ty now forming, nearly lost his life on
the former expedition In a fight with Il
leopard. The beast was slightly wound
ed, and on the approach of Mr.. AkeIy
1t sprang at him and bore him to the
ground. He fought with 1t and sue
ceeded In killing ii, but only after he
had been badly injured in the encoun-
ter.
The heat of the climate was such
that Professor Elliot's health was IN
dermined, and for this reason the sci |
enlist cannot be a member of the com
ing expedition. Vernon Shaw Ken
nedy, who will accompany the expedi- |
ton, is not connected with the Field |
museum, but he has hunted big game |
in nearly all countries, doing most of
his shooting for the enrichment of sci |
entific institutions.
Speaking of the forthcoming expe- |
dition. Mr.. Kennedy said: 1T should !
be understood that the African trip Is |
not for the purpose of sport. 1t is to |
be conducted strictly for scientific pur-
poses, and the animals that we kill |
will be used for educational purposes |
in the Field museum We wish to get
into the African country, where big |
game is to be found, before the com |
pletiOn of railroad lines and the influx |
of gunners scatter or annihilate the |
great animals
An English scientific expedition is |
being formed for the same purpose as
that of the Field museum There will |
be rivalry between the two parties in |
the matter of results. 1t is recognized !
by scientists all over the world that |
before long the African field will be in |
a sense exhausted. 1t is believed, how |
ever, that there exist in the heart of |
lhe cohtihehI species OF ahlmalS ana |
birds as yet unknown. The real scien- |
tific rivalry will come therefore per- |
haps in the line of the discovery of |
new forms of life.
The members of the African expedi- |
ton OF the Field museum succeeded in /
finding and In collecting several hith- |
erto unknown species. \ new race Of /
hawks was found by Professor Elliot. |
and in compliment to the benefactor of /
the Columbian museum the birds were /
given the name Of Field in its Latin |
form.
The staff of the Field museum is /
busy preparing for the forthcoming /
expedition. The preparations are being 4
made on a large scale. All sorts of /
has TO be taken to preserve /