The Washington herald., 1907-10-16
TAKES SWIM IN LAKE
President PlungeS. Into Cold
Water Before Sunup.
NOT A TRACE OF A BEAR
Discouraged with His Hunt, Mr..
Roosevelt Varies MOnOtony of
Camp Life by GambOI in Chilly
Water-Swims Two Hundred Yards
and Back, Then REshes 20 Tent.

stambouI, La, Oct 15-Before Presi-
dent Roosevelt had breakfast this morn
ing, and, in fact before the sun was up.
he took a cold plunge in Bear Lake, on
the shores Of which his camp is located.
Quite a heavy frost was upon the ground.
as the nights have been unusually cold
for this section during the last ten days;
but this did not deter the distinguished
but unsuccessful hunter from his deter
mination. which he made the night be-
fore. to go for a swim in the lake
Commissioner McIlheny and Dr. Lam
bert, who wears the most extensive set Of
whiskers Of any member Of the party ex-
.cept Ben Lilley, had been routed out Of
bed to accompany the President Wrapped
in heavy blanket, they followed on after
the President; but when they reached the
edge of the lake, and saw how cold the
water looked. they lost courage and de-
cided that they did not need bath.
The President however. soon divested
himself of his clothing, and. not having a
bathing suit. he donned pair OF trunks
improvlsed from suit Of underclOthing
With an injunction to Mr.. McIlheny and
DR.. Lambert not 70 tie knots in his cloth
ing, he plunged into the water, which at
the point where he entered is fully twenty
feet deep.
Swims to Small Island.
With a bold stroke. he struck out for a
small island about 200 yards away. He
made the distance in remarkably quick
time. and. after a short rest. started back
to where mis- companions were standing
on the banks Shivering and blowing and
splashing. he came up out of the water
and. hurriedly dressing. returned to his
tent. and according to Jack Powell the
cook. ate more breakfast than any other
two members of the party. DR.. Lambert
was so chilled at the thought Of a cold
splash in the lake at that hour in the
morning that he went to his tent and put
on a pair Of wOolen socks and ate his
breakfast wrapped up in a red blanket.
The President declared that he had en-
joyed the swim as much as anything he
had done since he came to StambouL Mr.
McIlheny and DR.. Lambert said they
would prefer to follow the old custom Of
waiting until Saturday night before tax
ing a bath Their display of lack Of
nerve 10 follow the President has placed
their names high upon the list of eligibles
for the Mollycoddle Club. There seems to
be no doubt of their election.
McIIheny "A MOIIycOddIe.
In fact, the swimming incident is Mr.
McIlheny's second recommendation since
he has been with the President on this
trip. When the President was driving
through the downpour of rain in st. Louis
and the people were cheering him for it.
Mr.. Mcnheny raised the cover of his
carriage to protect himself from the in
clemency of the weather, and, within the
hearing of the President. crowd Of
street gamins then and there christened
him a mollycoddle.
The President has had his tent set up
near the old clubhouse, and is no longer
obliged to sleep in his blanket on the
floor OF the old building, as he did for two
nights while the camp outfit was being
removed from its first location on the Ten
sas Bayou. He is sharing it now with Rear
Admiral Rixey. According to the story
which is being told, the admiral could not