Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-12-08
LIFE RISKS IN AFRICA,
Expert Tells of Presidents Peril
From Disease While Hunting.
BAD FEVER ATTACK CERTAIN.

Fifteen Chances In a Hundred Of
Surviving Tropical PsriIs--Warns Of
Kermit's Danger.
When President Roosevelt allowed it
to be announced that at the end Of his
presidency he would go to Africa with
bis second son, Kermit, boy still under
twenty, IN quest OF big game the Amer
lean people, knowing little Of Africa,
took it as another phase Of the presi-
dents many sided character without
considering more than big game
chances.
Baron A. B. d'Altomonte, who knows
Africa as well as the president knows
New York city and who for nearly
four years was commandant Of the po-
lice forces in the Kongo Free State
and later headed the six months hunt
ing expedition of Prince Ellie Zurni-
koff In British East Africa, believes that
1t is folly for a man of President
Roosevelt's age to tempt the fevers and
miasmas Of Africa. He says it is ex-
ceedingly dangerous to take a boy Of
Kermit Roosevelt's years into the jun
gle.
To a representative of the New York
World the baron said: "HOw will Pres
ident Roosevelt hunt in East Africa?
VIII he take a train at Mombasa, put
himself in an open car in front of the
engine and shoot while passing at
herds of wild elephants or antelopes7
No. surely He will be forced by his
own very daring nature to hunt follow
ing the precepts of Nimrod, in the only
grand way, with all the trouble and
all the dangers Of the great battle.
"This will necessitate camping at
night in the damp plains, among high
grass, full of insects and mosquitoes,
or on the border Of the muddy and pes
tilent river-home of the tsetse hy-or
In the tenebrous and treacherous for
est, full of miasmas and dampness. He
will be forced to the long wait lying In
ambush for the approach Of the ele-
plant; he will have to face the torrid
to hunt for the lion and the antelope;
he will have to cross the putrid bot
tom of the valleys to watch for the
rhinoceros, and with this last one some
time he will be compelled to find the
running strength Of his youth.
"These are the general and particu-
lar dangers of hunting party in Az
RIGA, without mentioning the miseries
of the daily life-bad water, the rainy
season. the fly pest, the Inflammation
of the skin caused by Precipitation, the
nights without sleep on account of the
heat and a hundred other things
ITO be short, come to this conclu-
sion, that whoever suggested or did
not dissuade President Roosevelt from
going to Africa has erred. He is fifty
years old, and at his age he would en-
counter many dangers in Africa mere
ly as traveller, but as hunter he
will face the greatest perils of his life
apart from the African fever and
dysentery and other tropical diseases,
President Roosevelt has another great
enemy in his constitution. which is far
from being perfect, though the average
man may believe it is.
"First.-The African sun is death
dealing to highly excitable and full
blooded men.
"Second.-A man who so quickly
loses his temper as does the president
is subject when confronted with the
miserable difficulty Of the African life
to a special form of bilious fever which
decomposes the blood and causes death
In twenty hours. 1t is known as
'hematurique' fever.
Here is the percentage table of
in central Africa as COM
piled by the African Travelling associa-
ton of London: