The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-12-11
AN AFRICAN EXPEDITION
Conducted by an Ex-President for the
Benefit of the Smithsonian
Institution


Roosevelt. in statement prepared by
Secretary Walcott OF the Smithsonian
Institute. made his first official an
nounceInent yesterday regarding the
hunting trip to Africa on which he
win start within two weeks after he
retires from the presidency.
The expedition is TO be Quilted by
I the Smithsonian Institution the Pres
ident defraying his own expenses, and
! viii gather natural history materials
| for the new national museum.
No fears need be entertained for the
| Presidents safety, the statement de-
clares, because every member of his
party is an excellent rife shot.
The statement says:
Six In the Party
Besides the President and his son,
| Kermit Roosevelt, the personnel of
the party. on leaving New York, will
consist of three representatives of the
Smithsonian institution; Maj. A.
Mearnes, Medical Corps, L. S. NJ, re-
tired: Mr. Edmund Heller and Mr.
]. Alden Loring. On arriving in Afri-
| ca the party will be enlarged by the
addition Ofc B. ]. Cunninghame, who
is now in Africa preparing the Presi
dents outfit. He will have in charge
number of native porters who, with
a small caravan.
Mr.. Roosevelt and his son will kill
the big game, the skins and skeletons
of which will be prepared and shipped
to the United States by other MEM
bers of the party. Mr.. Kermit Roose-
welt is to be the official photographer
OF the expedition.
To Hunt Specimens"
81 he national collections are very
deficient in natural history materials
| from the dark continent; and an eff
fort will be made by the expedition
to gather general collections in zool
ogy and botany to supply some of its
deficiencies; but the main effort will
be to collect the large and vanishing
African animals. Mr. Cuninghame,
who is now assembling the materials
for Mr. T5ooseVefts use, has been en-
| ployed to act as guide and manager
| for the caravan. He is also an expeZ
rienced collector of natural history
specimens, having made collections
for the British Museum in Norway
and Africa. He is an English field
man who has guided numerous hunt
ing parties in Africa and who was
chief hunter for the field Columbian
exposition"
Heller Knows the Game
Mr.. Heller. 80 years old. a graduate
of Stanford University. class of 1901,
is a thoroughly trained naturalist,
whose special work will be the prep
aration and preservation of speci-
mems of large animals. His former
experience, when associated with u.
G. Eliot and Mr. Ackley of the Field
Columbian Museum, in collecting big
game animals in the same portions
Of Africa which Mr.. Roosevelt will
visit, will be a valuable asset TO the
exposition. Mr.. Heller has had large
experience in animal collecting and is
an author OF scientific papers. He is
assistant curator of the Museum of
Vertebrae Zoology of the University
of California.
Mr. LOring, 3S years old, is a field
naturalist. whose training comprises
services in the Biological survey of
the Department of Agriculture and
the Bronx Geological Park, New York
city. as well as on numerous collect
ing trips through British America,
Mexico and the United States. In
1898 he made a record by sending in
TO the United States natural museum
900 we'll equipped specimens of small
mammals in the three months journey
from London through Sweden Ger
many, Switzerland and Belgium.
Major Mearnes. about SO years old,
will be the physician of the trip and
have charge of the Smithsonian por
ton of the party. He has had TWEEN
tyfive years experience as an army
DOCTOR and is also we'll known as a
naturalist and collector of natural his
tory specimens.
The party will reach Membasa in
April, 1909. The general route will be
up the Uganda Railroad to Narioba
and Lake Victory Nyanza. a distance
of about $50 miles by rail. thence
crossing into Uganda, and finally
passing down the Nile to Cairo. Much
of the hunting will be done in British
East Africa. where the Uganda Rail-
road can be used as a base of sup
plies and means of ready transporta-
ton. At least one great mountain,
possibly Mount kenia, will be visited
KhartOum will be reached, if all goes
well, about April, 1910. The expedi-
ton may be expected to spend one