The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-08
CALIFORNIA BOY
TO GO TO AFRICA
President Roosevelt Selects Ed
mund Heller of Riverside
to Accompany Him.
GREAT HUNT is PLANNED
YOUNG MAN HAS REPUTATION
AS AN EXPLORER.

Los Angeles, Cal, Noy.~ 7.-Attracted
by the remarkable achievements of Ed
mund Heller in his explorations of
strange and little known lands. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has selected this 26-
yesr-old Riverside. Cal, youth from a
list of hundreds of eminent scientists
and naturalists of the nation who as
pired to the place, TO accompany him
into the wilds of Africa next March.
The honor comes to the California
boy not only unsolicited, but unexpect-
ed The fact of his appointment was
first learned when his mother. Mrs.
Marion Heller OF Riverside. received a
letter from the youthful explorer in
which he deciaraes that the president
has sent him cordial invitation, and
requested the State University Museum
authorities to release him. for a-year so
that he can accompany the Roosevelt
expedition.
In this letter Heller modestly tells of
the great honor offered him. gives the
personnel of the party and its itinerary
and outlines some of the duties that
will deyolve upon him.
The letter follows:
IAN awful thing happened a few
weeks ago, and / have consequently
become more or less excited. President
Roosevelt wrote Miss Alexander for my
release that L might accept his Offer
to accompany him 10 Africa next
March.
"A few days ago I received a Ions
letter from the president outlining his
plans, and expressing his pleasure al
my acceptance. He seemed to have &
rather exaggerated view of my value
/ believe that he received most of hi:
information about me from DR. Mer-
Ram of the United States biological
survey. but I am not at all certain
about this
IF 1 go, my chief work will be TAX.
| ing care of the large game and supply.
| ing advice at the start Later on oul
return, 1 may classify part of the col
! lection, which will DE deposited in th'
National Museum at Washington.
"The party consists of the preSiden
| and his son, Kermit; DIR. Means, ;
7 United States army doctor and vel
known naturalist, and j. A Loring.
field naturalist Mr.. Roosevelt and nj
SON VIII do all the shooting of BIZ
game. and Loring will collect small an
| imals. DR.. Means viii be the chief nat
uralist, and ] am selected as his col
| league. As ! have not yet heard from
DIR. Means, 1 am still uncertain abou
some of the details.
THE party will leave New sYorl
March % and go direct TO Naples, ar
| thence TO Monlbassa- Most of our tim
win be spent in British and German
East Africa in the central portion. witt
which / am already familiar. As i All
the only member of the party who ha
had African experience. fear that con
siderable advice and some responsible
/ ity will be expected of ne. I am. how
ever. delighted with the prospect o
travelling with man who is so univer
sally admired for his character ant
ability, and only hope that / may b.
of real assistance to him.
The trip will last one year. and viii
begin in British East Africa. From
here we shall go to German East AT
RIGA, and thence to Uganda and dow
the Nile to Khartoum, and on b,
steamer to Cairo. ! shall not leave 70
Washington until January"