Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-12-16
ROosEvELT's HUNTING TRIP. .
fians for His Coming Trip to the
Wilds of Africa.

Wilds of Africa.
President Roosevelt, in statement pre-
pared by Secretary Walcott, of the Smith
sonian Institution, has made official an
nouncement regarding his African hunt
ing trip, on which he will start within
two weeks after he retires from the Presi.
dency. The expedition is to be QUILTED
by the Smithsonian Institution, the Presi-
dent defraying his own expenses. It will
gather natural history materials for the
nsw national museum. The statement
follows:
'In March, 1909, Theodore Roosevelt
will head scientific expedition to Africa,
QUILTED by the Smithsonian Institution,
and starting from New York city. This
expedition will gather natural history
materials for the government collections
to be deposited by the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition in the new United States national
museum at Washington.
"Besides the President and his son Ker-
mi, the personnel Of the party, on leaving
New York, will consist Of three represent
tatives OF the Smithsonian Institute
Major Edgar A. Mearns, medical corps,
U. s. A., retired; Edmund Heller and J.
Alden Loring. On arriving in Africa the
party will be enlarged by the addition Of
X. J. Cuninghame, who is now in Africa
preparing the Presidents outfit. He will
have charge Of Q number Of native por-
ters, who, with necessary animals, will be
formed into small caravan.
"Mr. Roosevelt and his son will kill the
the big game, the skins and skeletons Of
which will BE- prepared and shipped to the
United States by other members Of the
party. Kermit Roosevelt is to be the Of
fetal photographer Of the expedition.
1.-THE national collections are very de-
acient in natural history materials from
the s'dark continent, and an effort will be
made by the expedition to gather general
collections in zoology and botany to sup
ply some of its deficiencies, but the main
effort will be to collect the large and van
ishing African animals.
"Mr. Cuninghame has been employed
to act - guide and manager Of the cara
van. Mr.. Cuninghame is also an exper-
fenced collector Of natural history speci-
mems, having made collections for the
British museum in Norway and Africa.
He is an English field man, who has
guided numerous hunting parties in
Africa and who was chief hunter for the
Field Columbian exposition.
"Mr. Heller, graduate Of Stanford uni.
- 80 klrv
trained naturalist, whose special work
will be the preparation and preservation
OF specimens OF large animals. Mr..
Heller is about thirty years of age. His
ormer experience, when associated with
D. 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 valuable asset to the expedition.
''Mr. Heller has had large experience
in animal collecting in Africa, British
Columbia, United States, Mexico, Central
America and South America. In the year
1888 he made collecting trip OF eleven
months to Galapagos islands, starting from
San Francisco. He is born and enthu-
siastic collector as we'll as well-equipped
naturalist. He is also the author OF sci
entific papers on mammals, birds, reptiles
and fishes. At present he is assistant
curator OF the museum of vertebrate
zoology of the University Of California.
"Mr. Loring is field naturalist whose
training comprises service in the biologi-
cal survy of the department Of agriculture
and in the Bronx geological park, New
York city, as we'll as on numerous collect
ing trips through British America, Mexico
and the United States. He is abe ut thirty
eight years old, Of ardent temperament
and intensely energetic.
SIN August, September and October
1895, be made the highest record for 8
travelling collector, having sent in to the
United States national museum 900 we'll
prepared specimens OF small mammals in
the three months journey from Londor
through Sweden, Germany, Switzerland
and Belgium.
ssMajor Mearns, about fifty-three year,
Of age, will be the physician OF the trip
and has charge OF the Smithsonian portion
of the party. He has had twenty-five
years. experience as an army doctor, ant
is also we'll known as naturalist and col
lector of natural history specimens.
"No fear need be entertained for tn
Presidents safety from the attacks o
man or beast, as every member OF tn
party is an excellent rifle shot. The part.
will reach Mombasa in April, 1903. N
detailed itinerary has been decided upon
but the general route will be up tn
Uganda railway to Nairobi and Lake Vic
toria Nyanza, distance of about $50 mile
by rail, thence crossing into Uganda, ant
finally passing down the Nile to Cairo.
Much of the hunting will be done il
British East Africa, where the Ugand
railroad can be used as a base OF supple
and means of ready transportation. A
least one great mountain. possibly Noun
Kenia, will be visited. Khartoum will b
reached, if all goes well, about April, 1915
The expedition may be expected to spen
about one year on African SOIL"