Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-11-10
WARNS OF DANGERS
RoosEvELT'S AFRICAN TRIP is
FOLLY, SAYS EXPERT.
Asserts President Has Only is Chances
In 100 of Surviving Tropical
Perils-Disease and Fever
Attack Certain.

Attack Certain.
New York-When President Roose.
welt allowed it to be announced that
at the end OF his presidency he would
go to Africa with his second son, Ker-
nit. a boy still under 20, in quest Of
Dig game. the American people. know
ing little OF Africa, took 1t as another
phase OF the presidents many-sided
character without considering more
than big game" chances.
Baron A. B. d'Altomonte, who for
nearly four years was commandant Of
the police forces In the Congo Free
State and later headed the six
months hunting expedition of Prince
1urnikoff in British East Africa, be.
lieves that Is folly for a man of Pres
ldent Roosevelt's age to tempt the
levers and miasmas OF Africa He
says 1t is exceedingly dangerous to
lake boy OF Kermit Rooseve 3
years into the jungle.
The baron says: How will Presi
dent Roosevelt hunt in East Africa?
VIII he take train at Mombasa, put
hlmself In an open car in front of the
engine and shoot. while passing, at
nerds of wild elephant or antelope :?
No. surely. He will be forced by his
own very daring nature to hunt fol
lowing the precepts of Nimrod, In the
only grand way. with all the trouble
and all the dangers OF the great
battue
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
| pesttlent riyer-home of the tsetse hy
or in the tenebrous and treacherous
forest, full OF miasmas and dampness.
He will be forced to the long walt
lying In ambush for the approach of
the elephant; he will have to face the
torrtd heat of the rocky and naked
attitudes to hunt for the lion and the
antelope: he will have to cross the
putrfd bottom of the valleys to watch
for the rhtnoceros, 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 AT.
r1ca. without mentioning the miseries
of the daily iife-bad water, the rainy
season, the ny pest, the infiammation
OF the skin caused by Precipitation, the
nights without sleep on account of
the heat and hundred other things.
To be short. l come to this con-
cluston that whoever suggested OF did
not dtssuade President Roosevelt from
going to Africa has erred. He Is so
years old, and at his age he would
encounter many dangers In Africa
merely as traveller; but as a 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 ia.
Il. The African sun is death-deal-
Ing to highly excitable and fxtl-
blooded men
y. man who SO quickly loses his
temper as does the president is sub
1ect when confronted with the miser-
able difficulty Of the African life to. a
special form; Of bilious fever which;
decemposas the blood and causes.
death In "a hours. 1t Is known as
'Hematurique' fever.
Here is the percentage table of
mortality In Central Africa, as com
piled by the African Travelling asso-
citation of London: