The Mankato free press., 1909-03-12
BANS DANGER TALK
CHICAGO TAXIDERMIST TALKS OF
TEDDY'S AFRICAN TRIP.
Insists That No One Need Be Alarmed
Over the Salty of the Former
President; All He Needs to Do Is
to Exercise Little Discretion
While Abroad.

CnlcaSo, March > lhcOdOre hOoSe-
welt will be just as safe in British
East Africa as he is in Oyster Bay,
probably safer than he would be
here in Chicago
So declares Carl Akeley, taxidermist
at the Field Museum, in reply to the
assertion made by Professor Friedrich
Starr of the University of Chicago to
the effect that the ex-president, if he
persisted in his intention to explore
darkest Africa in search of big game,
will never return to the United States
alive"
True, Professor Starr was in Africa
for six months or SO, and speaks as an
authority. But then Taxidermist AXE
ley ought to know something of the
conditions there. He has been there
twice, i'll fact, his last trip being of
over years duration. from the fall
of 1905 till December, 1906. And what
is more, he was accompanied OH this
trip by his wife.
We went through practically the
same regions that Mr. Roosevelt will
visit said Mr.. Akcley, "and we re-
manned in good health and had good
time
Will Repeat His Pleasure Trip.
Mr.. Akeley is going to repeat his
little pleasure trip into the fatal re-
going again in about six months, and
his wife will accompany him this time
also.
"Of course | have no hesitation i'm
! taking Mrs. Akclcy along" said Mr..
Akclcy, With the exercise of little
discretion white man may pass
| through even the fever belt i'm perfect
safety. Mr.. Roosevets trip will take
him into regions comparatively more
dangerous than those our party was
/ in, but he will not stay long enough
to be in any great danger
! Standing between two mounted spec
linens of the African elephant that
lowered ten or twelve feet in the air
| above him. one of them shot by him
| self and the other by his wife on THEN
last trip to Africa. MIR. Akeley de-
livcrcd his opinion on the subject OF
! Mr.. Roosevelt's safety in tones OF con.
viction.
Don't worry" lie said smilin.ly
"abodt Mr.. Roosevelt leaving his bones
there. He'll come back all right And
| while he is there lie will have such d
delightful time that he will want to
20 again. That is the experience OF
most African travellers. Fever is not
going to scare them away.
Strange If All Do Not Return.
| why, | have known men who have
lived i'll those regions for twenty years
and they are still in sound health
They have had fevers, to be sure, Just
as man in Chicago may have The
mumps of appendicitis. But they got
over it. 1t will not be strange ii
some of Mr.. Rooscvelt's party get sicl
that is all in the game. But it viii
be more strange if they do not al
come back alive and happy
'As for Mr.. Roosevelt not lmvin.
the temperament or the temper to with
stand the insidous dangers of the eli
mate, it seems to me that the revers,
lis the fact. A man of tremendou.
energy is just the one who will gel
along there. Such Il man will sta,
well while the one who lies down
under shade tree all day will sue
cumb
The reason that white men are sus
Iceptiblc to the climate of Africa" con
tinued Mr.. Akcley, lis that their It's
sues, having been formed under othc
conditions, are not fitted to cope will
the new conditions. SO it stands t,
reason that anything which will tea
down the old tissues and build III
new i'll their place is just what i
needed.
The best thing to do that is hare
work-and it seems to be agreed tha
hard work is an inevitable condition o
cXistance with Mr.. Roosevelt. [ wa
ger that in week he will have re
newed his tissues and be proof agains
all the ills that Africa has to offer!
Least of ALL said Mr.. Akeley, smiI
ing a subtle smile as he put his foo
on the ladder that leaned against tn
side of the giant paehydcrm and pre-
pared to resume his work on it T.
make it ready for public exhibition
least of all do 1 fear, however ia
Mr.. Roosevelt may venture into TIL
region of the tse-tsc fly, that he wi
ever fall victim to the sleeping sick
ness
IFENTON WARNER is A BANKRUPT