The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-13

When Roosevelt gets back from Africa
in June he viii not be strenuous, accord
ing to = NJ. Newman, the lecturer. who
returned from British East Africa late IN
November and arrived here yesterday.
lie viii have so much Congo lethargy in
his system he will want TO rest
Mr.. Newman said Col Roosevelt and
Kermit have been in the Uganda district,
where the sleeping sickness is epidemic
for about ten days. Up to this time, he
said, the party has been in the highlands
of British East Africa, where there is a
healthful climate. Reports OF illness in
the Roosevelt caravan. he said, were
either faxed or blunders. but now they
are pushing through country infested
with diseases, where a large proportion
of white men contract the sleeping sick
hess that proves 50 fatal.
Although the colonel and Kermit may
come through TO the frontier of the Sou
dan without permanently impairing their
health. they viii both feel the effects Of
Il, and I shouldn't wonder a bit if Mr..
Roosevelt lack a good deal Of his strenu-
osity when he comes home
VIII Have "a Case Of sleep.
1T viii only be temporary, though. and
after he has become acclimated at home,
he will no doubt get back all OF his old
time energy, but it will he some time be
fore he does Every African traveller has
the same experience, especially those who
go through the district Of the sleeping
sickness"
Mr.. Newman said the cN-PreSidcut had
escaped with his life more than once.
AT one time i'm Machakos." he said
col. Roosevelt was charged by a
wounded ThinoCcros, and Capt. Cunning
ham, his guide, said afterward his escape
was little short of a miracle. The beast
charged down on the colonel, and was
ten PAGES from him when Mr.. Roosevelt
fired a lucky shot that brought the ami
nal down.
The stories that have been circulated
about African hunting being about as
dangerous a. sheep-shootlng, are ridicu-
lous. Any man who hunts the big game
takes his life in his hand. Every time
he must kill his animal or be killed There
IS no way OF taking precautions. He must
place his nerve and skill against speed
and ferocity.
Il found Col Roosevelt a careful hunter.
lie is an old hand in the open, and knows
better than 20 take foolish chances, but
as any man who ever went into the jun
giles knows. there are times when his life
hangs by a thread, and a slow shot or an
unsteady hand means quick death. Kermit
is more inclined TO take long chances. but
lie, too, has been drilled in common sense
hunting"
Has Many Trophies Here.
Mr.. Newman met the Roosevelt cara
van at Nairobi, Juba, and Lake Naibasho,
IN British East Africa. Each time he re-
manned with the party long enough to
hear accounts Of almost everything that
had happened 10 them. In his rooms at
the Willard he had a collection of photo
graphs taken with Roosevelt in the Jun
giles. and he even got some motion pic
lures OF the colonel and Kermit in action
They are leading a simple life out
there" he said. THE party gets up at
sunrise and after the first breakfast.
of coffee and rolls, they march steadily
when the noon camp Is made, dinner is
ready and little time is wasted. At night
Col. Roosevelt, Kermit, Or. Edmond
Heller. and Capt Cunningham eat an
other hearty meal and turn I'm early. Il
Is hard work with them, but Or, Heller.
the Official represent tive OF the Smith
sonian Institution, has been the hardest
worker in the lot.
'T saw him one day inside the carcas Of
a rhinoceros for two hours, cutting away
the flesh so the hide and bones might
be sent to Washington. He was working
then in a broiIing sun and under the
most unpleasant conditions. Mr.. Roose-
welt is known universally as Bwano
Tumbo, the big chief and the natives
think he is a cousin Of the gods.
Spared Many Animals.
But the one thing I want to empha-
size is that the colonel has been maIigned
in reports of wholesale game slaughter.
lie is a vigorous hunter, and Of course.
kills game often in a region where II IS
so plentiful, but he Is humane, and
have seen him refuse an offer TO kill
animals when he already had 4 specI-
men"
The Roosevelts are now marching down
the Valley Of the Nile, ten days Journey
from the border Of the Soudan. They
are in the heart Of the widest and most
uninhabitable district OF Africa. where
there is constant danger in the hunting
of the daytime. and more danger in the
fever-infested night