The Washington herald., 1910-08-28

The publication q this superb voIupe
African Game Trails" marks the COM
pletion Of a plan that Mr.. Roosevelt had
had definitely IN mind for several years.
AS early as the winter OF ly06-he discuss
ed the possibility or II and from time 10
time he consulted the leading authorities
on hunting in Africa until he had, in the
latter months OF his presidency, formu-
lated a plan which ne carried out 10 the
letter. on March Is, 1903 he said to a
friend. "One year from to-day. If all
goes right Z shah arrive at Khartoum.
and when 1 arrive there the book will be
finished" on the evening OF March il
one year latter, a few hours ahead OF
time. he arrived. and the next day dis
patched 10 his publishers the tnal chap
tiers. appendices, preface. and title-page
OF the volume. exactly as he had fore
cast. Writing from Cairo he said, Il
regard this book as a serious thing. 1
have put my very best into it." Any
careful reader Of this volume viii be
astounded at the completeness with which
Mr.. Roosevelt has carried out his seri-
Gus purpose.
a
great gift to the nation, the Importance
Of which viii only be fully realized as
the years reveal the completeness of the
collection which the expedition that ne
commanded has furnished to the National
Museum at Washington. Ten years later.
a leading authority has said. such an ex-
petition and such collection Will be
impossible because of the rapid advance
OF settlers who drive out the game
Through the agency Of Mr.. Roosevelt and
the generosity Of certain friends of his
who backed the scientific side OF the eX-
petition. the National Museum will have
a collection of the large and small game
of Africa that viii be unique In the world
This volume is the historic record OF
that great work written by an author
who from boyhOod has been a student
OF nature and who has produced many
volumes leading up 10 this splendid
achievement
The reader OF African Game Trails
viii be impressed with the fact that the
author conceived it from the beginning as
, a book and not as a series OF detached
articles. 1t is not a mere sportsmans
narrative OF hunting. He has reproduced
the environment, the wild natives, The
half-civfliZed tribes, the brave and pro-
gressive pioneers and missionaries, the
social and political atmosphere of a new
country In the making, part Of which
he believes viii be a great white mans
country" 1t is doubtful whether there
exists in all the literature or hunting and
adventure such a complete picture-a mar
rative that reproduces a country that is,
in its teeming multitudes of wild crea-
lures. very Ike a prehistoric continent.
The greatest game in the world is IN
Central Africa. and all Of it was OBJ
served and hunted by Mr.. Roosevelt sue
cessfuIly; and the telling OF its romantic
story is illuminated from the vast stores
Of reading an observation which his alert
mind and wonderful capacity for absorb
ing knowledge from the best men in the
world have given him.
His method. with come variations, has
been to make each chapter an express
sion Of the life and surroundings anc
habits OF some one species or game. With
much incidental information about the
small game. trees. and plants and land
ular> species makes its home. The hu-
man interest is never lacking. The life
OF the safari, the barbaric and simple
hearted natives who win his real liking.
the settlers on the outposts Of progress.
who remind him OF his early days in
Wyoming; the hardness OF the struggle
and the charm of it-an these. woven
compactly in forceful. direct language.
make OF the narrative a neYer-tO- be-for-
gotten series of pictures
Those who have denied TO Mr. Roose-
welt possession or a real literary style
will surely be converted by this volume.
There are descriptions bf a tropic storm.
lonely rides on the veldt OF the coming
Of spring. the charm Of a bounteous bird
life, Of the weird sounds OF the huge
game in the night. OF the beauty OF sun
sets on the Nile, and the starlit equa-
tOrial evenings-these in felicity or
phrase and the power to reproduce the
picture as he saw 1t. are literature Of a
high order.
The worldwide interest in this book
IS shown in the fact that 1t viii appear
IN England. France. Germany, and
those countries and inquiries have been
received from Sp6in. Brazil. Japan, and
other nations with a view 70 reproducing
the volumes there The publishers have
prepared for the United States four sep
arate editions: the Library Edition. Sub
scription Edition. Limited Autograph
Edition. and Elkhorn Edition to be
added TO the complete uniform set OF Mr..
Roosevelts works published by Messrs.
Scribner.
The library edition OF the work is
printed on fine, soft, woven paper and
enriched with nifty fun-page illustrations
chosen specially by Mr.. Roosevelt There
are eight photographers from drawings
by Philip r. Goodwin made after the
suggestions Of the. author. There is a
complete map OF Ne route as outlined
by Mr.. Roosevelt. and the rest OF the IL
Illustrations are from photographs by Ker-
NIT Roosevelt and the scientists OF the
expedition. These are intimately connect
ed with the text. experimenting it in
every way and revealing the Astounding
animal lie and tropio landscape OF this
romantic country Every part OF the
book is authoritative and authentic. II
represents one OF the most eventful years
in Mr.. RoOsevelt's life, ana into II he
has put every ounce OF his energy and
power Of conveying the contagion Of his
enjoyment TO others. The plan has been
carried out to the very end seriously.