The Penn's Grove record., 1910-02-25
NATIVE BUGLERS
HERALD ROOSEVELT
Enters Gondokoro With Escort
Headed by Chief Keriba.
MIXED BAND PLAYS HAMERIcA"
African Porter Follows With Stars
and Stripes-Roosevelt Boards
Launch of Egyptian Sirdar-
British Hospitality Lavish.

Gondokoro, Soudan.-Col. Roose-
welt, Kermit Roosevelt, and the other
members of the Smithsonian African
Scientific Expedition arrived here on
schedule time. All were well n en-
thusiastic over their experiences and
the scientific results of their explor-
ations.
Their entrance into Gondokore was
rudely picturesque, and nothing that
British or native hospitality could
suggest was lacking in the welcome.
The arrival of the expedition in the
outskirts of the town was heralded
with bugle blasts by Chief Keriba's
bugle band, which led the van. Chler
Keriba accompanied his musicians.
The native party had met the expedl-
ton sixteen miles to the south and
on the way here did it all the honor
that could be got out of instruments
of brass and Indian drums.
Reaching the town, the BAN
struck up America" which happen
ing to be the British national air,
suited the occasion exactly. Belgian
marches were interspersed. Follow
ing the musicians a native porter car
ried a large American flag. Then
cane the caravan proper, Colonel
Roosevelt, Kermit, the other Amer1-
can hunters and scientists, and the
body of native porters, who have had
an important if humble share in the
work of exploration.
Waiting on the Bar-el-Jabel was
the launch of General Sir Reginald
Wingate, Sirdar of the Egyptian
Army, flying the Stars and Stripes.
Mr.. Roosevelt boarded the launch at
once upon reaching here and after a
brief rest began the reading of his
mail, Many communications awaited
him.
Colonel Roosevelt and the other
hunters and scientists constituting
the American expedition had passed
through the most trying stage of their
African journey.
For the last ten days they had
been practically isolated in a Wilder
ness so forbidding to the white man
that it has not been invaded by the
telegraph companies, the only COM
munication between its scattered viii
lagos being through native runners.
The character of the country is such
that the expedition, equipped for al
most any conceivable emergency, and
taking advantage of every resource
that the country afforded in the way
of native helpers, was able to make
only about ten miles a day.
The expedition left Minute, in the
Uganda P~rotectorate, on February Z,
and no word came from the party
until a company of native runners
reached Gondokoro with the news
that al was we'll with the expedition.
The first four miles of the eighth
march was through open country and
the remaining seven miles along a
well-wooded range, which prevents a
distant view. But one village was
passed and this is two miles from the
Kit River. 1t is necessary to cross
several streams, including the Kit
River, which is forty yards wide at
the crossing, and its average depth,
when not flooded, eighteen inches.
1t has a rocky bed.
The camp at Luluri Hills is To-
Gated close to a sluggish stream
called the Duga. To reach it the
traveller passes through a wooded dis
trict and must ford the Kadora River.
which, however, is not more than
forty feet wide at its greatest volume,
while at times the river bed is prac-
tically dry. If the explorer has safe
ly endured the burden of the nine
days preceding, the tenth march to
Gondokoro may be undertaken with
out much misgiving.
At Gondokoro a brick house was
placed at the disposal of Colonel
Roosevelt. In the town there are a
few shops, belonging to Greeks and
Indians, and a few traders make
their headquarters there. The steam
boats owned by the Soudan Govern
ment call once a month for passen-
gers and the mails for Khartoum.
The American party had arranged to
proceed on the Sirdar's launch down
the Nile to Khartoum. Three days
will be spent at Khartoum, when the
trip to Cairo will be begun. Mrs.
Roosevelt was expected to meet her
husband and son at Khartoum.