Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-20

CONTINUED from First Page.)
New York New Haven and Hartford
railroad. He said that when Mr.. Mellen
went to him to discuss the merging of
the New Haven with the Boston and
Maine, he told him that SO far as he was
concerned he would have no obJection
provided the merger came within the law.
He said that he sent Mr.. Mellen to
Franklin X. Lane. then of the interstate
commerce commission for Information on
that point.
But / told Mr. Mellen that if the
merger could be accomplished and the
law should be violated he mustn't come
back"
Col Roosevelt was standing on the We
randa of his home He looked around him
in satisfied way. pointing out the beau
ties of the spring foliage, with particular
emphasis on the brilliance of some pur-
pie flowers on a shrub just under his
library window.
There isn't a place like this after ALL.
he said. THE tropics not in ii with
this.
Feels as Well as Ever.
'.The colonel protested that he felt as
we'll as ever. That is he said. I'm
going to be as we'll as 1 ever was"
He said that the return to a northern
climate had caused him to have chills.
he was feeling entirely fit. His actions
bore out his words. for he spoke and ges-
tured with his old-time vigor. The only
change IN his appearance was due to his
loss of weight. His face was scanned with
lines which had not been there before,
and the belt of his old tan riding suit
which he reSurrected for the celebration
of his homecoming. was drawn In three
or four inches beyond the notch which
measured his girth before he decided to
explore the jungles.
Shows Traces of Ordeals.
NEW YORK, May 2O.-Those who
saw Theodore Roosevelt his return
yesterday from Brazil realized from
his appearance that he passed through
a trying time. Though his cheeks were
bronzed. mis- smile present and his
grip firm. showing a return of health,
there were many traces of the hard
ships he had endured in his 600-mile
Journey down the Rio Duvida, the I'm
known river he explored
The trip from Para, which began
May Z, did much to restore Col. Roose-
Welt. 1t gave back to him twenty-five
lost, and the jungle testers that ran
from the ankle to the knee of his right
leg were nearly all healed.
Il have been very i'll with jungle
fever" he said on his arrival, but
I'm all right now, I feel fine
Colonel Gravely Ill.
1t was from April 5 to April 10, it
was learned. that Col Roosevelt was
gravely ill. Other members of his
party including his son Kermit. were
i'll in that time. but the colonel himself
was so sick and weak that there were
days when one hundred yards of travel
q mi
For five days Col. Roosevelt was de-
nrious with los degrees of fever. I'm
der it he begged his companions, it is
stated, to go and leave him where he
lay in the jungle.
Actual starvation menaced the party
during the last sixty days that were
taken up by the journey down the Du-
vida The pinch was sharper far, it
was said, than was indicated by the
leaders declaration that they had to
hold themselves to half rations.
Kept to Bed on Vessel.
At Manaos, the point of the expedi-
tons return to civilization, Col. Roose-
Welt was so i'll that he had to be helped
aboard the steamer Dunstan, on which
he travelled to Para During the four
days of his stay on the Dunstan he was
confined to his bed. Not until the first
day of his stopover at Para did he show
the improvement which has continued
since.
Worth Several Dead Men,
When asked about the wound in his
right leg the colonel replied that it
had been pretty bad. but was healing
up now. He injured the limb at the
back of the calf through striking it
against a snag when he jumped into
the rapids to save a canoe that was be-
ing swept away.
I,
q reporter about his health, Col
Roosevelt replied:
II was pretty sick man when I
reached Para, but l am much better
now. / am worth more than several
dead men yet"
When Collector Malone shook hands
with him and congratulated him upon
his safe return to his native shore the
colonel said that he felt bully and
asked him to go below to his cabin.
where he had six pieces of baggage
He led the way down the companion,
followed by the collector and the re-
porters. who filled up the alleyway be-
hind them.
Here" exclaimed the colonel. some-
what to the embarrassment of Mr. Ma
lone. Il have a piece of lace sent by the
Governor of Para to Mrs. Roosevelt and
another piece for which l paid about
SIS There are also two jaguar skins.
my old saddle, two silver christening
mugs and that's all. Walt minute,
lhoush BY George, l am forgetting
the bundle Of bows and arrows! for
got the name of the tribe. but they
were very pleasant people and / got
the weapons as souvenirs"
Have you brought the River Duvida
back with you colonel?" Collector Ma
lone queried, smilingly, because 1 was
asked today If j was going down to
quarantine to meet you and appraise
it,"
Aims Shafts at Lander,
Well" replied the colonel, "it Is