El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-25
GOING AFTER AN
ELEPHANT HIDE
Scientific Expedition Goes
to Africa for This and
Other Purposes.

Washington, D. C.. sept 25.-When
the colonists OF Africa make their
great spring drive October is spring
down there) 10 round up the wild ele-
nhants that are trampling and de-
sfroving their crops, when they
sweep these elephant herds together
that they may exterminate them'
three American scientists viii be on
the spot that they may write about
the event in their note books and
that they may obtain specimens TO
bring back to our national museum
But the elephant drive vii pe oG -
an incident in an expedition thar IS
TO penetrate TO the darkest and least
known parts Of this great ana e-e-
mental continent This expedition IS
travelling from the Cape 10 Cairo by
the least known route. 1t IS headeu
bv the man who knows most Of Africa
Of all government scientists, the MAJ
who did much Of the scientific Worr
when Roosevelt skirted the east
coast Of the continent. It has its eye
on a dozen scientific riddles that II
intends 10 solve. II is already on us
The expedition is sent by the
Smithsonian Institution OF Washins-
ton. D. c. Its collection is intended
to supplement the specimens obtained
for the museum by the famous
Roosevelt Smithsonian expedition OF
1903 which you viii remember.
brought back so remarkable an as
sortment Of big game specimens
ROoseveIt's RhinOeerOus.
When Roosevelt sailed for Africa in
1903. he announced his intention OF
getting a white or squared nosed rhl-
nocerOus-a fast disappearing specl-
men When he returned. the white
rhinocerous was cataloged among the
list Of big game taken
The naturaIists Of the 1919 party
are especially interested in obtaining
the skin Of a South African elephant,
which is becoming equally rare Great
herds Of these elephants one To-ll .S5l
over the plains and through the
forests Of southern Africa The ma
tfres used 10 spear them Occasio nally
for the tusks and for meat Then the
foreign trader came ana kllled Breat
numbers Of them systematically and
from that time-the South African ele-
phar was doomed.
Until now some efforts have been
made to protect these and other wild
beasts Of Africa from total extinction
by setting aside game reservations
and making the license laws In GER
tain sections particularly strict But
the clumsy rhinocerous. hippopotamus
and elephant repay this CONSIDERATION
by tramplinE over crops and menac-
ing the lives Of the natives to such
an extent that the african govern
ments ara now planning a big round
Up Of elephants. that II carried out
viii practically exterminate them
To study a Lake.
Besides setting their hearts on
South African elephant, the natural
lists are particularly eager to study
lake Tanganyika. the longest fresh
water. lake in the world The origin
Of Tanganyika is a mystery that has
so far baffled science It is fresh
water lake. and yet IL contains large
numbers OF fish. mollusks and Jelly
fish that are beyond doubt creatures
of the sea How these marine
creatures found their way into lake
Tanganyika, unless the lake was at
one time an arm Of the sea, scientists
are unable 10 decide.
Accompanying the scientists Is
large moving picture outfit sent by
film company 10 obtain pictures for
commercial release.
The expedition sailed direct for
Cape Town. at the extreme southern
end OF the continent Here IL OBJ
tanned the necessary equipment for
jungle and mountain exploration
From Cape Town il Is travelling
north into the Belgian Congo and on
TO the sources of the Congo river.
turning east to lake Tanganyika.
Headquarters will be established
On the shores OF the lake at Uji5i,
place made famous by the fact that
here Stanley found Livingstone in
1871. Using Ujiji as a base the nat
uralists can make exploration trips
into wild and little known districts
Of the surrounding country