The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-09-11

Kermit, and three scientific mem
bers of his staff-Major Edgar A.
Mearns, Edmund Heller and J. Allen
Loring. At Naples the expedition
transhipped to the "Admiral," a
German steamer.
CHAPTER
At the Gateway of East Africa
"By gosh! that's wonderful.
sight!'
The delighted exclamation cut
crisply into the awed silence. 1t
came from Theodore Roosevelt, see
ing for the first time the beautiful
ENTRANCE to the harbor Of Mombasa.
Island, the gateway" of British East
Africa. ..
1t was the afternoon Of Africa q.
1909, and our voyage from New York
whence we had sailed just a month
earliel--was due to end in couple
of hours at most. =
We were standing on the bridge
deck of the Deutsche- Ost- Afrika-
LIME steamer Admiral'-Theodor
Roosevelt, Kermit, Selous, few 9TH
er passengers, and myself. All of
that group were staring across the
placid blue waters of the Indian
Ocean toward the glorious tropical
scenery, rapidly unfolding before US.
Roosevelts eyes were shining with
intense excitement; his hands grip
ped the rail until the knuckles were
bloodless; and his entire sturdy body
seemed to be poised and expectant,
like well-trained pointer at work
in the field.
Small wonder for that enthusiasm!
At last dream Of many years was
about to be fulfilled. Within an hour
he would be standing on the soil of
British East Africa, the wonderland
of big game" The call of Africa,
long reckoning, he had answered ut
last.
"They call it the grave Of reputa-
tions,' colonel" remarked.
mot of mine," he answered en-
phatically, and then laughed boylsh-
ly, as if at some joke of his own
thinking.
81 don't expect ever to return, af-
ter this expedition is concluded"
protested Roosevelt further.
"T. r." sighed, and his face was
stern as he turned once more to-
ward the enchanting scene spreading
fanwise before US.
We were slowly entering the fringe
of coral reefs that guard the narbors
of Mombasa and Kilindini. The glor-
les of that tropical scenery gr.rn.d
u.s.. The brilliant green of the foil
age, with it's vista of whitewashed
European bungalows and Arab
houses nesting amongst them,
showed the ancient port at it's very
best. 1t was the period of the mon
soon rains, and everything was fresh
and sweet-smelling. The air was
filled with the aroma of the spices
Of the orient and the dull booming
of the rollers of the Indian Ocean
upon the coral rocks. Here and
there the curious Baobab tree gave
forth welcome shade, being rich in
dark green foliage at this season of
the year; the feathery cocoanut
palms reared their heads above their
smaller brothers; towering above all
We're the giant mango trees: and.
as a foreground, the sombre-brown
contorted coral rocks.
Beautiful" Theodore Roosevelt
exclaimed again and again. feasting
upon the loveliness of this magic
harbor of Kilindini.
A British third-class cruiser, H. NJ.
S. Pandora" belonging to the Cape
Squadron, had come up from Zanzi-
bar to pay the naval commander-in-
chiefs respect to the former presl-
dent of the United States. As we
came closer to her, the cruisers
white painted hull burst into flashes
Of flame. The boom of the heavy
guns echoed across the waters to-
ward the distant blue outlines of the
Shimba Hills, and then was cast
back at us.
"Boom-rbang!" came the guns in
quick succession. until the rcgula-
ton salute had been completed. And
Roosevelt stood ut rigid attention,
his face inscrutahle and tense.
| Africa accorded our twenty-sixth
president a noisy welcome to her
shores!
+, The official respects of the govern