Africa--Lake Victoria

President Roosevelt received Alfred E. Pease’s letter on the same day as an invitation from William Northrup McMillan, and he has asked McMillan to contact Pease, Frederick Courteney Selous and Edward North Buxton for making arrangements. Sirdar F. R. Wingate has offered a boat in Gondokoro, and from there Roosevelt will hunt for white rhinoceros before tackling game from the exhaustive list of creatures Pease has said can be found on the Nile. Roosevelt is glad he will be able to restock supplies in Nairobi. At present Roosevelt’s time is consumed by the political campaigns in the United States. He hopes to see Harry Johnston soon, with whom he has an ongoing intellectual correspondence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt thanks W. S. Blatchley for sending him his recently published book on beetles. While Blatchley is correct that Roosevelt has studied big game more than beetles, Roosevelt jokes that while he was in Africa he saw a beetle that came close to qualifying as big game.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-12-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Blatchley, W. S. (Willis Stanley), 1859-1940

President Roosevelt thanks James J. Harrison for writing to Frederick Courtney Selous. He is interested in Harrison’s suggestion that he should not waste time hunting for elephants in British East Africa, and should instead go to Uganda, and then on the Nile.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt sends Ambassador Reid details about his plans for his African safari. Roosevelt discusses the timing and route of his trip, as well as his plans for hunting and gathering scientific specimens for the United States National Museum. Roosevelt is “delighted beyond all measure” that Sir F. R. Wingate has opened the reserves under his command to Roosevelt’s expedition. He assures Reid that he will not take too many trophies or slaughter game without cause. Roosevelt asks Reid to pass along this information to Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes in the hopes that he will open the reserves in British East Africa, Uganda, and Sudan, as well as to relieve the minds of other East African provincial officials about the nature of Roosevelt’s trip. Roosevelt would also like to visit Italy, France, and England on the way home from his safari, but does not want to place undue burden on the governments of those nations. He does not wish for official state functions, but to visit old friends with his family.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Julius Chambers sends a clipping of his predictions regarding Theodore Roosevelt’s trip from Lake Victoria to Cairo, in case Roosevelt wants it for a scrapbook.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-01

Creator(s)

Chambers, Julius, 1850-1920

Edward North Buxton discusses President Roosevelt’s upcoming safari in Africa. He notes that Roosevelt’s head measurement was not in the envelope and calls Roosevelt’s attention to a letter written by Captain Clive of the Foreign Office Intelligence Department. He offers suggestions for the prevention and treatment of tropical diseases, which he directs specifically at Kermit Roosevelt, and advice for planning the days of the trip. Finally, he confirms Roosevelt’s ammunition order.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-15

Creator(s)

Buxton, Edward North, 1840-1924

Edward North Buxton writes to President Roosevelt about potential food and beverage supplies, gives updates on rifle suggestions, and cautions against going with the mosquito boots made by Flacks. He sends a detailed map of the reserve boundaries and Alfred E. Pease’s camp, with a letter from Pease and a reminder that Pease’s camp is too small for a large group. Buxton suggests Roosevelt wait to hear more on William C. Judd before selecting a “head man” for his safari, and informs Roosevelt that the Somali shikari are the best hunters. In order to get a variety of experiences, Buxton suggests potential timelines and routes for Roosevelt while he travels through Sudan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-14

Creator(s)

Buxton, Edward North, 1840-1924

Edward North Buxton is pleased that President Roosevelt is beginning to get excited about his coming trip to Africa. He discusses recommendations for the timing and route of the trip, and mentions people who may help along the way. Buxton is also pleased to hear that Secretary of War William H. Taft will likely become the Republican nominee. He encloses an article by Winston Churchill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-28

Creator(s)

Buxton, Edward North, 1840-1924

Edward North Buxton sends President Roosevelt communication from Alfred E. Pease, who owns an ostrich farm in British East Africa to get him excited for his upcoming safari. Buxton details several travel plans and recommendations to Roosevelt, citing the weather and transportation options of various routes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-08

Creator(s)

Buxton, Edward North, 1840-1924

The “Odds and Ends” portion of The Wide World Magazine prints a number of noteworthy pictures, complete with descriptions. The first page includes a swarm of locusts in South Africa and a home in Canada that is placed on rollers and moved to its family’s new location. The reverse shows an old fishing boat that has been made into a pony stable in the Shetland Islands and a massive man-eating crocodile that was captured on Lake Victoria.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907

Creator(s)

The Wide World Magazine

Theodore Roosevelt is excited that he will see Ethel Roosevelt in two and a half months. Roosevelt and Kermit Roosevelt have done well and are in excellent health. Kermit has turned into a grownup and is growing a mustache that you must be attentive to see. He is proud of Kermit’s “prowess and hardihood.” Roosevelt wrote to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt about killing a charging elephant and is not sure if she will want him to keep the tusks. The last ten days have been spent traveling from Lake Victoria and Roosevelt has been greeted by the African leaders like a king.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1910-01-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919