Crocodiles

Theodore Roosevelt writes Frank M. Chapman of his wish that he could work exclusively as a naturalist — or the more modern “biologist.” He will look at Camps and Cruises, page 235, to see how Chapman views the relationship between color and haunt and may include a few sentences if the galley proofs of Roosevelt’s article arrive. Roosevelt is “well aware that there are plenty of men who could have done this criticism much better” and he would rather do the work than have it left undone. He encloses a page to go in an appropriate place and will include a long footnote to address Thayer’s Popular Science Monthly criticism, even though Thayer’s opinion changes from one page to another.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-05

President Roosevelt thanks Sir William Northrup McMillan for his letter, and the invitation to stay at his ranch while on safari in British East Africa. Roosevelt outlines his initial travel plans and arrangements, and believes he will stay with McMillan after he visits Alfred E. Pease’s ranch. He discusses the different types of big game he would like himself and his son Kermit to shoot, but clarifies that his intent is to collect specimens for the National Museum, rather than to butcher game.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-02

President Roosevelt is glad that Frederick Courteney Selous is going to publish Julius Fleischmann’s observation of a crocodile attacking a rhinoceros. Roosevelt thanks Selous for the books he sent, and looks forward to the receipt of other publications.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-04

President Roosevelt encloses photographs and a letter from Julius Fleischmann relating to an incident of a crocodile attacking a rhinoceros. Roosevelt has read that a cheetah can “distance” a horse with ease. Roosevelt asks Federick Courteney Selous when he thinks he will publish his book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-27

President Roosevelt wishes he could “see the work of the Secretary of the Society of Handpainted Crocodiles.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-12

Frederick Courteney Selous provides President Roosevelt with information that will give insight into the cost and planning of his hunting trip to Africa. He advises on the time of year to travel, the route he should take, the supplies he should need and outfitter he should use, as well as the costs of hunting licenses, supplies, and travel.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-03

Don Arp discusses Theodore Roosevelt’s encounters with alligators, crocodiles, and caimans while on a hunting trip to Louisiana, his safari in Africa, and his expedition in Brazil. Arp emphasizes that Roosevelt did not particularly like any of these reptiles, and that he relished hunting the caimans in Brazil, but that he nonetheless made careful observations of the crocodilians that he encountered. Arp includes several excerpts from Roosevelt’s writings about these three types of reptiles. 

 

Andrew L. Knudson’s painting of Roosevelt as a Rough Rider appears in the article as does a text box with information about the Theodore Roosevelt Association. 

President Roosevelt hides in “The Nile” reeds as a crocodile opens its mouth and swims down the river. Caption: The President–When anything makes a personal dental appeal to me like that, I wouldn’t shoot for the world. The President proposes to finish his African hunt when he reaches the Nile.–News Item.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Students of history and political cartooning might expect that one of America’s most notable Socialist newspaper cartoonists, drawing for a Socialist syndicate out of Baltimore (this cartoon was picked up by a Honolulu paper), would lodge a pro forma attack on the outgoing president, Theodore Roosevelt, as Democratic cartoonists were doing.