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Frederick Courtney Selous discusses concerns about President Roosevelt’s upcoming trip to Africa. Selous gives his opinions on the provisions, safari guides, equipment porters, and the hunting of big game animals. Selous includes a postscript informing Roosevelt that everything has been shipped and should arrive in Nairobi by early March.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-25
William H. Taft sends President Roosevelt and his family holiday wishes from himself and his wife, and hopes that “the lions in your path be all of [Roosevelt’s] own seeking” and that “they be promptly added to the stuffed variety.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-25
Frederick Courteney Selous believes that he has done everything he can to arrange for President Roosevelt’s upcoming trip to Africa, and gives Roosevelt advice on what further steps he may have to take to complete preparations. Roosevelt’s outfits and provisions will be forwarded to Newland, Tarlton and Co. at Nairobi once they arrive at Mombasa. Selous thinks Roosevelt may have to resign himself to meeting the Governor of British East Africa and participating in some ceremonies before leaving on his actual safari, which would have the upside of allowing for final preparations to be completed. Selous has accepted an invitation from William Northrup McMillan to visit Africa at the same time as Roosevelt, and hopes to be able to travel on the same boat as Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-13
Friedrich Bronsart von Schellendorf invites President Roosevelt to do him the honor of visiting him and his wife at their wildlife farm in British East Africa once he embarks on his safari. Schellendorf promises Roosevelt that he will be able to do good hunting there. While he fears Roosevelt may be discouraged from visiting, he would be extremely honored if he does so. Schellendorf also mentions the opportunities for photography of a variety of animals. He encloses a picture of lion he took.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-09
Alfred E. Pease discusses the possibility of President Roosevelt’s shooting gazelle, wildebeest, hartebeast, and lions while at his ranch. He includes excerpts of letters from his manager, describing a hunt of several lions there.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-15
Having recently visited East Africa, Anglo-Irish writer Moreton Frewen shares insights with President Roosevelt, including locations where big game gathers, the presence of insects, and people to contact.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-17
Sir Alfred E. Pease provides Edward North Buxton with a large amount of information regarding gear, supplies, and travel in British East Africa and Uganda. Pease recommends various outfitters to supply what is needed, and gives accounts of the best methods for hunting lion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-01
Leslie J. Tarlton describes a recent hunting safari he and a friend from Australia made in Kenya. Tarlton hunted many lions and elephants with Robert Barr Smith, and while they had very good luck with the lions, they were less fortunate hunting elephants.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-05
J. H. Patterson, who has been hunting big game in Africa, just received President Roosevelt’s letter and was delighted with it. He is glad Roosevelt liked The Man-Eaters of Tsavo. He gives a description of his recent hunting trip with an Englishman and his American wife, and hopes that when Roosevelt is no longer president he will have a chance to hunt in Africa.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-15
Draft manuscript containing an essay, “The lion,” by Frederick Courteney Selous. Selous recounts many stories of lions attacking people and animals, and of adventures involving lions. He also addresses lions more scientifically, and offers a description of the habits and living conditions of lions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-03
C. Hart Merriam returns the manuscript written by Frederick Courteney Selous with thanks. Merriam found the facts about the cape hunting dog most interesting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-03
Architect J. Stewart Barney encloses a letter written to Right Reverend Henry Yates Satterlee. Barney needs information for a lectern he is working on and Rev. Dr. Goodwin suggested that he contact President Roosevelt. He encloses a photograph of the model, apologizes for the quality of the photograph, and explains his design that symbolizes “the union of England and America.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-17
William W. Hart tells President Roosevelt that the remounting job is complete and the heads have been re-hung at Sagamore Hill. Hart has enclosed bills for the work and discusses some of the details of the taxidermy labor and mentions other work that could be done. Hart looks forward to receiving more “fresh specimens” from Roosevelt to showcase his art.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-05
Frederick Courteney Selous hopes that President Roosevelt received the copy of Colonel Swayne’s Through the Highlands of Siberia which Selous sent to him. Selous is also sending Roosevelt two issues of The Wide World Magazine, with accounts of the Tsavo man-eating lions written by Colonel J. H. Patterson, and several articles written by Selous.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-29
Frederick Courteney Selous sends President Roosevelt a copy of Swayne’s Travels in Mongolia, and, as soon as he is able, will send copies of several magazine articles. Selous very much enjoyed meeting Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. If Roosevelt would consent to send Selous a signed photograph, Selous would “value it above all things.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-26
Postcard featuring a quote by Theodore Roosevelt, which states, “No man is worth calling a man who will not fight rather than submit to infamy or see those that are dear to him suffer wrong.” Colored, embossed decorations are included on the left and below the quote.
1910
President Roosevelt holds hands with a woman clad in the Stars and Stripes. There is a paper on the ground that says, “Africa–$1 per word.” Caption: By-O, Baby Bunting,/Teddy’s goin’ hunting,/To get a nice, big lion skin/To wrap his stern ambition in./Although we balk at nature fakes,/From mouth to mouth it’s flyin’;/The biggest game he’ll ever take’s/The literary lion.
This cartoon was composed by an anonymous cartoonist (who declined to caricature President Roosevelt, although application of a photograph is not jarring), or perhaps the signature was sublimated in the montage.
President Roosevelt chuckles as he holds his gun and watches a lion roar in Africa. Caption: Roosevelt: “Poo, poo! Why, I could get a bigger roar out of Congress any day by just sending in a special message.”
Cartoonist Jay N. “Ding” Darling drew one of his favorite subjects, Theodore Roosevelt, in a clever pastiche of a humor cartoon and a prescient political comment. At the time of the cartoon’s publication there were only two months before Roosevelt would embark, headed for a year-long African safari. His attention, as with most cartoonists and many citizens, was on that exotic expedition.
Rear Admiral Presley Marion Rixey looks on as President Roosevelt fires at two targets shaped like a lion and elephant with the names “Foraker” and “Tillman” respectively on them. Two rabbits–“Mellen” and “Paul Morton–as well as a wolf–“E. H. Gary” also watch. Beside them is “the spear that knows no brother.” Caption: Prepare targets similar to those shown above, lead the Faunal Naturalist to the rifle range and he will do the rest.
McKee Barclay’s drawing represents, in cartooning terms, a mixed metaphor, calling upon several thematic and political threads in one image. President Roosevelt appears to be readying himself for his upcoming African safari by target practice; yet he concentrates by labelling two of targets with the names of two of the most persistent of the president’s critics, Senators Joseph Benson Foraker and “Pitchfork” Benjamin R. Tillman.
In the first cartoon, a lion runs toward President Roosevelt writing on a notepad labeled “The African Chickadee ($3.00).” In the second cartoon, the lion gets close to pouncing on Roosevelt who holds a paper. In the third cartoon, Roosevelt opens the paper and shows the lion what it says: “Secret Service Report on Lions (To be given to the press in case I am attacked) (Copy).” In the fourth cartoon, Roosevelt runs toward the lion.
Chicago cartoonist Ralph Wilder, the stylistic disciple of John T. McCutcheon, combined two thematic preoccupations of the day’s news, attempting a new treatment of both. The imbroglio between the White House and Capitol Hill over the president’s request to expand the role of the Secret Service was already months old when this cartoon was drawn.