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Edward North Buxton has sent another check to the National Bank of India, bringing President Roosevelt’s account total to $3000. Roosevelt instructs the bank to keep it for him until he arrives or to pay Sir Alfred E. Pease.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-12
President Roosevelt is grateful for Edward North Buxton’s letters, especially in regard to the reserves. He discusses his plans for shipping money and supplies to Africa for his trip. Roosevelt notes that he intends to hire an Englishman to manage the caravan because he will be too busy hunting and working with field taxidermists to manage it himself. Roosevelt also discusses several places he would like to visit and hunt in, including German territory.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-12
President Roosevelt asks Kermit Roosevelt if he is taking care to secure a supply of hunting boots. Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt have been taking in the blooming gardens at the White House. The troubles with Roosevelt’s leg have been bad lately. He has received letters from Alfred Pease and Sir William Northrup McMillan regarding safari travel plans. Although Roosevelt has not been exercising, he has been busy writing to William Jennings Bryan and tending to other matters in Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-27
President Roosevelt encloses for Frederick Courteney Selous a copy of an invitation from William Northrup McMillan. He explains that he has asked McMillan to contact Selous and Edward North Buxton when making arrangements. Alfred E. Pease has said that Sirdar F. R. Wingate could likely provide leather mosquito stockings, but Roosevelt would rather have Selous ask the outfitter Lawn & Alder to have them made and sent. William C. Judd seems like the best choice for managing the caravan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25
President Roosevelt thanks William Northrup McMillan for the invitation to stay at the farm in Nairobi, and says he will likely come after staying with Alfred E. Pease and before taking the trip McMillan suggested. Roosevelt will be joined by Kermit Roosevelt and General Edgar Alexander Mearns, and he will be shooting specimens for the National Museum. For further planning Roosevelt asks McMillan to be in contact with Edward North Buxton, Frederick Courteney Selous, and Pease. After going through British East Africa Roosevelt will go on to the Nile and meet Sirdar F. R. Wingate and Leigh S. J. Hunt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25
President Roosevelt sends Edward North Buxton a copy of a letter from William Northrup McMillan. Roosevelt hopes to visit McMillan’s farm, but has asked that he contact Buxton when making arrangements. Roosevelt discusses potential guides for the Safari, and Alfred E. Pease has strongly suggested William C. Judd. For the hunting boots, Roosevelt does not want to bother Sirdar F. R. Wingate, and he has asked Frederick Courteney Selous to add them to the supplies. Until the presidential campaign is over, Roosevelt’s attention is on helping to elect William H. Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-25
President Roosevelt found the letter that Cecil Spring Rice sent to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt about safari dangers to be quite hilarious, as did she, in a morose way. Roosevelt felt it would not be right to stay on as President, and he is glad the Africa trip is ahead. Roosevelt expresses his interest in the complex political situation unfolding in Turkey and the surrounding countries. He hopes Spring Rice can come to England and discuss politics in person.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-17
President Roosevelt writes to Edward North Buxton about the shoes he plans to bring with him on his safari. Roosevelt is glad to have the input of Buxton, Frederick Courteney Selous, and Alfred E. Pease regarding his travel plans. Currently, Roosevelt plans to have a white man as a caravan manager and local shikaris to assist with the hunting. Roosevelt thanks Buxton for assisting with the money transfer, along with everything else, and looks forward to their meeting in England.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-17
President Roosevelt thanks Frederick Courteney Selous for the recent letter containing travel suggestions and details changes he has made in light of it. He compares his own past adventures and future safari to Selous’s travels. Roosevelt responds to Selous’s comments on potential safari guides, and asks if Selous will confer with Edward North Buxton on the topic and send back his suggestions. In a postscript, he asks for Selous’s opinion on taking William C. Judd with him, specifically as a caravan manager and guide.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-12
President Roosevelt asks Edward North Buxton for clarification about hunting guns and safari guides. Roosevelt would likely avoid hunting in the reserves, as the idea bothers him, and he would also like to avoid all press coverage and fanfare while out on Alfred E. Pease’s ranch. He enjoys hearing of Edward North Buxton and Emily Digby Buxton’s life together, and writes that he and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt have spent time over the summer taking rides and going out on the water, while Ted Roosevelt gets ready to go into business. In a postscript, Roosevelt writes that he would like to avoid the reserves completely, but wonders if it would be possible to hunt one or two potentially restricted specimens outside the reserve, for the National Museum.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-10
President Roosevelt asks Edward North Buxton about mosquito boots and requests that he review the supply list and make any needed changes. Alfred E. Pease’s description of where to hunt lion and other game thoroughly excites Roosevelt. The Winchester Repeating Arms Company has arranged for shipping ammunition. Roosevelt intends to follow Buxton’s advice and “shall travel as comfortably as possible.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-07
Although initially reluctant, President Roosevelt tells Edward North Buxton that he will hire a white hunter as advised by Frederick Courteney Selous. He agrees with Buxton about taking shorter trips, but he does want to go where J. H. Patterson went and see “scores” of diverse game. Roosevelt inquires if three months is enough time for the trip.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-24
President Roosevelt requests that Smith, MacKenzie & Company forward his shipment of goods to Alfred E. Pease’s ranch.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-22
President Roosevelt thanks Frederick Courteney Selous for helping him prepare for his African trip, and reviews the supplies that have been arranged. Although hesitant at first, Roosevelt agrees with Selous on hiring “a reliable white man to manage the caravan and the like.” He requests that Selous hire William C. Judd for the position. Arrangements have been made for shipping the ammunition.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-22
President Roosevelt asks Edward North Buxton if his letter to Alfred E. Pease was clear on specific points relating to his Africa trip. He has been advised to hire an Englishman but would rather have a native guide. Roosevelt continues to gather supplies and equipment, agreeing that footwear is too important to consider the expense. He shares his travel plans and ideas with Buxton.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-20
President Roosevelt encloses the revised lists of supplies for Frederick Courteney Selous. He discusses his reasoning behind the revisions and provides Selous with his travel itinerary. Gerrit Forbes recently visited Roosevelt and recounted his recent hunt in Africa. Roosevelt is reluctant to hire a white man for the trip but will do so if Selous suggests it.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-19
President Roosevelt has heard that William Northrup McMillan is one of the best resources in East Africa for hunters. He describes his plan to hunt for six or seven months in British East Africa, starting next April, killing only specimens for the National Museum and meat. Roosevelt would greatly appreciate if McMillan could advise him on where he can, with certainty, obtain lion, elephant, buffalo, and eland. He hopes his inquiries do not bother McMillan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-19
President Roosevelt hopes to be able to rely upon A. Blayney Percival for direction in locating the different types of game he wishes to hunt on his upcoming African safari, including lion, elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, giraffe, hippopotamus, eland, wildebeests, roan, oryx, and waterbuck.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-08
President Roosevelt tells Edward North Buxton that he has never used a peep sight for hunting, and describes the type of rifle sights he likes best, including a hand-drawn sketch. Roosevelt relays some details about the timing of travel for his upcoming African safari, saying he is pleased to be able to start the hard physical part of the trip by degrees at Alfred E. Pease’s ranch. The president hopes to stop over in England on the return trip to see Buxton, Frederick Courteney Selous, and other friends. Roosevelt has ordered the books Buxton recommended, and thanks him for sending an interesting extract from a report by J. H. Patterson.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-08
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit from his Western speaking trip to say how much the family are enjoying themselves, though he cannot stand all the speaking and this is the last speaking trip he will take. He encloses letters from safari agency owner Leslie J. Tarlton and Alfred E. Pease. Roosevelt is concerned at how sick Tarlton and his partner V. M. Newland were and he wants Kermit to write to Tarlton.
1911-04-01