SAFARI HUNTERS 159 
but I believe I said quite enough, for as we were leav- 
ing the dining room, the President turned to me and 
said: 
“As soon as I am through with this job, I am going 
povAfrica.”’ 
“But,” interposed the hunter from the north, 
“what is to become of Alaska?” 
“Alaska will have to wait,” Roosevelt replied with 
finality. Plans for the Roosevelt African expedition 
_ went forward at once and I had something to do with 
their arrangement. 
At this dinner at the White House I retold to the 
President the story of the sixteen lions coming out of 
the cave on MacMillan’s estate. The President, 
who had been very frank in his comments about all 
things, was having difficulties with the Senate at the 
time. When I had finished the story, he addressed 
Congressman Mann who sat beside him at the table, 
“Congressman,” he said, “I wish I had those six- 
teen lions to turn loose in the Senate.” 
Congressman Mann stammered and stumbled a 
bit, but finally drew himself together to reply. 
““B—but, Mr. President, aren’t—aren’t you afraid 
the lions might make a mistake?” 
“Not if they stayed long enough,” was Roosevelt’s 
rejoinder. 
So he really invented the idea which they turned 
on him later. When his administration was over and 
he finally started for Africa, the cry of the Senate 
crowd was, “America expects every lion to do his 
duty.” A cartoon of the day that I particularly 
