120 THE ORIGIN OF THE ROOSEVELT EXPEDITION. 



extreme Africa, was veiled in mystery. But that veil has been lifted. 

 Not simply has a mission been born in a day, but a continent ! 



The explorer has traversed nearly every part of her vast 

 domain ; modern science is mastering its tropical diseases, develop- 

 mg Its agriculture, making the mines of gold and other minerals 

 of untold value. 



Diplomacy has parceled out the continent, and everywhere there 

 will soon be protection and opportunity for all races ; hundreds of 

 steamships belt its coasts and float on its lakes and rivers, taking 

 to the continent hundreds of thousands of tons of merchandise, and"^ 

 in turn bringing away the products of African fields and forests 

 and mines, and mechanical ingenuity. 



The barbaric and Mohammedan millions of Africa are sharing 

 in the world-wide awakening that has come to all people. They 

 are anxiously waiting for something better. They may not know 

 what it is, they do know it is in the possession of nations outside 

 themselves, and we know that civilizations are never indigenous. 



REMARKABLE FOR MEMORABLE EVENTS. 



Few countries in the world are more remarkable for memor- 

 able events in history or in ruins of ancient civilization than North 

 Africa, even if we do not include Egypt. During the six hundred 

 years of Roman rule that section of the continent reached its great- 

 est prosperity. Scores of cities were built, some of them great in 

 population, wealth and commerce; and the agricultural resources 

 were very great. 



The climate is among the finest in the world, and North Africa 

 was a source of Rome's greatest wealth. There are partially 

 unearthed ruins at Carthage and many other cities, where there were 

 palaces, amphitheaters, triumphal arches, baths, temples, many of 

 them equal to similar structures in the imperial city itself. 



The aborigines were the Berbers, or barbarians of history. 

 Their descendants are still the largest part of the population, and 

 number from twelve million to fifteen million. They are light 

 brown in color, with shadings to black as they have mixed with the 

 Negroes from the south, or to almost white as they have mixed 



