CHAPTER IX. 
SevkraIv Notabi^e: Men Accompanied Coe. RoosevEet.—Scien- 
TiEic Experts Propose the Animaes Secured eor the 
Smitpisonian Institution—Rooseveet's Expedition 
—Rooseveet and the Missionaries—Africa the Last of 
TP iE Heathen Countries Invaded by the Missionaries— 
Christianity in North Africa Long Before Christ. 
HREE months before President Roosevelt’s term expired he 
authorized those in charge of the Smithsonian Institution to 
issue an official statement in regard to his proposed expedition to 
Africa. On December 5th Charles Walcott, Secretary of the 
Smithsonian Institution, gave out the statement which announced 
to the world the President’s intentions. 
It told us that Col. Roosevelt would sail late in March as the 
head of a Scientific Expedition to Africa, outfitted by the Smith¬ 
sonian Institution. The purpose of the expedition was to gather 
Natural History materials for the government collections, to be 
deposited by the Smithsonian Institution in the new United States 
National Museum at Washington. 
Besides the President and his son, Kermit, the personnel of 
the party, on leaving New York, consisted of three representatives 
of the Smithsonian Institution, as follows: 
Major Edgar A. Mearns, Medical Corps of the United States 
Army (retired) ; Mr. Edmund Heller and Mr. Alden Loring. Upon 
arrival in Africa the party was enlarged by the addition of Mr. R. 
J. Cunninghame, who had been in Africa for some time, preparing 
Col. Roosevelt’s outfit. Mr. Cunninghame’s work was to select 
native porters and the necessary animals, including valuable saddle 
horses, adapted to hunting in the jungles. Thus, a caravan was 
formed by Mr. Cunninghame, which was in readiness when Col. 
Roosevelt arrived. 
Ill 
