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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¬ 
ing 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 
