THE ROOSEVELT HUNT. 
14A 
ROOSEVELT’S GUNS AND AMMUNITION. 
As was characteristic, Mr. Roosevelt proclaimed his positive nation¬ 
ality even in the matter of selecting the weapons and ammunition for 
his “safari,” discarding even the standard British arms and entering the 
hunting grounds for big game with an American repeating rifle of far 
lighter bore than that in common use. It is known as the “forty caliber” 
and although thirty years ago it would have been considered suicidal 
for a sportsman to contend with lions, rhinoceri and buffaloes with such 
a “toy,” improvements in high pressure, smokeless powder and bullets 
have rendered the rifle a most effective weapon for the strong-lived 
game of Africa. With the soft-pointed bullet to tear through the com¬ 
paratively tender hide of the lion and buffalo, opening out like an um¬ 
brella in its passage and making terrible gaps in its progress, and the 
keen pointed steel bullet for the tough rhinoceros or hippopotamus, the 
American rifle of .405 caliber and terrific smashing power proved its 
superiority on many a hotly contested hunting field. For lighter game, 
such as deer and gazelle, Colonel Roosevelt carried .303 caliber repeat¬ 
ing shot guns, popularly known as “thirties,” and for feathered game he 
had two twelve-gauge repeating shot guns. His shot gun ammunition 
was specially loaded for him in brass shells, and the wads were care¬ 
fully covered with wax to be waterproof and prevent their swelling in 
the moist climate of the country. 
OFF ON THE ROOSEVELT SAFARI. 
Less than two days were spent by Mr. Roosevelt and his party at 
Mombasa, but they were sufficiently full of action even for the ex-presi¬ 
dent. Upon his arrival at the railroad station he found a guard of 
honor, composed of marines and blue jackets from the British cruiser 
“Pandora,” drawn up to receive him, as well as various officials and 
civilians. The station was decorated with intertwined American and 
British flags. The ex-president was the special guest of F. J. Jack- 
son, acting governor of the protectorate, and in the evening the Mom¬ 
basa Club entertained him, with his son Kermit, Edmund Heller, F. C. 
Selous and R. F. Cunninghame. Major Mearns and J. Alden Loring, 
the other members of the party, had not disembarked from the “Ad¬ 
miral” on account of the heavy rains. Mr. Jackson, in proposing Mr. 
