82 
FROM NEW YORK TO MOMBASA 
and the immediate care of Lieutenant-Commander Belknap, assisted 
by other navy officers. Working under these were forty able sailors 
and a number of stalwart American carpenters. “In addition/' he 
concluded, “there is a fine group of Americans, such as J. Elliott, Win- 
throp Chandler, J. Bush and R. Hale, who are giving their time and 
energies to help the philanthropic work. I wish to say that I consider 
that the American people are deeply indebted to each and every one of 
these men." 
Two days only were given to the sightseeing at Naples and Mes¬ 
sina, with the arrival and departure, the Roosevelt party leaving on 
the 6th in the steamer “Admiral," which was to carry them to Mom¬ 
basa. A matter of some minor interest is that, while on board the 
“Hamburg," an army surgeon presented him with a syringe filled with 
an antivenom for snake poison. This was to guard him against pos¬ 
sible perils more insidious than those likely to come from wild beasts. 
How efficacious it would be apt to prove is another question. 
As may be seen, Colonel Roosevelt had lost little time so far in 
sightseeing on land. He would have enough of shore experience on 
reaching Africa; now straightforward to Mombasa was the cry. 
From Naples the “Admiral" sped through the most historic waters of 
the world, those of the eastern Mediterranean, the scene of the com¬ 
merce and naval wars of Phoenicia, Greece, Carthage and Rome. 
Passing Port Said and worming its way through the narrow channel 
of the Suez Canal, it kept on down the Red Sea, famous principally 
for its tropic heats. 
The only stop was made at Aden, at the extremity of Arabia, and 
this a brief one. Thence the steamer plunged into the waters of the 
Indian Ocean for its final goal at Mombasa. 
This final lap of the voyage lasted a week, its only interesting 
incident being a dinner given by the captain of the “Admiral" to his 
distinguished passenger, the table being finely decorated and speeches 
and toasts being features of the occasion. 
Mombasa was reached on April 21, the total voyage having taken 
rather less than a month. The “Admiral" entered Kilindin harbor in a 
heavy rain, almost a deluge, the water pouring in drenching floods. 
The steamer flew the American flag at fore and main, which was 
saluted by the British cruiser “Pandora," then lying in the harbor. 
