In Africa

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The entire civilized world (yes, and a big part of the uncivilized) is agog with the doings of the great American faunal expert, Theodore Roosevelt. Pages upon pages in the press of the world have shrieked forth not only his departure, but have vied with each other in publishing every detail of his activities in Darkest Africa. It has remained for W.D. Boyce, however, to train the infallible eye of a moving picture camera, and bring back to us a complete record of the wonders of life and travel in the land of darkness and wild beasts. Of course, we first see the arrival of the expedition at Mombasa, together with the Governor of East Africa. And a mighty caravan it is, indeed, that the adventuresome American takes with him into the jungle. Not only are there four bullock wagons, but also no less than four hundred native porters, afoot, each carrying his burden, weighing sixty pounds. Among other scenes are shown the fording of the G'Uaso Nyiro. Roosevelt made this spot one of his chief encampments, on account of its natural advantages, and it was from here that a great portion of the tidings of his progress reached the outside world. But traveling in Africa was not all hunting, for many diversions both amusing and instructive were afforded the visitor. We are shown the Chief of the Masai tribe, a black of tremendous proportions, making a fire in the primitive way, by friction. We also see natives making rope with Nature's own tools, their hands. First they cut some fibrous bark from young trees, and this they deftly pick and roll into amazingly adequate rope, using the bare thigh as a rolling-stone. Something that will amuse us of the trolley, subway and Twentieth Century Limited, is a "leg power" road in Africa. It is a line of cars that look like the cars on a Coney Island toboggan slide, which fleet-footed black boys push along the track. Great traveling, it is not! Archeologists have told us that the orang-outang and gorilla, with their awful physical might, are good samples of primitive man, and the living species that proves it is the African savage. We are now able to see some specimens in wrestling matches, their favorite pastime. Each one of them is a giant, of most terrible muscular development. It is sad to contemplate what would happen to Jeffries or Sandow in the grip of one of these Samsons of the jungle. Their bouts are splendid exhibitions, their great chunks of muscle making their ebony skins bulge alarmingly as they strain and tug at their rivals' ponderous weight. Their speed and agility is natural and surprising. We are also given a treat in the way of a balloon ascension. Mr. Boyce took a big air-craft out with him for the delectation of the savage, and we see him taking with him a friend who is dear to the hearts of the American newspaper-reading public, John T. McCutcheon, the noted cartoonist, now on the Chicago "Tribune." The American flag is attached to the basket, and it is an inspiring sight to see the dear old colors soaring above the heads of a horde of black, half-nude savages, who gaze on the balloon reverently as if it were a supernatural mystery. One could go on for a week telling of the wonders that made our Teddy's trip a delight to him, but the anticipation might rob a view of the picture of some of the thrills. Suffice to say, Africa outdid itself in honoring and amusing Mr. Roosevelt. And just how the dauntless hunter attended to the serious business of his trip makes a wonderful chapter in our picture story. 'Way off in the distance, we see a herd of beautiful, wild zebra. The graceful, striped beasts are innocent of the proximity of the keen-eyed hunter, and are grazing peacefully; suddenly there is a puff of smoke, and in less than one-tenth or a smaller particle of a second than was ever computed, that entire herd goes shooting out of sight like greased lightning. It's a wonderful sight to witness, and you can just imagine what it means to follow the tracks of that bunch fast enough or cleverly enough to get something in the bag. Still. Teddy Roosevelt is reputed to be just as good a hunter as he was a President, so you can bet he handles African beasts as well as he did the Washington variety!