El 51 
 
 m 
 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
 
 MEMORIAL MEETING 
 
 AT 
 
 The Explorers Club 
 
 MARCH 1, 1919. 
 
 MR. VILHJALMUR STEFANSSON 
 
 President, Explorers Club, Presiding 
 

The Chairman: I realize of course that is is im- 
 possible for me to rise to this occasion, but I am somewhat 
 consoled by the thought that there are perhaps few who 
 could rise to it fully. We have to commemorate tonight, 
 or to call to mind again, a man who is beyond praise. I 
 wrote a letter about five years ago to Colonel Roosevelt, 
 and I will repeat now what I said then, that it seemed to 
 me he was already so distinguished that in the field ot 
 exploration he could win no laurels which would add ma- 
 terially to his fame. It has always seemed to me that no 
 matter how distinguished an explorer is, he can never by 
 that fact become the foremost figure in the world, as 
 Roosevelt was in the minds of men during the last decade 
 and more of his life. 
 
 After his journey to Africa came his South Amer- 
 ican trip. He had been an explorer in other fields 
 before, but this was an important journey of geographic 
 exploration. At the end of it, in a manner that was char- 
 acteristic of him. he tried hard to get the world to acknow- 
 ledge the merits of his fellow travelers, the men who had 
 worked with him in South America, and especially of 
 Colonel Rondon. I am aware that many here knew 
 Roosevelt more intimately than I did. I hadn't met him 
 until about six years ago, and since then my acquaintance 
 with him has been limited to three meetings and half a 
 dozen letters; but I did know something about his sup- 
 port of and interest in Colonel Rondon. It seemed to me 
 that in relation to South America Colonel Rondon was 
 really a big figure, and feeling that way I named a cape 
 on the west coast of one of our new lands after him, and 
 requested Colonel Roosevelt to notify Colonel Rondon of 
 this fact, saying at the same time that it was the least I 
 
 1 
 
could do to recognize a great work. In reply I received 
 a letter, a part of which I will read to you, and which is 
 thoroughly characteristic of one side of Colonel Roosevelt. 
 I omit the parts personal to myself. 
 
 "My dear Mr. Stefansson: Today I received 
 your letters of May 17, 1916 and February 9, 1917. 
 I haven't the faintest idea of whether this letter 
 will reach you or not, but I must write to tell you 
 . . . how gratified I am at what you have done 
 about Colonel Rondon. He has had no proper 
 recognition of his really great feats, although I 
 tried to get both the English and the American 
 Geographic Societies to do as they ought to have 
 done for him. My own feats need no special rec- 
 ognition. About all I would say of myself is that 
 compared with other Presidents, Prime Ministers 
 and the like I did some work worth doing. I don't 
 come, as Colonel Rondon does, in the explorer's 
 class, which would include. . . Peary, Amund- 
 sen, Nansen, Scott, Shackleton, Livingston, Baker, 
 Speke, Grant, Hedin, Swinefurth, and the other 
 men who did very big things. , . . " 
 
 I think that list of names is striking in itself. It is a 
 very unconventional thing to do, but really I would like to 
 know how many in this room, members of the Explorers 
 Club, know who Swinefurth was. Will those who know 
 who he was please rise. (9 of those present rise.) 
 
 A Member: I have an indistinct recollection of who 
 he was. 
 
 The Chairman: (continuing) Nine. Even we who 
 are specialists in exploration know little about him, 
 and perhaps 3 or 4, on a chance, out of the 8 or 9, who have 
 heard of Swinefurth could justify the statement Colonel 
 Roosevelt made that he was one of the great figures among 
 explorers. But I know from a conversation with Roose- 
 
 2 
 
 On May 15th, 1918, Colon el. Roosevelt and the Brazilian Ambassador 
 (da Gama) particr«ating. the American Geographical Society award- 
 cd the David Livingstone Centenary Medal to Colonel Rondon. 
 
 ~t^ 
 
velt that his mind was clear as to what Swinefurth had 
 done and just why he is among the great explorers of all 
 time. 
 
 "Of course I am glad I had the chance to explore 
 an unexplored river and put it on the map. I was 
 past middle age at the time, and knew this would 
 be the last thing of the kind I could hope to do. In 
 my case the exploration was its own reward. But 
 Colonel Rondon ought to have the full recognition 
 which he has not received, and I shall write him at 
 once of your just and generous offer ..." 
 
 That was characteristic of the man who knew things 
 which the rest of us didn't know. He not only knew 
 w^here honor was due, but he was always taking trouble 
 to see that the laurel wreathes go to those to whom they 
 of right belonged. 
 
 It seemed to me Colonel Roosevelt was practically a 
 specialist in everything. The first time I saw him he dis- 
 cussed two things that I believed I knew more about than 
 any other person in America, and he certainly knew more 
 about those things than anybody else I have talked with. 
 I have talked frequently with professors in American Uni- 
 versities whose special province it is to deal with the his- 
 tory and literature of Iceland, and I don't think one of them 
 had the feeling of Icelandic literature nor the grasp of Ice- 
 landic history that Roosevelt did. I don't know anybody 
 in America from whom he could have borrowed them, be- 
 cause I never met any one else who had them. He prob- 
 ably was a pioneer in this as in many other things. The 
 same spirit of discovery probably took him into Icelandic 
 history that took him into the Brazilian jungle. Perhaps 
 Lord Bryce, when he was in Washington, borrowed from 
 Roosevelt an interest in Iceland, or perhaps Roosevelt 
 Kvas guided by Bryce, or perhaps they were in this inde- 
 pendent. In any case it is interesting that Lord Bryce has 
 
recently expressed in a book the same opinion that Roose- 
 velt expressed to me verbally six years earlier — that the 
 classic literature of Iceland is in excellence intermediate 
 between the classic literatures of Greece and Rome. I 
 quote here Roosevelt and Bryce together both to show- 
 that here as often Roosevelt was the pioneer and to point 
 out to anyone who disagrees with his estimate of Icelandic 
 literature that if he erred, he at least erred in goodly com- 
 pany. 
 
 He was, as you know, interested in everything, and 
 therefore naturally in my project now before the Govern- 
 ments of Canada and the United States in regard to the 
 musk ox. It takes a long time to overcome the inertia of 
 the ordinarily intelligent person. For instance, there is a 
 member of my own expedition, who had seen musk oxen, 
 and had been in the North a few years, and when he read 
 in the newspapers of my plans he said: "If Stefansson can 
 get away with this I shall lose my faith in human nature." 
 He said this of the identical proposition I sent to Roose- 
 velt, and the project, the attempt to carry out which would 
 have made my imaginationless friend lose his faith in 
 human nature, brought from the Colonel the following 
 comment i 
 
 "I most emphatically wish your project well 
 Our domestic animals are merely those 
 of Asia, because it was in Asia that civilization 
 first arose, and in consequence as it penetrated to 
 other continents men found it easier to use the 
 animals already tamed than to tame new ones . . 
 
 It is a capital misfortune that the musk ox has 
 not been tamed. To tame it means the possibility 
 in Northernmost America of a high civilization 
 otherwise impossible." 
 
 It took me a full hour of talking the other day to con- 
 vince on this point, one of the prominent officials at Ot- 
 tawa, and he is now enthusiastically behind this scheme. 
 
It didn't take an hour's talking with Colonel Roosevelt, 
 and when he was behind a thing he was behind it for all he 
 was worth. When he was in the midst of his last politi- 
 cal campaign which took so much of his powers, I appealed 
 to him to help me interest the Government of Denmark 
 in the same musk ox project, about which in Seattle I had 
 a chance to talk with Prince Axel of Denmark. This 
 might seem a small and foreign thing in the heat ot a 
 campaign, but as always, Roosevelt was interested and 
 willing to help. I knew Prince Axel would see Colonel 
 Roosevelt, and thinking that a Royal Prince might be 
 forgetful, I wrote the Colonel I hoped he would put a 
 flea in his ear when he saw him at Oyster Bay. Here is 
 the letter I got in reply. 
 
 "I don't know that I shall see Prince Axel, but I 
 shall certainly do all that I can to back up the musk 
 ox project if I do see him. If I can do anything with 
 the Canadian Government, or our own, command 
 me. 
 
 I didn't know until Mr. Akeley told me fifteen or twen- 
 ty minutes ago that I was supposed to speak of Colonel 
 Roosevelt as an explorer. I don't think it is worth while 
 to go into a mere eulogy. I understand this is a meeting 
 where we came to tell and hear the intimate things we 
 knew about him. 
 
 We have with us tonight Mr. Russell Coles who is 
 famous for his fishing of the devil fish. Some years ago I 
 read an article of his in the Journal of the American Mu- 
 seum about devil fish fishing, if that is good English. The 
 article impressed me, but I didn't know until tonight that 
 it was that same article that impressed Colonel Roosevelt, 
 and brought Mr. Coles and Colonel Roosevelt together. 
 I have great pleasure in introducing Mr. Coles. 
 
Russell J. Coles 
 
 Never before tonight have I stood upon any platform 
 to address an audience. However, when the invitation 
 came I at once accepted the privilege of speaking to you 
 in honor of the memory of my best friend, Colonel Theo- 
 dore Roosevelt. I realized that I could tell of incidents 
 which have occurred during our close personal relation- 
 ship of the past few years which might help others to know 
 him as I knew him. 
 
 "Harpooning Devilfish," by Colonel Roosevelt, in the 
 September, 1917, Scribner's Magazine, tells so well the 
 story of our meeting, and of his last expedition into the 
 great out-of-doors that I will only touch upon it briefly, 
 in order to introduce certain pictures, some of which have 
 already been published. The April, 1916, issue of the 
 American Museum Journal contained my article "My 
 Fight with the Devilfish," and I will add that a most accur- 
 ate reproduction of the fish referred to in this article, is now 
 on exhibition in the American Museum of Natural History. 
 This article brought from Colonel Roosevelt an invitation 
 for me to visit him at Sagamore Hill. I called on him, and 
 we had a long conversation. Several letters, and another 
 visit followed within a month, and his training as a har- 
 pooner was begun. 
 
 In March, 1917, I assembled my outfit and a small crew, 
 composed of picked men from several crews which I had 
 used for many years at various points on our coast, in my 
 work of fighting the big and dangerous game of the sea; 
 and on March 25th, I arrived in Punta Gorda, Florida, 
 accompanied by Colonel Roosevelt and my secretary, and 
 that afternoon we made the run of 35 miles down the coast 
 on a small passenger and freight boat, to a point where 
 my crew and floating camp were in readiness. (Showing a 
 picture.) 
 
 A good supper, and a long talk of details for the com- 
 ing fight of the morrow followed, and all slept together in 
 
the one large room of the boat. After breakfast on the 
 following morning the crew shown in this picture «5tartecl 
 in the launch (showing a picture.) We were soon out 
 on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and it was not long 
 before a devilfish was sighted by the lookout, aria Colonel 
 Roosevelt climbed out on the cap of the launch with har- 
 poon raised, and I with another harpoon got up by his 
 side, and all was in readiness (showing two pictures.) 
 
 The devilfish was swimming rapidly toward us, and 
 we ran full speed ahead, and 1 was about to give the order 
 to strike, when I saw that this was a poor specimen and 
 that there were larger devilfish ahead, so instead of giving 
 the order to strike, I snapped the order "hard off" to the 
 man at the wheel The devilfish was within harpooning 
 distance, and at the first sound of my voice, the Colonel, 
 mistaking it for the order to strike, cast his harpoon, but 
 by a deft movement, which I only told him of months 
 afterward, I diverted his stroke so that he missed the fish. 
 
 A larger specimen was then selected, and at the word 
 it was deeply fastened by both harpoons, — his harpoon 
 being the principal one, and mine only driven into the 
 fish as an auxiliary in case of need, and although I har- 
 pooned in this way both of the devilfish killed by him, 
 yet on neither fish was my harpoon necessary or of mater- 
 ial aid, as both fish were struck by him in exactly the cor- 
 rect spot, as 1 had previously indicated by drawings. It 
 is w^orthy of especial note to say that he had never before 
 balanced himself upon his feet on the cap of a small boat, 
 jumping in a choppy sea, and had never before cast a har- 
 poon at a living creature, yet the cast was perfect, and the 
 iron went true and drove for 2 feet 4 inches clear to the 
 socket through the heaviest and toughest structure of the 
 fish. As the irons left our hands I yelled "down," and 
 down we went, holding, as I had directed, and in an instant 
 the fight was on. The modest manner in which he de- 
 scribed those two fights in his article does not fully do him 
 
 7 
 
justice for his truly phenomenal achievements on that day, 
 as fighting devilfish is a sport so filled with thrills and dan- 
 gers that few of even trained harpooners will ever engage 
 sucessfully in it, for situations arise, and did arise on that 
 day, which are very well illustrated by this picture (show- 
 ing a picture,) which is quite an accurate drawing by Mr. 
 Albert Operti, and is reproduced from my article referred 
 to in the American Museum Journal. 
 
 The fight was short and sharp, and as he delivered the 
 death blow I slapped him on the back and exclaimed, "Now 
 you have added the killing of the most dangerous game 
 of the sea, to that of the land, — everybody holler!" We 
 did all holler, and I doubt if twice our number of Buc- 
 caneers of old ever sent a louder yell across those historic 
 waters. That fish was quickly towed the half mile or more 
 to the beach, and we returned, and after a bigger fight 
 killed a bigger devilfish and also towed it to the side of the 
 first. 
 
 The heavy work of getting the devilfish firmly fast on 
 the beach then began, and for this purpose I had provided 
 several heavy steel gaff hooks which 1 had myself forged, 
 and which have sustained a strain of 1 ,000 pounds. I was 
 hauling on one, and had two of my strongest men on an- 
 other next to me, while the Colonel and others were pull- 
 ing in other positions. Failing to move the fish I changed 
 the two men, and the Colonel took their gaff hook. I 
 waited for the aid of a small wave, and gave the order 
 "now," and at the word I heard a sn?p and a fall, and saw 
 Colonel Roosevelt turn a complete somersault on the hard 
 beach; he had broken that gaff hook. 
 
 To the four men of my crew, feats of physical prowess 
 stand as the highest virtue, and although they had lived 
 their lives among hard, strong men, never before had 
 they seen a feat of strength such as this, and from that 
 instant, he became to them truly a superman, although 
 they had been prepared for anything, by seeing his prow- 
 
 8 
 
ess in standing on the cap of the boat and in using for the 
 first time both harpoon and lance, but they did not know, 
 as I knew, the tremendous amount of heavy physical labor 
 that he had gone through with in preparing for just this 
 one day of superman sport, for, in perfect preparedness 
 
 for every detail, nothing was ever too small to receive his 
 
 closest attention. 
 
 After a swim in the Gulf, and spending some time 
 with the prizes, we returned to the floating camp and had 
 an early dinner, then returned with cameras and took a 
 number of pictures, two of which I will now show, and 
 these will close the pictures. 
 
 The main object of the expedition was then accom- 
 plished, and for a week we enjoyed to the fullest the plea- 
 sures of that interesting country, which included quite a 
 number of exciting incidents. Since then we have ex- 
 changed letters almost week]}, and I have visited him al- 
 most monthly, and several times we began making our 
 plans for other expeditions, but for good reasons they 
 were postponed; but at last we arranged for another ex- 
 pedition to the yame field, and we were to have been ac- 
 companied by his son. Captain Archie Roosevelt. This 
 night of March 1 st was to have been our first night on 
 board the boat, far down on the Southern Gulf Coast of 
 Florida. 
 
 In the life of this most wonderful of men his many 
 fine points of character stand out, each so clearly and dis- 
 tinctly that it is impossible to say in what one thing he 
 reached greater success than in the others. Therefore, the 
 order in which I cite some of his many virtues is not mtend- 
 ed to give precedence to any one thing. His mtense 
 patriotism, and the story of how by his courageous 
 speeches and writings he became the greatest of all vit^l 
 forces in bringing the patriotism of Americans up to its 
 high plane of effectiveness, has been so well told by the 
 great orators and writers of the world during the last few 
 
weeks, that I will only add that from close personal know- 
 ledge I know that the best that has been said and written 
 of him is true. 
 
 As our acquaintance ripened into the close confiden- 
 tial friendship, I realized how greatly he had been maligned 
 by the press. You all have read hundreds of times in the 
 past that he was an egotist and a braggart, when in truth 
 he was one of the most modest men in speaking or writ- 
 ing of his own achievements that I have ever known, for 
 he at all times belittled his own work in order to give 
 greater credit to those associated with him, and those who 
 knew him best heartily endorse this point. He has been 
 accused of using coarse language, when no one spoke the 
 English language more correctly than he did. You usually 
 saw him pictured with teeth showing, and in the act of 
 making rather awkward gestures, and for a time I was 
 puzzled, as I had so often heard him speak without noting 
 these points, until last June, as I sat in front of him and 
 listened to him making a grand speech. Next to me sat 
 a press photographer, with camera focussed, and watch- 
 ing* him intently. After Colonel Roosevelt had beerij 
 speaking for more than an hour, suddenly I saw the teeth 
 and the gesture wanted, and at that instant the patient 
 photographer won, for I heard the click of the shutter, and 
 then it was all clear to me, for I realized that reporters and 
 press photographers were being sent out to get Roosevelt 
 stories and Roosevelt pictures to conform to the popular 
 idea of him. 
 
 He was a great field naturalist, and writer of natural 
 history and big game stories, yet in this, as in all other 
 fields of his varied activities, he at all times showed his 
 absolute freedom from jealousy, by urging all who could 
 tell these stories truly to publish them for the education 
 of all. 
 
 Time is too limited tonight for me to tell of many things 
 which I would like to tell, but I cannot close without say- 
 
 10 
 
ing that my most touching memories of him are of his 
 beautiful home life, and of his love of home, family and 
 friends. In this connection I will read you one of hts 
 last letters, which I had just received and was reading when 
 the news of his death reached me. 
 
 The Kansas City Star. 
 
 Office of New York Office 
 
 Theodore Roosevelt 347 Madison Avenue 
 
 January I, 1919 
 Dear Coles- 
 
 First, I want to say that all this family regard 
 your letter to Richard as about the nicest Christmas 
 letter a small boy ever received, and you give a 
 most fascinating glimpse of your own Christmas. 
 Next, my doctors tell me that in all probability I 
 shall be able to go with you on March 1 st. There 
 is, of course, however, the possibility that my con- 
 valescence may be slower than they suppose. At 
 present I am utterly worthless. I hope you under- 
 stand how deeply I appreciate your taking Archie 
 along. My great desire is that he shall get a devil- 
 fish. He is a pretty good boy, and of course his 
 crippling makes it hard for him to enjoy the kind 
 of sports he loves, and which you and I at his age 
 enjoyed, and I very deeply appreciate your giving 
 him the chance as you have done. 
 
 Faithfully yours. 
 
 Mr. Russell J. Coles, T. Roosevelt. 
 
 Danville, Va. 
 
 In closing I will say that as a member of the Roosevelt 
 Permanent Memorial National Committee I have recom- 
 mended that the most fitting tribute to his memory, and 
 one in which the whole Nation and world can partici- 
 pate, will be the creation of a great Roosevelt Memorial 
 
 11 
 
Museum, to contain books, papers, statues, pictures, tro- 
 phies, a large auditorium, a publication department, and 
 many other things. While there should be big game, yet 
 it should be exhibited in a manner to bring out the fact that 
 he did not kill for the love of killing, or blood lust, but as 
 a clean sportsman naturalist, and that he was truly the 
 world's greatest protector of animal and bird life. In the 
 auditorium there should be frequent lectures and speeches 
 by men who knew him. The publication department 
 should be the main feature, with its Roosevelt Museum 
 Journal, and other publications and reprints. Under its 
 own management the Museum could be conducted as an 
 independent organization, modeled after that of the large 
 modern museums, and financed along lines which would 
 give to all the privilege of contributing, and by sale of the 
 Roosevelt Museum Journal and other publications, and 
 by membership fees; or it might be found advisable to 
 erect and conduct this Museum as an annex to some other 
 museum. 
 
 The truth about Roosevelt should be presented in a 
 wa> to make of his life an example to posterity, in a man- 
 ner to lead men to better and cleaner lives, and for the 
 education and uplift of humanity. 
 
 The Chairman: Major Anthony Fiala, who first 
 won distinction in the North, will tell us of Colonel Roose- 
 velt in the South. — Major Anthony Fiala. 
 
 Major Anthony Fiala 
 
 Like our leader I feel my inability to do justice to the 
 subject of this meeting; and believe with the great French 
 minister, "The Tiger of France," that we have lost the 
 greatest statesman in the world. It brings to mind the 
 statement made by Clemenceau some years ago, "I cannot 
 understand you Americans — you have the greatest states- 
 man in the world living in your midst at Oyster Bay — yet 
 you are looking for someone else to be your President. 
 Verily, a prophet is without honor in his own country. 
 
 12 
 
There are statesmen who do their own will without 
 thought particularly of the people. There are those who 
 are forced to do the will of the people, and there are states- 
 men who anticipate the feelings and wants of the people, 
 who have the prophetic instinct and are saviors of their 
 people. Roosevelt was one of these in the highest sense 
 of the word; he was a preacher of righteous government 
 and honest living. 
 
 If a book had been written in these days like the Scrip- 
 ture of old, we would read something like that found in the 
 book of Samuel. Probably you might think that is far- 
 fetched! But you will remember that in Samuel the Spirit 
 of the Lord spoke and said, Samuel, the people have not 
 rejected you, but they have rejected me," and the Israelites 
 paid for their neglect of the prophets* warnings by a long 
 series of wars. 
 
 In 1 91 4 an Englishman, a Frenchman and several Ger- 
 mans told me that if Colonel Roosevelt had been the Presi- 
 dent of the United States at that time that the war in 
 Europe would not have occurred; that the Kaiser would 
 not have dared! 
 
 In these days, with Anarchy raising its dangerous 
 head, we realize what a wonderful champion for the right 
 we have lost. Roosevelt believed in God, in humanity 
 and in the people. He looked ahead with the eyes of a 
 Seer, like the prophets of old. He was oft times many 
 years ahead of his time in realizing what was good for the 
 people. That is why some misunderstood him and because 
 of his sterling honesty the hide-bound politicians hated 
 him. He purified business. Of course the knave and the 
 crook came down in the dust from their high places as a 
 consequence. 
 
 On our trip through Brazil, we all felt the honesty of 
 the man and his unselfish attitude. He was a good fellow 
 to have in any camp party. He always wanted to do 
 his share of the work and was the soul of good spirits 
 
 13 
 
and comradeship. He called Cherrie, Miller and myself 
 his "Three Buccaneers" and it was a real affection for him 
 that we will carry through life, an affection we felt was 
 reciprocated. 
 
 We often wondered at his endurance. A hunting trip 
 he took part in on New Years' Day will illustrate. 
 
 On New Year's eve we tied up to the bank of the stream 
 in the thick tropical forest, and took to our hammocks, for 
 on the morrow was to be a jaguar hunt. 
 
 Brazilian custom is to take a tiny cup of coffee on aris- 
 ing, most delicious coffee it is, too. Breakfast is served a't 
 eleven or noon — rather a hardship for the Americans in the 
 party accustomed to good breakfasts at home, particularly 
 for the Colonel, for he always preferred a substantial break- 
 fast and a light lunch, often no lunch at all. That morn- 
 ing we each had our cup of coffee and then Colonel Roose- 
 velt and Colonel Rondon and Kermit got their guns. In 
 the party there was also a fine athletic-looking Brazilian 
 about thirty-five years old, and a tough, sinewy, grizzled 
 captain of police who seemed about eight or ten years 
 older. Several native guides completed the personnel of 
 the part;/. 
 
 The hunters cut their way into the forest just a little 
 before seven o'clock. Harper (the Colonel's secretary) 
 ani I left a few minutes later to see if we could get some 
 birds. The forest was a maze of large vines, spring plants 
 and all sorts of tropical vegetation. It demanded constant 
 use of the machete to force our way through the entangle- 
 ment. We had hoped to see some birds around the water, 
 but were disappointed. I spied, however, a muscovy duck 
 seated on the dead limb of what had once been a magnifi- 
 cent tree. The bird was over a hundred feet from the 
 ground but one could not mistake the characteristic white 
 patch on the wing. 
 
 She was outside the range of Harper's shotgun. So I 
 fired at the duck with my rifle — a twenty-two calibre — and 
 
 14 
 
brought the bird fluttering toward the ground. On strik- 
 ing the green she started off on a surprisingly swift run 
 with Harper and myself in chase. It was an exciting chase 
 toward the forest with the thought troubling us that the 
 bird would disappear among the dark trees. But I caught 
 sight of the duck going over a rise of ground and fired 
 quickly, killing it. The bird had two bullet wounds, the 
 last one clear through the body. 
 
 In the long chase after the duck we had lost sense of 
 direction somewhat and in consequence had a difficult time 
 reaching the ship. I knew the general direction for I had 
 my compass, but in the maze of swamps and trees with a 
 river that moves through the forest in numerous snaky 
 curves one had to be very careful. It was hot, tiring work 
 cutting a way back through the forest, for we had lost the 
 way we blazed in. It was past noon when we finally cut 
 through the thick growth on the river and were delighted 
 to see our Fteamcr in front of us. 
 
 Taking our prize aboard, we were surprised to find 
 that the Colonel's party had not returned. We were wor- 
 ried, for we had reason to know how easy it was for any- 
 one to lose his way in the interminable forest. We were 
 hungry, but we all waited for the return of the hunting 
 pf rty before eating, for we knew that they had nothing 
 with them to eat. They had not expected a long hunt. 
 At four in the afternoon a tired guide came in from the 
 forest and dropped down on deck to rest against the 
 steamer's rail. He stated that the party had followed the 
 jaguars so far toward the south that they could not return 
 to the boat, that they decided to cut through to the river 
 from where the hunt would end. Early in the morning he 
 had been sent back with the information and instruction 
 for the captain of the steamer to go down stream and look 
 for the party. The guide was all in. He said he had been 
 traveling along the river bank since eleven o'clock, for that 
 was the only way he could find the steamer. The vegeta- 
 
 15 
 
tion is thickest on the river bank and the poor fellow had 
 been obliged to cut his way down the whole distance with 
 his machete. 
 
 It was about five o'clock when we were hailed from the 
 shore and breaking through the vegetation we saw the 
 smiling face of Colonel Roosevelt, who was calling out to 
 us "Happy New Year" in French which the Brazilians 
 aboard would understand, also saying that he was in time 
 for afternoon tea. The party aboard cheered as a boat was 
 sent ashore. It returned bringing Colonel Roosevelt, Colo- 
 nel Rondon and a guide. We asked for Kermit. The 
 Colonel said that he was following the jaguar when they 
 saw^ him last but admonished us not to worry, that he 
 learned not to worry about Kermit in Africa. We then 
 asked about the two Brazilians, and Colonel Rondon ans- 
 wered in Portuguese that they were played out and lying 
 on the ground about a kilometer back in the woods, and 
 that they needed a relief party to bring them in some food 
 and drink before they could reach the steamer. He also 
 stated that Colonel Roosevelt and he had carried the rifles 
 of these two men in addition to their own, their shoes, too, 
 for several hours, until they could go no further; then 
 they had been obliged to leave them to await relief. The 
 Brazilians looked in wonder at each other, with expres- 
 sions of admiration for the "Americain Presidente." 
 
 Colonel Rondon then told of their adventure and their 
 condition — for both were soaking wet — ^with the expla- 
 nation that Colonel Roosevelt and he had crossed several 
 lagoons infected with alligators and reptiles, by swimming, 
 holding their rifles over their heads with one hand and 
 swimming with the other. Both of their watches were 
 ruined, but the men were both very happy, and the Col- 
 onel fairly bubbled with good humor. We ate a combined 
 breakfast, luncheon, afternoon tea and dinner together. 
 Kermit came in at dark, completing the happiness of the 
 party. He had brought with him the two missing ones. 
 
 16 
 
The party had not succeeded in getting near enough 
 to the jaguars for a shot. Their New Year hunt, however, 
 had impressed the party with the stamina and enthusiasm 
 of the Colonel. 
 
 There is another phase of his character which has been 
 demonstrated in many a crucial period of his life, — his 
 great moral courage. An incident occurred during his trip 
 through Chile that I will give you as I remember it as it 
 was told to me by the Colonel's secretary who was present 
 at the occasion. The people of the South American coun- 
 tries were very courteous and when our party arrived at 
 any South American port the Colonel was always received 
 by the Governor of the state or President of the city. They 
 always furnished the Colonel an escort of an Army and 
 Navy officer as a sort of guard of honor. They were splen- 
 did talented young fellows who could always speak French 
 in addition to Spanish or Portuguese. 
 
 In the city of Santiago, Chile, there was a school which 
 had been founded by the Presbyterian Board of Missions. 
 It had originally been a Mission House but had been used 
 as a school and called the American College. Its leader 
 wished Colonel Roosevelt to visit the place and had in- 
 vited him. 
 
 When Colonel Roosevelt arrived at Santiago, Chile, the 
 authorities there provided the Army and Navy officer but 
 in addition a priest was detailed to help take care of the 
 Colonel. For Santiago was the home of the Archbishop 
 of Chile and his Palace was there and also the great Cathe- 
 dral. The priest had been a number of years in Canada so 
 spoke English perfectly. He was a great acquisition to the 
 party, for the Colonel was always an animated questioner 
 and the priest who could answer his questions in his own 
 language afforded him much pleasure. The priest came to 
 his quarters often and Colonel Roosevelt found that he 
 was full of information ; he knew the history of the coun- 
 try and its institutions. 
 
 17 
 
One day the priest came in and said to the Colonel, 
 "Colonel Roosevelt, the Archbishop has charged me to 
 ask you if you would accept a banquet in your honor at 
 his palace?" The Colonel said, "1 thank the Archbishop 
 most heartily; I would like to meet him, but at not so for- 
 mal a thing as a banquet. Could we not have a little lun- 
 cheon or tea just with the Archbishop and several others 
 if he wishes it?" 
 
 So they had the luncheon, a very informal affair it was 
 called. But the band of music alone was over a hundred 
 pieces — and all the representatives of Santiago w^ere there. 
 They had a wonderful time. The occasion was a memor- 
 able one for the city of Santiago. 
 
 The next morning the priest called upon the Colonel 
 and felicitated him upon the wonderful occasion of the 
 afternoon before. The Colonel grew quite enthusiastic 
 as he inquired what this one and that one had said and as 
 the priest translated the Spanish speeches of the day before 
 into good English. 
 
 They had a most delightful time; it was almost a love 
 feast. When the Colonel was feeling at his best the priest 
 said, "Colonel Roosevelt, there is a little matter which has 
 been troubling the Archbishop. In this town there is a 
 little institution called the American College; it is an in- 
 significant and mean little affair, altogether beneath your 
 attention. But we have heard that the leaders of this in- 
 stitution have intended to invite you to their place. Prob- 
 ably they have done so already and, if so, of course, Col- 
 onel Roosevelt, we expect that you will not accept so mean 
 an invitation after you have been a guest of the Arch- 
 bishop and been entertained at his palace. 
 
 The Colonel looked at him and said: "How dare you, 
 Sir! Have you not read. Sir, that I would not be dictated 
 to by the Pope of Rome? And you, Sir, have the supreme 
 affrontery to try to dictate to me whose invitations I shall 
 accept and whose invitations I shall not! I love a good 
 
 18 
 
Catholic! I love a good Protestant! I love any man or 
 woman who is helping these poor people to understand 
 the light of Christ! But I hate a bigot, Sir! And you, Sir, 
 are one of these contemptible bigots who down in these 
 countries place these poor people in ignorance and keep 
 them there! Get out of my quarters, Sir, and don't you 
 ever dare come in here again, Sir!" And the priest went 
 out. 
 
 When I was returning from the Brazilian trip in the lat- 
 ter part of April, 1914, just after the firing at Vera Cruz, 
 the steamer I was on stopped at the Barbados. I was in- 
 troduced to two Mexicans who came aboard there. When 
 they heard that I had been with Colonel Roosevelt in Brazil, 
 one of the said: "Ah, Senor Fiala, you have been with the 
 great Colonel Roosevelt in Brazil: So glad to know you. 
 Do you know, Senor Fiala, that if Colonel Roosevelt had 
 been the President of the United States of North America 
 and he had asked us to fire a salute of 21 shots, Senor 
 Fiala, we would have fired 23." 
 
 Now, gentlemen, I will not take any more of your time. 
 I think this little incident will give you an idea of the won- 
 derful moral •:»nira«g'" of Colonel Roosevelt. He loved 
 truth and honesty and truth for truth's sake, not for what 
 he was going to get out of it. That is what this Club is 
 standing for, for the sake of true exploration. The kind 
 of a man we delight to honor is a man who recognizes his 
 companions, who believes in exploration for what it will 
 do for humanity, and v/ho loves his fellow men. He 
 thought of his fellow men. He was a great American. If 
 we could have only seen v/ith his clear vision, what he 
 prophesied, this country v. c uld be better off. What a man 
 sows, so shall he also reap is true of nations as well as of 
 individuals. 
 
 The CliairniD.n: In twenty-nine trips to South Amer- 
 ica George Cherrie has won many distinctions. The 
 distinction that brings him here tonight is that he was a 
 
 19 
 
friend and companion of Colonel Roosevelt. Naturally I 
 was far away, and cannot say anything of personal know- 
 ledge about the trip, but I have heard from several, and 
 from Colonel Roosevelt's own son that it is probable the 
 Colonel would never have come back if George Cherrie 
 had not been with him. 
 
 Mr. George K. Cherrie 
 
 Just a moment — I don't know what I am going to say 
 tonight ; there is so much that might be said, and I feel that 
 I can say so little. All that I shall attempt to tell you is 
 a few of the little personal reminiscences. But first — Mr. 
 Coles has told you that some people have stated that Col- 
 onel Roosevelt frequently used rough vulgar language. 
 Mr. Coles has himself contradicted the statement and Major 
 Fiala has emphasized the uprightness and dignity of his 
 character, and I wish I might emphasize them a great deal 
 more. In the eight months of our journey together I never 
 heard a vulgar word from Theodore Roosevelt's lips. Never 
 once. It was one of the things that I think speaks most 
 for his character. He was always clean, mentally, spiritu- 
 ally, bodily. 
 
 Now as I have said, I don't feel competent to tell you 
 much about Colonel Roosevelt; but I do want to bring in 
 a few of the incidents that happened on the Brazilian 
 trip, one or two that have occurred since that trip; 
 and perhaps say just a little in a lighter vein. After 
 I learned that I was to accompany the Colonel on the 
 journey through Brazil I felt I was hardly worthy. One 
 day he called me down to his office, he was with the "Out- 
 look " at that time, for a little conference. After we had 
 talked the journey matters over, I don't know just why, 
 but it came into my mind that the Colonel was a little bit 
 opposed to people drinking anything stronger than water, 
 and I thought we had better discuss that. He was busy 
 
 20 
 
writing at his desk, and I sitting off at one side and behind 
 him when 1 said, "Colonel I think perhaps you ought to 
 know a little more about me before you take me on this 
 journey, I think I should tell you that I occasion- 
 ally drink a little." The Colonel went on writing for 
 some time. Finally he whirled around and said, "Cherrie, 
 do you drink?" I said, "Occasionally I take a drink." He 
 said, "Cherrie, what do you drink?" Well, that was a 
 pretty hard question to answer but I replied, "It depends 
 on what is available. The next question was, "How 
 much do you drink?" I said, "All I want." To which 
 he replied, "That is all right; just keep on." 
 
 I have always thought it strange, since I had the 
 opportunity to know him and know hira intimately, — be- 
 cause I feel that I did know him very intimately, — how 
 any man could be brought in close personal contact with 
 Colonel Rosevelt without loving the man. 
 
 I am going to tell you of an incident that occurred on 
 the steamer on our way to Brazil. I don't know whether 
 Mr. Fiala remembers it or not. A manufacturer whose 
 name I have forgotten, quite a wealthy man, from one of 
 the western cities, was a passenger, with his wife and 
 daughter. One morning on deck I met our friend the 
 western manufacturer. We talked for a few minutes, 
 when he turned to me and said, "How about this fellow 
 Roosevelt?" I replied, "I don't understand you." "Well," 
 he says, "I don't think much of the man." I said, "I 
 am very sorry, but I don't see that I can assist you in any 
 way." However I turned to him and asked, "Do you 
 know Colonel Roosevelt?" "No," he said, "I don't 
 and I don't want to." I said "Your's is a pretty bad case." 
 Just at that moment Colonel Roosevelt came on deck 
 walking toward us. As we passed I stopped, and without 
 asking the man's permission, I said, "Colonel Roosevelt, 
 I would like to have you meet my friend Mr." so and so. 
 The manufacturer gave a very reserved "glad to know 
 
 21 
 
you," but finally unbent and we three stood and talked 
 together. Under the Colonel's magnetism I saw our 
 manufacturer was getting interested, (and the Colonel 
 was always interested in meeting people), so 1 slipped 
 away. Coming back a little later I found the two walking 
 up and down the deck together, discussing problems, — I 
 don't know what. Here I must go back a little in my 
 story. The manufacturer had told me, before the Colonel 
 appeared, that at the previous election he had traveled 
 5,000 miles to vote against Roosevelt. The next morning 
 on deck the first man I met was the manufacturer. He 
 came down towards me w^alking rapidly, and said, "Mr. 
 Cherrie, yesterday I told you I travelled 5,000 miles to 
 vote against Roosevelt; today I would travel 10,000 miles 
 to vote for him." 
 
 The Colonel was always able to make friends, and 
 made them very very quickly. Now I am going to tell 
 a story about him before I forget it, because it illustrates 
 the man. He was always doing things for someone else. 
 He wasn't thinking of Roosevelt; he was thinking of 
 others always. The story is of a man by the name of 
 Cherrie; it isn't this Cherrie. After we returned from 
 our South American trip the Colonel made a campaign 
 trip throughout the middle west, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, and 
 several of the other States. I had expected to accompany 
 him, and was with him at several points, but when he 
 came into Iowa, my native State, I wanted especially to 
 be with him. Before he left New York I told him I would 
 meet him at Boone, Iowa. However, finding I could not 
 keep the engagement, I sent a telegram that I was 
 unable to meet him at Boone, but would meet him at 
 Ames, Iowa. O. K. Davis was campaign manager at the 
 time, and told me the story. He said, "We reached Ames, 
 and the Colonel asked, 'Davis, hasn't Cherrie shown up 
 yet? " "No," said Davis, "I haven't seen him." They 
 were in a little hotel on the second floor, with a veranda 
 
 22 
 
in front of the room. There was a crowd gathered, and 
 the Colonel stepping out on the veranda looked over the 
 crowd, and called out "Is George Cherrie present?" Some- 
 body said "Yes." "Well, come in," said the Colonel. A 
 few minutes later there was a knock on the door, and 
 in response to Davis* "Come in," a young boy walked 
 in. Davis asked, "Young man, what do you want?" The 
 boy replied, "My name is George Cherrie." Davis looked 
 at him and said, "George, you have changed consider- 
 ably." However, he invited the boy to come in and 
 opening the door to the room where Colonel Roosevelt 
 was busy writing, pushed him in. The Colonel looked 
 around, and said 'Good morning, young man; who are 
 you?' The boy said, 'I am George Cherrie. You called me 
 to come in.' The Colonel whirled around and looking 
 him square in the face said, 'Yes, you are a Cherrie.' " 
 This George Cherrie was my brother's son. After the 
 boy had explained just who he was, the Colonel asked, 
 "Are you busy today?" "No." "Well I am going to Des 
 Moines tonight," — in the meantime the Colonel had 
 received a telegram to the effect that I would be in Des 
 Moines — "and I want you to go down to Des Moines, 
 and go in my private car with me." You can all imagine 
 how the 15-year-old boy felt at that. It illustrates per- 
 fectly the Colonel's wanting to make other people happy. 
 The boy said he would have to go and ask his mother. 
 It is unnecessary to say that the mother gave her consent. 
 
 Mr. Fiala and others have told us about the Colonel's 
 ability to remember. I learned very early in the journey 
 that this was true. While we were on the steamer we 
 frequently discussed zoological problems, particularly 
 ornithology. I would tell him my belief in regard to this 
 or that; but long before we reached the River of Doubt 
 I found I must be exceedingly careful in my statements, 
 because he was apt to come back at me, and say "Here, 
 Cherrie, back such and such a time you told me this and 
 
 23 
 
that, and now you are telling me another story about 
 the same thing." 
 
 Just a little now about the River of Doubt, of which 
 there isn't any doubt in the minds of any of us who went 
 down the stream. I don't think any of us would have 
 come out had the Colonel not been with us. And yet 
 the Colonel almost stayed there. There were a good many 
 days, a good many mornings, when I looked at Colonel 
 Roosevelt and said to myself, he won't be with us tonight ; 
 and I would say the same thing in the evening, he can't 
 possibly live until morning. I can't speak of the others, 
 but I know as far as Kermit and myself were concerned, 
 the fact that the Colonel was with us gave us energy to 
 do things we couldn't possibly have done otherwise. Mr. 
 Coles and Mr. Fiala have both spoken about the Colonel's 
 individual strength. It brings to my mind one day after 
 we had lost three or four canoes, and were in dire straits 
 indeed. We had some down to the foot of a long rapids, 
 and the canoe men were to run the rapids with the empty 
 canoes. We had carried the contents to the foot of the 
 rapids, and the men had succeeded in getting down most 
 of the canoes successfully. I had wandered away from 
 the rest of the party, and was at the foot of the rapids, 
 watching the canoe men coming down. They had a 
 balsa, two boats lashed together side by side, an unwieldy 
 craft that was caught in the angry whirl of waters 
 and capsized. By some strange chance the two canoes 
 instead of being whirled away and crushed were 
 thrust down and held by the force of the current against 
 some rocks. The two canoe men had managed to keep 
 hold of the canoes and stood waist deep exerting all their 
 strength to try and hold them, although as a matter of 
 fact it was hardly necessary, for the force of the current 
 held the boats. I rushed in but couldn't do anything 
 alone, so getting out I ran as fast as I could to the foot 
 of the rapids, and gave the alarm "two boats are capsized 
 and held against the rocks by the current, if they wash 
 
 24 
 
loose they will be crushed among the boulders." The 
 Colonel and other members of the party responded 
 instantly, but the Colonel was the first one in the water. 
 We all followed as quickly as we could, and working in 
 the water up to our armpits, finally, with our united 
 efforts, we were able to raise the two boats, and save 
 them. 
 
 At that time the Colonel received a severe bruise on 
 one of his legs, a wound that troubled him from that time 
 forward. Indeed, it was the first night after that accident 
 that he was seriously ill, his temperature going up to 
 something like 105°. From that time on he was a very 
 sick man. 
 
 We lost one boat after another, and lost so much of 
 our food that we were on very much less than half rations. 
 Kermit and I had to watch the Colonel to prevent his 
 giving to the camaradas his share of the food. He began 
 to fail, almost immediately after he was sick with the 
 fever. He seemed to feel that he was a burden, that he 
 wasn't helping. Whenever either Kermit or I would 
 protest about his giving his portion of the food to the 
 canoe men he would say, I can't do anything to help and 
 they need the food. We had to watch him constantly, 
 and reached the point where if he didn't eat all of his 
 share either Kermit or I would take what was left and 
 guard it until a later meal. We had so very little that 
 every mouthful counted at that time. 
 
 Finally, we reached a point in the river where the 
 stream cut its course through a range of hills, rushing 
 down through a very narrow gorge for 300 yards. The 
 walls of the canyon here where nearly vertical, coming 
 
 down right to the water's edge. On our arrival at that 
 point we made our camp at the head of the rapids, just 
 before they plunge down through the canyon, while Colo- 
 nel Rondon and Lieutenant Lyra went ahead to make an 
 examination; to see if it would be possible for us to get 
 
 25 
 
our four remaining canoes down. I shall never forget 
 the look on Colonel Rondon's face when he returned 
 and reported. "We will have to abandon all our canoes, 
 and every man fight for himself." Had we abandoned 
 the canoes at that point I don't believe that any member 
 of our party would have come out ; it would have simply 
 been folly. The Indians were on all sides, although we 
 were never attacked. But the fate of a later expedition 
 that the Brazilian Government sent down through the 
 same stream has proved that the Indians would have been 
 very hostile. They were hostile to the second expedition, 
 in fact annihilating the party completely. That night 
 Colonel Roosevelt called Kermit and me to him and said — 
 he was unable to walk, — he turned first to me and said, 
 "Cherrie, I want you and Kermit to go ahead. We have 
 reached the point where some of us must stop. I feel 
 I am only a burden to the party." He was prepared 
 to make the great sacrifice. It isn't necessary for 
 me to say that both Kermit and I immediately said and 
 did everything that was in our power — there wasn't a 
 moment from that time forward that either Kermit or 
 myself didn't watch the Colonel, to prevent him from 
 carrying out what he felt w^as a necessity, that is, that 
 he must relieve the party of what he considered a burden 
 to the party. Thank God he came through. 
 
 "All credit should be given to Kermit for our 
 finally getting our canoes through the narrow canyon. 
 We worked there nearly a week, and succeeded 
 in getting three canoes down safely. The few supplies 
 still remaining had to be carried over the divide or range 
 of hills. I assisted the Colonel, and we spent the entire 
 day making the trip over the hill and down to the foot 
 of the rapids. We had learned long before that wherever 
 the stream entered among the hills that we were in for 
 trouble. From the top of this range we could look down 
 and see the River of Doubt. (At that time it was the River 
 Roosevelt. We had long before passed the point where 
 
 26 
 
Colonel Rondon had rechristened the stream), Hke an 
 arrow of light between the walls of green forest, finally 
 disappearing among the hills in the distance. I am sure 
 every member of our party, as he looked from the top 
 of that divide and saw where the river disappeared, felt 
 his heart sink with dread. We were so weak from the 
 lack of food, the lack of proper food. We had been eat- 
 ing a great deal of the tops of the palms at that time, 
 and eating it raw. It tastes a little bit like celery when 
 fresh. We had nothing else a good many days. We 
 could not possibly have made another long carry or fight 
 with rapids. 
 
 During the night when we camped at the foot of 
 the canyon, Kermit was on his watch, I could have reached 
 the Colonel from my hammock. I had been dozing off, 
 and was awakened with the murmur of voices, 
 the Colonel and Kermit talking. The first thing I heard 
 was the Colonel saying to Kermit, "Did Cherrie have a 
 good dinner tonight?" As a matter of fact we hadn't had 
 very much of anything. Kermit said, "Yes, father, Cherrie 
 had a fine dinner." "That is good," said the Colonel, and 
 there the conversation dropped. Speaking of a good dinner, 
 when food was scarcest and tkings looked most gloomy 
 the Colonel and I had a great many talks about what 
 we were going to have when we got out. I don't think 
 either of us expected to come out. But the Colonel and 
 I would tell what we were going to have as soon as we 
 got out. My favorite dish, when I got home, was going 
 to be pancakes and maple syrup with cream. The Colonel 
 said he was going to have mutton chops with the tail 
 to them. Kermit would listen as long as he could, and 
 finally would get up and go away where he couldn't hear 
 us talking about things to eat. Perhaps I might tell a 
 little bit more about Kermit and myself. Maybe I shouldn't 
 be proud of this story, but I am nevertheless. Kermit 
 and I had two or three bottles of whiskey. We felt the 
 need of spiritual help occasionally on the stream going 
 
 27 
 
down. The first bottle disappeared quickly; we had quite 
 generous drinks. The second bottle went very much 
 slower. When we got the third bottle out the first 
 night, we held it up and took a pencil and marked off: 
 this is the I 0th, the 1 1 th, the I 2th, 1 3th, 1 4th, 1 5th,— 
 marked off the amount we could take from that. We 
 figured we had gone down 200 miles, and only had 400 
 miles more to go. So you can imagine the marks were 
 close together on the bottle. The Colonel would watch 
 us when we looked longingly at the bottle, and said "I 
 am sorry I can't enjoy that; but I wouldn't, if I could. 
 It would take too much away from your pleasure." 
 
 There was never once in that journey that Colonel 
 Roosevelt didn't think first of someone else. It was his 
 wish to be useful to others always. Whenever one of 
 the canoemen was ill the Colonel was the first to inquire 
 about the man. There is nothing that I am so grateful 
 for as the fact that I knew Colonel Roosevelt, and knew 
 him intimately. Knowing him was an inspiration, and, 
 — well, — I don't know how to express it, so I guess I 
 had better not try, I think I have said all 1 can tonight. 
 I wish it might have been a great deal more, but it has 
 been just as it came to me. 
 
 I was in the consulate at La Guayra, Venezuela, when 
 the Consul received the cable announcing Colonel Roose- 
 velt's death, he handed it to me without a word. When 
 I read that message the tears came to my eyes — as they 
 do now. 
 
 The Chairman: In a studio on the second floor 
 of the American Museum there is growing now from 
 clay a lion, that has all the alertness and power that 
 belonged both to the real lion in Africa and to Colonel 
 Roosevelt. Carl Akeley will tell us of memories of 
 Colonel Roosevelt and I hope of memorials to Colonel 
 Roosevelt. 
 
 28 
 
Mr. Carl Akeley 
 
 I am perfectly sure that the members of no organiza- 
 tion in the City of New York or in the county have ever 
 listened to so interesting a series of intimate talks on 
 Roosevelt as we have had tonight. These talks were made 
 by men who knew him in the field, in camp, and on the 
 long hard trail where the best and the worst that is in a 
 man is certain to assert itself. These men knew, and 
 knowing, loved Theodore Roosevelt. 
 
 It was never my good fortune to be a member of a 
 Roosevelt Expedition, but it was in the field that my 
 admiration for him developed into a deep and sincere 
 affection. It was in Africa — he had been there for many 
 months and I was fresh from home. We had had an 
 interesting morning with elephants that was not without 
 its thrills. All our companions and followers had returned 
 to camp for supplies and we made ourselves comfortable 
 in the shade of an acacia tree to await their return. He 
 spoke then of those things nearest his heart — his family 
 and the future of his boys — and I realized then that I 
 had not known him before. 
 
 The Colonel frequently called me down pretty hard 
 for not doing certain things, things for which I never 
 seemed able to find time. But now that he is gone I 
 feel that the things he wanted me to do are all important 
 and must take precedence over all else. I know that 
 many who knew him share this feeling — an incredible 
 desire to do the things he would have wished and 
 approved. So I feel that Colonel Roosevelt is still with 
 us, a greater, stronger, more impelling force than ever. 
 It was not Theodore Roosevelt who died at Sagamore 
 Hill on that fateful morning in January, but the rank 
 and file of his enemies were mowed down by the grim 
 reaper. Theodore Roosevelt is now more than ever our 
 big National asset if those who are left do their simple 
 
 29 
 
and obvious duty — to perpetuate the traditions and 
 ideals for which he stood. 
 
 One of the important means to this end is the estab- 
 lishment of memorials. I wish that these might be in 
 such abundance that every boy and girl would be made 
 familiar with the name of Theodore Roosevelt from 
 childhood. The small boy in his "Injun" and "Cowboy" 
 days will find in the life and writings of Roosevelt abun- 
 dant inspiration to deeds of adventure and valour always 
 with a background of sportsmanship and manliness, an 
 ideal idol for Americans through all periods of life and 
 in all relations with life from childhood to old age. 
 
 That Memorials to Roosevelt will be erected through- 
 out the land there is no doubt. At the present time count- 
 less plans are under consideration. The Roosevelt Mem- 
 orial Association, a national organization, has under way 
 three definite projects, the Roosevelt Memorial Park at 
 Oyster Bay, a National Monument in Washington, and 
 a Foundation for the development and application of the 
 policies and ideals of Theodore Roosevelt for the benefit 
 of the American people. 
 
 Our fellow member, Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, is Chair- 
 man of the National Committee on the Roosevelt Mem- 
 orial Bird Fountain. The purpose of this organization 
 is to erect a beautiful fountain commemorative of the 
 work of Roosevelt in the Conservation of Bird Life. The 
 opportunity to contribute to this fund is open and there 
 should be a hearty response from the members and friends 
 of the Explorers Club for we are all lovers of wild life and 
 the Great American who has done more for its conservation 
 than any other man. 
 
 The Chairman: I don't know much about the 
 proprieties and etiquette of meetings of this sort, and I 
 regret to say I don't know as much as some of you do 
 about the constitution of our club. I don't know just what 
 
 30 
 
such a meeting may or may not do, according to our 
 fundamental law. But I do think we want to support 
 big projects such as that outlined by Mr. Coles, and the 
 things that Mr. Akeley has mentioned; and one thing 
 that does come within our province, is to act upon 
 Major Fiala's suggestion, that we do something to deser- 
 vedly recognize the work of Colonel Rondon. I will read 
 again a section from Colonel Roosevelt's letter that deals 
 with Colonel Rondon: 
 
 "He has had no proper recognition of his really 
 great feats, although I tried to get both the English 
 and American Geographic Societies to do as they 
 ought to have done for him." 
 
 There is probably nothing we could do that would 
 please Colonel Roosevelt better, and it certainly agrees 
 with our own sentiments too, so I suggest that the mat- 
 ter be discussed, and if you feel like that a motion be 
 made with this end in view. 
 
 Mr. Akeley: I will make the motion to award to 
 Colonel Rondon the medal of the Explorers' Club, with 
 such inscription as may be proper, (motion seconded.) 
 
 The Chairman: Though this medal will be struck 
 in bronze it signifies the highest honor within the power 
 of the Club to bestow. You have heard the motion and 
 it seems to me such a well understood matter needs no 
 discussion. 
 
 (The Chairman then put the motion, and de- 
 clared the same to be unanimously carried.) 
 
 The Chairman: The Secretary needs no instruc- 
 tions in the matter, and will take the regular steps to in- 
 form Colonel Rondon concerning the action of the Club. 
 
 If there is nothing further to come before the meeting 
 a motion to adjourn is in order. 
 
 Adjourned 
 31