Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Smithsonian-Roosevelt Expedition of 1909-1910


In 1909, ex-President Teddy Roosevelt went on safari with his son to eastern Africa in order to stock the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. In his 1910 book, African Game Trails; An Account of the African Wanderings of an American Hunter-Naturalist, Roosevelt presents the 512-animal tally for himself and his son, Kermit.

Kermit and I kept about a dozen trophies for ourselves; otherwise we shot nothing that was not used either as a museum specimen or for meat—usually for both purposes. We were in hunting grounds practically as good as any that have ever existed, but we did not kill a tenth, nor a hundredth part of what we might have killed had we been willing. The mere size of the bag indicates little as to a man’s prowess as a hunter, and almost nothing as to the interest or value of his achievement.

LIST OF GAME SHOT WITH THE RIFLE DURING THE TRIP

  • Lion: TR, 9; Kermit, 8
  • Leopard: TR, 0; Kermit, 3
  • Cheetah: TR, 0; Kermit, 7
  • Hyena: TR, 5; Kermit, 4
  • Elephant: TR, 8; Kermit, 3
  • Square-mouthed (white) rhinoceros: TR, 5; Kermit, 4
  • Hook-lipped (black) rhinoceros: TR, 8; Kermit, 3
  • Hippopotamus: TR, 7; Kermit, 1
  • Warthog: TR, 8; Kermit, 4
  • Common zebra: TR, 15; Kermit, 4
  • Big or Grévy’s zebra: TR, 5; Kermit, 5
  • Giraffe: TR, 7; Kermit, 2
  • Buffalo: TR, 6; Kermit, 4
  • Giant eland: TR, 1; Kermit, 2
  • Common eland: TR, 5; Kermit, 2
  • Bongo: TR, 0; Kermit, 2
  • Kudu: TR, 0; Kermit, 2
  • Situtunga: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Bushbuck (East African): TR, 2; Kermit, 4
  • Bushbuck (Uganda harnessed): TR, 1; Kermit, 2
  • Bushbuck (Nile harnessed): TR, 3; Kermit, 3
  • Sable: TR, 0; Kermit, 3
  • Roan: TR, 4; Kermit, 5
  • Oryx: TR, 10; Kermit, 3
  • Wildebeest: TR, 5; Kermit, 2
  • Neuman’s hartebeest: TR, 0; Kermit, 3
  • Coke’s hartebeest: TR, 10; Kermit, 3
  • Big hartebeest (Jackson): TR, 14; Kermit, 7
  • Big hartebeest (Uganda): TR, 1; Kermit, 3
  • Big hartebeest (Nilotic): TR, 8; Kermit, 4
  • Topi: TR, 12; Kermit, 4
  • Common waterbuck: TR, 5; Kermit, 3
  • Singsing waterbuck: TR, 6; Kermit, 6
  • Common kob: TR, 10; Kermit, 6
  • Vaughn’s kob: TR, 1; Kermit, 2
  • White-eared kob: TR, 3; Kermit, 2
  • Saddle-backed lechwe: TR, 3; Kermit, 1
  • Bohor reedbuck: TR, 10; Kermit, 4
  • Chanler’s buck: TR, 3; Kermit, 4
  • Impalla: TR, 7; Kermit, 5
  • Big gazelle (Granti): TR, 5; Kermit, 3
  • Big gazelle (Robertsi): TR, 4; Kermit, 6
  • Big gazelle (Notata): TR, 8; Kermit, 1
  • Thomson’s gazelle: TR, 11; Kermit, 9
  • Gerenuk: TR, 3; Kermit, 2
  • Klipspringer: TR, 1; Kermit, 3
  • Oribi: TR, 18; Kermit, 8
  • Duiker: TR, 3; Kermit, 2
  • Steinbuck: TR, 4; Kermit, 2
  • Dikdik: TR, 1; Kermit, 1
  • Baboon: TR, 0; Kermit, 3
  • Red ground monkey: TR, 1; Kermit, 0
  • Green monkey: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Black and white monkey: TR, 5; Kermit, 4
  • Serval: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Jackal: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Aardwolf: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Rattel: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Porcupine: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Ostrich: TR, 2; Kermit, 0
  • Great bustard: TR, 4 (1 on the wing); Kermit, 3 (1 on the wing)
  • Lesser bustard: TR, 1; Kermit, 1
  • Kavirondo crane: TR, 2 (on the wing); Kermit, 1 (on the wing)
  • Flamingo: TR, 0; Kermit, 4
  • Whale-headed stork: TR, 1; Kermit, 1 (on the wing)
  • Marabou: TR, 1; Kermit, 1
  • Saddle-billed stork: TR, 1 (on the wing); Kermit, 0
  • Ibis stork: TR, 2 (1 on the wing); Kermit, 0
  • Pelican: TR, 1; Kermit, 0
  • Guinea-fowl: TR, 5; Kermit, 5
  • Francolin: TR, 1; Kermit, 2
  • Fish eagle: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Vulture: TR, 0; Kermit, 2
  • Crocodile: TR, 1; Kermit, 3
  • Monitor: TR, 0; Kermit, 1
  • Python: TR, 3; Kermit, 1

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