Hunting

James Simpson

Roosevelt Roosevelt

Museum trip

Will hie

To aim at a stag on a Pamir crag while goiter'd gazelles stand by.

Theodore & Kermit

Roosevelt Roosevelt

Say to the world

Say they:

"Whatever

"The place

"That the wild

"Beasts race

"The Roosevelts,

"Too,

"Will play."

Thus mused a more political than scientific-minded bard on the expedition to be known as the James Simpson-Roosevelt-Field Expedition into the Pamir region of Asia. Taking the poet's points in order :

James Simpson. He furnishes the funds. He, aged 50, is President and General Manager of Marshall Field & Co., great Chicago merchants. Born at Glasgow, he came to the U. S. at the age of six, had a brief education and, when he was 17, became a clerk in the cashier's office of Marshall Field & Co. Within a year the discerning Marshall Field had made him his confidential clerk. At Mr. Field's death, Simpson, then 32, became Second Vice President of the firm in association with such prominent men as Potter Palmer, Harlow N. Higinbotham, John G. Shedd, Henry T. Willing, H. Gordon Self ridge. The towheaded young Scotchman, alert and hardworking, made his way among them. He is not a great talker, but generally says what he thinks. Once in his younger days he went to Mr. Field demanding a raise of pay.

"Young man," said Field, "when I was your age I was getting only $3 a week."

"Well, Mr. Field," said the canny Scot, "perhaps you weren't worth any more." *

Now he has had enough raises to enable him to send an expedition to the other side of the world.

Roosevelt Roosevelt. These are Theodore Jr. and Kermit, sons of the late big game hunter. Colonel Roosevelt Jr., 37, has had the least experience of any of the party in the kind of work that has been undertaken. He said to reporters : "If you must say I am following in my father's footsteps, at least please add that it takes a damn tough man to do it."

Kermit is 35, and has been on several expeditions, including the "River of Doubt" trip with his father, in South America. The only other white man in the party (there will be but three, because white men require toe much luggage) will be George K. Cherrie, trained explorer and naturalist, some 60 years of age, who likewise accompanied the elder Roosevelt on his South American trip.

The Object. The expedition will go to India this spring, ascend the Indus and establish a base in the Vale of Kashmir about May. Mr. Cherrie is to be the advance agent, preparing arrangements there before the Roosevelts arrive. In early May or June, as soon as the snow melts from the passes of the Himalayas, the party will cross and continue its explorations on the plateau of Pamir and beyond toward the Tian Shan Mountains.

The object will be to bring back specimens of the fauna of that region, still largely unknown. The specimens will go to the Field Museum in Chicago, of which Stanley Field is now President.

The descriptions brought back by Marco Polo several centuries ago furnished the first account of that strange land. The animals sought are the Ovis Poli, or great sheep described by Polo, the yarklandstag, the ibex of Tian Shan, the goitered gazelle, the long-haired tiger, and the markhor (large goat).

A good part of the trip will be at altitudes well over 18,000 feet, some will be in lowland jungles, but all will be in extremes of climate.

Hear what Marco Polo said of this region :*

"Here, between two ranges, you perceive a large lake, from which flows a handsome river that pursues its course along an extensive plain covered with the richest verdure. Such indeed is its quality that the leanest catt!e turned upon it would become fat in the course of ten days. In this plain there are wild animals in great numbers, particularly sheep of a large size, having horns three, four and even six palms in length. Of these the shepherds form ladles and vessels for holding their victuals; and with the same materials they construct fences for enclosing their cattle and securing them against the wolves. . . . For twelve days the course is along this elevated plain, which is named Pamir; and, as during all that time you do not meet with any habitations, it is necessary to make provision at the outset accordingly. So great is the height of the mountains that no birds are to be seen near their summits; and however extraordinary it may be thought, it was affirmed that, from the keenness of the air, fires when lighted do not give the same heat as in lower situations, nor produce the same effect in dressing victuals. /-

"After having performed this journey of twelve days, you have still 40 days to travel in the same direction, over mountains and through valleys, in perpetual succession, passing many rivers and desert tracts, without seeing any habitations or the appearance of verdure. . . . Even amid the highest of these mountains, there lives a tribe of savage, ill-disposed and idolatrous people."

*For about 401 years, most of Marco Polo's stories were considered pure fairy tales. Recent explorations and discoveries are proving his authenticity.

/- Because of decreased atmospheric pressure, water boils before 212DEG Fahrenheit, and food must be cooked longer.