|
In 1914 TR decided to make a lecture trip to South America. Only
a small amount of exploring was initially planned. Once in Brazil,
however, plans were formed to explore an unmapped river, the River
of Doubt which flowed from the interior to the Amazon. Colonel Rondon
(right) and Colonel Roosevelt along with Kermit and about 20 others
began the journey. |
 |
 |
The
expedition members faced insects, floods, hostile natives and capsizing
canoes. Several members of the party were lost including one who
went insane and killed another before running off into the jungle.
Kermit who had postponed his wedding to join his father on the trip
nearly died when he was swept over a falls. |
| Theodore
lost 57 pounds during the journey and nearly died from malaria and
dysentery. After a major exploration of 1500 miles they had acquired
a significant collection for the American Museum of Natural History. |
 |
| A
much older Roosevelt returned from Brazil to fight for US entry
into the war. Roosevelt firmly believed in the need for a well prepared
army and navy particularly in light of German aggression against
Belgium, France and Britain and potentially the US. He worked hard
but from the sidelines. Here in Sept of 1915 he has made a visit
to Quebec. [with guide] |
 |
