I learned Theodore Roosevelt carried a lethal dose of morphine for years. He had taken it down the American West, African Savanna, and doe the River of Doubt. In December 1913, 55 year old Roosevelt and a small group of men embarked on a journey to explore Brazils River of Doubt. Roosevelt had cut his leg on a bolder and got malaria, potentially deadly bacteria on his leg, his temperature reached 105 degrees. I also learned that Roosevelt told his son Kermit, and his friend Cherrie to go on without him and that he would stay right where he was. Roosevelt went to South America after the 1912 election because he wanted to get away. Roosevelt went to go see his son Kermit who was working in Brazil and to take a quiet collecting trip in the amazon. When Roosevelt got to Brazil the foreign minister offer Roosevelt a chance to explore an unmapped river. The River was called the River of Doubt. Just to get to the river Roosevelt and his men had a hard month-long journey across the Brazilian Highlands. Once on the river they had small canoes they had bought from tribesmen that sat right before the water, and under them was piranhas and 15 feet long black caimans. Many of the men including Kermit and Roosevelt got malaria from all of the insects they encountered. Hidden in the rain forest were also indigenous tribesmen later known as Cinta Larga, or Wide Belts. They didn’t allow them self’s to be seen by Roosevelt or his men. Colonel Rondon was out hunting with his dogs and the indigoes tribe/ Indians got his dog and killed him. He responded by leaving Presents for the Indians trying to show friendship and respect. Colonel Rondon told his troops if they encounter tribes, “die if you must but never kill” his kindness toward them had avoided a massacre. With Rondons help on the expedition they still lost one life and nearly Kermit’s life, Roosevelt was scared he would lose his life in the expedition and most important his son. Once the expedition reached a nearly impossible set of rapids which was a set of six waterfalls and the last on being 30 foot drop seemed impossible Roosevelt who was gravely ill and his men beaten down men were ready to be done, but Kermit wasn’t ready to give up. Kermit with Cherrie at his side used his rope skills to save them by using dugouts to lower the canoes, he ended up saving them. All but three men made it out of the expedition, and the river was later named Rio Roosevelt.
Brett Kaminski
