Theodore Roosevelt

After the 1912 election, Theodore Roosevelt decided to take a trip to Brazil. He took his son Kermit with him on his journey. When he arrived he was encountered by their Foreign Ministry. They offered him the opportunity to explore the uncharted river of Brazil called, “The River of Doubt.” He accepted the offer and set out with Kermit, and Brazil’s own Colonel Candido Randon. They started their expedition in canoes in the river. The canoes were tossed around in the rapids like rag dolls. In the water were 15-ft caimans and razor sharp toothed piranhas that swam underneath them. Kermit was tossed form his canoe and was almost killed. Once they could go no farther in the canoes; they began to travel through the jungle. They encountered a group of indigenous tribesmen known as the Cinta Larga, or Wide Belts. They saw many different species of birds and other animals that were never seen before. Many bees stung them on their expedition. Swarms of bees would come at a time sting over 100 times. Lack of food and starvation became a problem. They started eating monkey meat to try to cure their hunger and starvation. The weather was very hot and humid. This made matters even worse. On top of starvation they were sweating profusely. They became dehydrated with lack of clean drinking water. They were starving and thirsty. Roosevelt cut his leg on a boulder. That cut became infected, giving him a fever. He was about to die so he told his crew to go on without him. He made it to the end of the trip. Him and his crew mapped the 1,000 mile famous River of Doubt.