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{PDF EPUB} Dragon Hunter Roy Chapman Andrews Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Dragon Hunter Roy Chapman Andrews & the Central Asiatic Expeditions by Charles Gallenkamp Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews & the Central Asiatic Expeditions by Charles Gallenkamp. Dragon Hunter is the biography of Roy Chapman Andrews. A real life Indiana Jones, Andrews may have actually been the model for this fictional character. While this book offers the reader a comprehensive overview of Andrews life and work, the main focus of this biography is Andrews' expeditions to Central Asia, which took place between 1922 and 1930. A palaeontologist, Andrews led five expeditions to the Gobi Desert in search of prehistoric human fossils. He hoped to prove that human life originated in Asia, and not in Africa. While the expedition never found any ancient, human remains, they did find a plethora of animal and floral remains, including several clutches of dinosaur eggs. Andrews' Central Asiatic Expeditions where conducted under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History. And they were financed by some of the biggest names on Wall Street, including J. P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller. While the expeditions were a failure in that they never found what they were looking for - human fossils, they were nonetheless an unmitigated success. Andrews' discoveries where to influence the science of palenotology, and they were to help us better understand the science of evolution. His discoveries also helped fuel the ongoing, religiously based, controversy over the theory of evolution, a subject which was being hotly debated in the U.S. at the time of the expeditions. While in the Gobi, Andrews did more than just hunt for fossils. He made a geological and geographical survey of the region, and, on the side, he spied for the U.S. against the Chinese. Andrews was a complicated man. He was arrogant and passionate. He was a man who knew what he wanted, and did not let anything stand in his way of achieving his goals. He was a poor scholar yet his work was destined to make numerous scientific discoveries, including many first of their kind discoveries, such as finding the first Velociraptor skeleton. Although he worked for the American Museum of Natural History, and was destined to become its director, he disliked the job of running the museum - it kept him from his first love - exploration. He was, however, a phenomenal showman, who joyously worked to promote himself. Charles Gallenkamp spent many years researching Andrews life before settling down to write his biography. He does not try to analysis why Andrews acted the way he did, but what he does do is to paint a comprehensive picture of who the man was and what he accomplished. This remarkable work will enthrall both the general reader and the academician. It recounts Andrews' discoveries, his adventures, and the scientific and political ramifications of his work. Gallenkamp's treatment of Andrews is fair and unbiased. Gallenkamp, is however, a respected archeologist in his own right. Throughout this book he unabashedly promotes the wonders of archaeology and the almost undescribable sense of joy that one feels when uncovering even the tiniest bit of the past. This unabridged audio of edition of Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions is read by Scott Brick who brings a passion of his own to the reading. I greatly enjoy listening to books in which it is obvious that the reader is thoroughly enjoying his or her job, and Brick truly seemed to be as enchanted with this book as I was. The narrative is well-written, and the story is so outstanding that you'll have to keep reminding yourself that it is not fiction! Comets: Creators and Destroyers , By David H. Levy According to current theories, it was a comet that spelled doom for the dinosaurs and it's only be a matter of time before we are next. (Audio) Asiatic Expedition (2nd : 1918-1919) In late 1918 Roy Chapman Andrews was stationed in Beijing for his Naval wartime work, which required him to make exploratory excursions that introduced him to Mongolia. Having already explored the Yunnan Province in 1916-1917, he realized the potential and necessity for more investigation of this region. “A beginning had already been made in the zoological work by the First Asiatic Expedition to southwestern China and along the borders of Tibet in 1916-17. The second expedition was to extend the work in Mongolia. It is hoped that in the near future expeditions will leave the Museum to initiate similar investigations in paleontology, archaeology, and anthropology.” (1) The expedition had a very moderate proposed cost of $7500, which was approved by Museum President Henry Fairfield Osborn and supplied by both Museum and sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Bernheimer, who had also helped fund the First Expedition. (2) The expedition would take part in the summer months of 1919 and use Urga (modern Ulaanbaatar) as base camp to travel south and north. By February of 1919, plans were in place and supplies and equipment were sent ahead by caravan. They would travel by automobile back and forth across the desert to their base camp at Urga. This was Andrews’ first foray with that means of transportation for expedition work. For the camping trips into the desert they would use horses and carts to travel. On the trip from Kalgan to Urga in May 1919, the Andrews were accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Coltman, and Mr. and Mrs. Ted MacCallie. Andrews nicknamed the group the “Grouchless Gang” and it appears to have been a very social journey. They were also joined by Owen, a soldier hired to drive one of the automobiles, Lu, the expedition cook, Chen and Kang, two Chinese taxidermists hired by Andrews to assist with collecting and preparation, and a young lama engaged as guide. Along the way across the desert they were able to photograph antelopes at great speed, as well as collect specimens. (3) After reaching Urga, Roy and Yvette, along with the expedition personnel, began a series of camping trips to collect and survey the area. They spent the summer between the plains in the south and the forests north of Urga. (4) By October the specimens were on a caravan to Beijing and Roy and Yvette Andrews were following by automobile. In Beijing, Andrews reunited with Harry R. Caldwell, the Missionary and big-game hunter he had accompanied in the 1916 expedition. In November they traveled south from Beijing to the Shanxi Province in search of the large mountain ram, or argali which were desired for the Museum collection. (5) Andrews also hunted in Central Shanxi with Everett Smith to acquire wild boar specimens. In all, the expedition amassed almost 2000 specimens including the argali, elk, antelope, goral, wild boar, tiger, and serow, as well as smaller mammals. (6) Having completed collecting all that they set out to, by February 1920 the Andrews family had returned to New York, where he seemingly inexhaustible Roy immediately set out to plan and promote his next set of expeditions. Sources. (1) Roy Chapman Andrews, "Urga, the Sacred City of the Living Buddha," Harper's Monthly Magazine 141, no. 842 (1920): 147. (2) Charles Gallenkamp, Dragon hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic expeditions (New York: Viking, 2001), 75. (3) Roy Chapman Andrews, Across Mongolian Plains A Naturalist's Account of China's 'Great Northwest' (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1921), 42-47. (4) Roy Chapman Andrews, “In Mongolia and North China,” Natural History 20, no. 4 (1920): 363. (5) Roy Chapman Andrews, Across Mongolian Plains A Naturalist's Account of China's 'Great Northwest' (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1921), 186. (6) American Museum of Natural History, “Notes,” Natural History 20, no. 1 (1920): 110. Library of Congress Name Authority File: no2015075037. Chronology. 1918 - 1919: Ulaanbaatar (Expedition Site) Urga, capital of Mongolia, used as base for excursions south and north. 1918 - 1919: Zhangjiakou (Expedition Site) Kalgan; abutted the Great Wall, beginning point of journey through desert to Urga. 1918 - 1919: Panj-Kiang ( ) First telegraph station between Kalgan and Urga; "edge" of the Gobi Desert 1918 - 1919: Terelche River (Expedition Site) 1918 - 1919: Shanxi (province) (Expedition Site) Shansi Province; Area where Andrews and Caldwell hunted for ram and wild boar 1918 - 1919: Wu Shi-tu (Expedition Site) Village where Andrews and Caldwell set up base camp in Shanxi region 1918 - 1919: Beijing Peking; Throough his war work, Andrews was primarily based in Peking at the time. Mrs. Andrews, their son, staff, and a nurse met him there. 1918 - 1919: Mongolia (Expedition Site) The expedition aimed to research and collect specimens in Mongolia and prepare for the next stage of expeditionary work. 1918 - 1919: Gobi (desert) (Expedition Site) The Gobi Desert was to be explored in this and the following expeditions. 1918 - 1919: Chinā (Expedition Site) 1918 - 1919: New York The Expedition's sponsor AMNH is located in New York. 1918 - 1919: Tuula Gol (river) (Expedition Site) Tuul River 1918 - 1919: Ude second telegraph station along route from Kalgan to Urga 1918 - 1919: Turin third telegraph station along route from Kalgan to Urga 1918 June 28: Roy Chapman Andrews sailed to China 1918 September: Yvette and George arrived, Peking. 1919 February: Most of equipment in Urga 1919 May 17: left Kalgan for Urga with group and more equipment, Kalgan to Urga. 1919 late June - 1919 August: northern excursion, Gobi. 1919 June 16: returned from southwest excursion 1919 October 1: specimen caravan set off, followed by them, Urga to Peking. 1919 November: returned to Peking from hunting excursion with Caldwell, Shanxi Province. 1920 February: returned to New York, New York.
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