March 1909. I’d had enough of Washington. Taft would be fine, probably better off without me around. So Kermit and I set off for the opposite of Washington, a place unworn of man, where we could wake beneath the splendor of new stars: Mombasa, Kenya. The morning after making camp, we came upon four water buffalo, the largest standing just outside the others. I fired a shot through his tough hide, going through the lungs. That bull ran for a quarter of a mile before finally falling. It was clear he was tough of hide and tough of heart. That toughness was what we encountered in that vast silence, a silence that was the opposite of Washington, a silence I needed.

In addition to his double-barreled Holland, Roosevelt carried a book collection – 60 volumes. What could he have used to carry a day’s worth of books and shells and maps, and spirits? The Roosevelt Buffalo Messenger Bag. Expertly crafted from water buffalo hide. Yes, you read that right. This is a messenger bag designed for men that are tough of heart and who know the value of a little silence.

• Carry handle and full flap cover with hidden magnet closure
• Genuine brass and iron hardware
• Interior zippered pocket
• Zipper closing main compartment
• Exterior zippered pocket
• Open pockets for travel documents
• Green canvas lined interior
• Adjustable 2" wide shoulder strap
• Laptop sleeve fits most 15" screen display laptops (diagonal measurement)

• Full Grain Water Buffalo Leather