Happy Birthday to Major Burnham, another of those famous explorers who came to Skagway in the gold rush but left soon after. He came here with his son Roderick, then 12. Almost immediately upon arriving, he received a telegram from Lord Roberts: “…appoints you on his personal staff as Chief of Scouts. If you accept, come at once the quickest way possible.” So off he went to South Africa. (Lord Roberts is himself famous for keeping his troops safe in India and earned the phrase to show that you’re ok “Bob’s your uncle”). Burnham was born on this day, May 11, 1861 in Tivoli Minnesota and died in 1947 in Santa Barbara, California.
Anyway, Major Burnham led a very long and exciting life, read his biography on Wikipedia.
Is this a picture of the actual Lord Roberts?
No, this actually Major Burnham in 1902. He was quite a looker!