# Father Zahm — Through the Brazilian Wilderness character guide

> Father Zahm in Through the Brazilian Wilderness by Theodore Roosevelt.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0005-i-the-start

## Snapshot

A priest, Dante enthusiast, and Amazon veteran who first proposed the South American journey to Roosevelt, then talked his way onto the expedition he had inspired.

## Who they are

Father Zahm is Roosevelt's old crony — a fellow lover of Dante, history, and science — whose 1908 visit planted the seed of the whole adventure. When Roosevelt finally committed to the trip, Zahm had already decided to go himself, arriving at the museum lunch with his own plans and a naturalist in mind. His presence gives the expedition its origin story and a scholarly, companionable thread through the early chapters.

## In the story

### [II: Up the Paraguay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_brazilian_wilderness_se/chapters/ii-up-the-paraguay)

Baptizes two children at a Paraguayan hamlet and engages in religious discussions.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_brazilian_wilderness_se/characters/father_zahm
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_brazilian_wilderness_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_brazilian_wilderness_se/characters