Lord John Roxton
Role
Adventurer, sportsman, and tactical leader of the expedition; the provider of the party's financial windfall.
Secrets
Waged a private war against Peruvian slave-drivers and killed their leader, Pedro Lopez; secretly collected diamonds from the pterodactyl swamp.
Dialogue
Talks in a queer, jerky, half-humorous fashion, often using the phrase 'young-fellah-me-lad.'
Appearance
Tall and thin, over six feet but with rounded shoulders; strongly curved nose, hollow worn cheeks, dark ruddy hair thin at the top, crisp moustaches, and a small aggressive tuft on his chin. Skin is flower-pot red; eyes are cold light blue. After the journey, he retains his rugged, eagle face and glacier eyes.
Background
A famous all-round sportsman who once waged a private war against slave-drivers in the Putomayo River region.
Identified
true
Motivations
To find new sensations and take 'sporting risks'; currently motivated to return to the plateau for further exploration.
Personality
Laconic, quiet, and neat; possesses a capacity for furious wrath and implacable resolution. He is a born leader who views peril as sport and is exceptionally generous to his comrades.
Competencies
Expert marksman, world-famous traveler, skilled in the Lingoa Geral, and a former Oxford oarsman and boxer. Expert scout, mountaineer, and amateur geologist with knowledge of diamond-bearing blue clay.
Plot Relevance
He provides the expedition with practical travel experience, weaponry, and tactical leadership, and ultimately discovers the diamonds that enrich the party.
First Appearance
Zoological Institute's Hall
Timeline
Volunteering
Roxton volunteers at the Zoological Institute to join the expedition, citing his previous Amazon experience.
Testing Malone
He invites Malone to his rooms at the Albany and tests his courage with a fake mission to rush a delirious gunman.
Departure
Departs for South America on the Francisca.
Arrival at Manaos
Reaches Manaos and prepares for the final leg of the journey.
Avenging the Betrayal
After Gomez traps them, Roxton shoots him dead as he attempts to escape down the pinnacle.
Establishing Fort Challenger
Takes command of the camp's defense and leads the first cautious exploration of the plateau.
Repelling the Dinosaur
Roxton bravely dashes a flaming branch into the face of a carnivorous dinosaur to drive it from the camp.
Escape from the Ape-Men
After being captured by ape-men, Roxton escapes and returns to camp to rescue Malone and gather supplies.
The Rescue
Leads Malone in a successful raid on the ape-man city, killing the king and rescuing the Professors.
The Battle of the Plateau
Commands the right flank of the Indian army during the final extermination of the ape-men.
The Pterodactyl Cage
Constructs a cane framework to safely visit the pterodactyl swamp to collect diamonds from a volcanic vent.
Deciphering the Bark Map
Lord John Roxton examines the charcoal marks on the bark chart and correctly identifies them as the eighteen caves on the hillside.
The Albany Procession
Roxton is carried in triumph to his chambers at the Albany by a massive London crowd.
Sharing the Fortune
Roxton reveals his diamond collection and insists on an equal four-way split of the £200,000 value.
Justice on the Putomayo
Lord John Roxton tracks down and kills the notorious slave-driver Pedro Lopez in a backwater of the Putomayo River.
