The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by J. H. Patterson (best beach reads of all time .txt) 📕

THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO AND Other East African Adventures BY Lieut.-Col. J. H. Patterson, D.S.O.

WITH A FOREWORD BY FREDERICK COURTENEY SELOUS

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

It is with feelings of the greatest diffidence that I place the following pages before the public; but those of my friends who happen to have heard of my rather unique experiences in the wilds have so often urged me to write an account of my adventures, that after much hesitation I at last determined to do so.

I have no doubt that many of my readers, who have perhaps never been very far away from civilisation, will be inclined to think that some of the incidents are exaggerated. I can only assure them that I have toned down the facts rather than otherwise, and have endeavoured to write a perfectly plain and straightforward account of things as they actually happened.

It must be remembered that at the time these events occurred, the conditions prevailing in British East Africa were very different from what they are to-day. The railway, which has modernised the aspect of the place and brought civilisation in its train, was then only in process of construction, and the country through which it was being built was still in its primitive savage state, as indeed, away from the railway, it still is.

If this simple account of two years’ work and play in the wilds should prove of any interest, or help even in a small way to call attention to the beautiful and valuable country which we possess on the Equator, I shall feel more than compensated for the trouble I have taken in writing it.

I am much indebted to the Hon. Mrs. Cyril Ward, Sir Guilford Molesworth, K.C.I.E., Mr. T.J. Spooner and Mr C. Rawson for their kindness in allowing me to reproduce photographs taken by them. My warmest thanks are also due to that veteran pioneer of Africa, Mr. F.C. Selous, for giving my little book so kindly an introduction to the public as is provided by the “Foreword” which he has been good enough to write.

J.H.P.

August, 1907.

FOREWORD

It was some seven or eight years ago that I first read, in the pages of The Field newspaper, a brief account written by Col. J.H. Patterson, then an engineer engaged on the construction of the Uganda Railway, of the Tsavo man-eating lions.

My own long experience of African hunting told me at once that every word in this thrilling narrative was absolutely true. Nay more: I knew that the author had told his story in a most modest manner, laying but little stress on the dangers he had run when sitting up at nights to try and compass the death of the terrible man-eaters, especially on that one occasion when whilst watching from a very light scaffolding, supported only by four rickety poles, he was himself stalked by one of the dread beasts.

Fortunately he did not lose his nerve, and succeeded in shooting the lion, just when it was on the point of springing upon him. But had this lion approached him from behind, I think it would probably have added Col. Patterson to its long list of victims, for in my own experience I have known of three instances of men having been pulled from trees or huts built on platforms at a greater height from the ground than the crazy structure on which Col. Patterson was watching on that night of terrors.

From the time of Herodotus until to-day, lion stories innumerable have been told and written. I have put some on record myself.

But no lion story I have ever heard or read equals in its long-sustained and dramatic interest the story of the Tsavo man-eaters as told by Col. Patterson. A lion story is usually a tale of adventures, often very terrible and pathetic, which occupied but a few hours of one night; but the tale of the Tsavo man-eaters is an epic of terrible tragedies spread out over several months, and only at last brought to an end by the resource and determination of one man.

It was some years after I read the first account published of the Tsavo man-eaters that I made the acquaintance of President Roosevelt.

I told him all I remembered about it, and he was so deeply interested in the story — as he is in all true stories of the nature and characteristics of wild animals — that he begged me to send him the short printed account as published in The Field. This I did; and it was only in the last letter I received from him that, referring to this story, President Roosevelt wrote: “I think that the incident of the Uganda man-eating lions, described in those two articles you sent me, is the most remarkable account of which we have any record. It is a great pity that it should not be preserved in permanent form.”

Well, I am now glad to think that it will be preserved in permanent form; and I venture to assure Col. Patterson that President Roosevelt will be amongst the most interested readers of his book.

It is probable that the chapters recounting the story of the Tsavo man-eating lions will be found more absorbing than the other portions of Col. Patterson’s book; but I think that most of his readers will agree with me that the whole volume is full of interest and information. The account given by Col. Patterson of how he overcame all the difficulties which confronted him in building a strong and permanent railway bridge across the Tsavo river makes excellent reading; whilst the courage he displayed in attacking, single-handed, lions, rhinoceroses and other dangerous animals was surpassed by the pluck, tact and determination he showed in quelling the formidable mutiny which once broke out amongst his native Indian workers.

Finally, let me say that I have spent the best part of two nights reading the proof-sheets of Col. Patterson’s book, and I can assure him that the time passed like magic. My interest was held from the first page to the last, for I felt that every word I read was true.

F. C. SELOUS.

WORPLESDON, SURREY.

September 18, 1907.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I MY ARRIVAL AT TSAVO 1

CHAPTER II THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS 20

CHAPTER III THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON 29

CHAPTER IV THE BUILDING OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE 41

CHAPTER V TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN 50

CHAPTER VI THE REIGN OF TERROR 61

CHAPTER VII THE DISTRICT OFFICER’S NARROW ESCAPE 75

CHAPTER VIII THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER 84

CHAPTER IX THE DEATH OF THE SECOND MAN-EATER 95

CHAPTER X THE COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE 108

CHAPTER XI THE SWAHILI AND OTHER NATIVE TRIBES 119

CHAPTER XII A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO 133

CHAPTER XIII A DAY ON THE N’DUNGU ESCARPMENT 145

CHAPTER XIV THE FINDING OF THE MAN-EATERS’ DEN 155