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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3810-h.zip b/3810-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b53b193 --- /dev/null +++ b/3810-h.zip diff --git a/3810-h/3810-h.htm b/3810-h/3810-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e8bf5f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/3810-h/3810-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7707 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Man-eaters of Tsavo, by J. H. Patterson +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.footnote {font-size: small ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man-eaters of Tsavo and Other East +African Adventures, by J. H. Patterson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Man-eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures + +Author: J. H. Patterson + +Posting Date: May 28, 2009 [EBook #3810] +Release Date: March, 2003 +First Posted: September 19, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Hall. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO AND<BR>Other East African Adventures +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Lieut.-Col. J. H. Patterson, D.S.O. +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WITH A FOREWORD BY FREDERICK COURTENEY SELOUS +</H3> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PREFACE +</H3> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +J.H.P. August, 1907. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FOREWORD +</H3> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +F. C. SELOUS.<BR> + WORPLESDON, SURREY.<BR> + September 18, 1907.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<PRE> + CHAPTER I <A HREF="#chap01">MY ARRIVAL AT TSAVO</A> 1 + CHAPTER II <A HREF="#chap02">THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS</A> 20 + CHAPTER III <A HREF="#chap03">THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON</A> 29 + CHAPTER IV <A HREF="#chap04">THE BUILDING OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE</A> 41 + CHAPTER V <A HREF="#chap05">TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN</A> 50 + CHAPTER VI <A HREF="#chap06">THE REIGN OF TERROR</A> 61 + CHAPTER VII <A HREF="#chap07">THE DISTRICT OFFICER'S NARROW ESCAPE</A> 75 + CHAPTER VIII <A HREF="#chap08">THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER</A> 84 + CHAPTER IX <A HREF="#chap09">THE DEATH OF THE SECOND MAN-EATER</A> 95 + CHAPTER X <A HREF="#chap10">THE COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE</A> 108 + CHAPTER XI <A HREF="#chap11">THE SWAHILI AND OTHER NATIVE TRIBES</A> 119 + CHAPTER XII <A HREF="#chap12">A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO</A> 133 + CHAPTER XIII <A HREF="#chap13">A DAY ON THE N'DUNGU ESCARPMENT</A> 145 + CHAPTER XIV <A HREF="#chap14">THE FINDING OF THE MAN-EATERS' DEN</A> 155 + CHAPTER XV <A HREF="#chap15">UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS</A> 168 + CHAPTER XVI <A HREF="#chap16">A WIDOW'S STORY</A> 176 + CHAPTER XVII <A HREF="#chap17">AN INFURIATED RHINO</A> 182 + CHAPTER XVIII <A HREF="#chap18">LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS</A> 193 + CHAPTER XIX <A HREF="#chap19">THE STRICKEN CARAVAN</A> 210 + CHAPTER XX <A HREF="#chap20">A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER</A> 221 + CHAPTER XXI <A HREF="#chap21">THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES</A> 231 + CHAPTER XXII <A HREF="#chap22">HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE</A> 247 + CHAPTER XXIII <A HREF="#chap23">A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT</A> 264 + CHAPTER XXIV <A HREF="#chap24">BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR</A> 273 + CHAPTER XXV <A HREF="#chap25">A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE</A> 286 + CHAPTER XXVI <A HREF="#chap26">WORK AT NAIROBI</A> 293 + CHAPTER XXVII <A HREF="#chap27">THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND</A> 300 + <A HREF="#appendix">APPENDIX</A> 323 +</PRE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS +</H2> + +<PRE> + Heads of Eight Lions shot by the Author + in British East Africa Frontispiece + Mombasa, from the Harbour 1 + The Native Quarter, Mombasa 2 + "Well-wooded hills and slopes on the mainland" 3 + Vasco da Gama Street and Pillar 5 + "The best way to get three ... was by gharri 6 + "I pitched my tent under some shady palms" 7 + "Kilindini is on the opposite side of the island" 10 + "The Place of Deep Waters" 11 + "A lucky shot brought down the huge bird" 14 + "I slept that night in a little palm hut" 15 + "This interminable nyika" 17 + "The river crossed by means of a temporary bridge" 18 + Women of Uganda 19 + The tent from which jemadar Ungan Singh was carried off 23 + "My own tent was pitched in an open clearing" 29 + "We shared a hut of palm leaves and boughs" 30 + "The camps of the workmen had also been surrounded + by thorn fences" 31 + "Railhead Camp, with its two or three thousand workmen" 33 + "The two wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece of + torn tent having fallen over them" 35 + "A luncheon served in the wilds, with occasionally a friend + to share it" 43 + "It very soon became a great pet" 46 + "Heera Singh made a wild spring into the water to get clear + of the falling stone" 47 + "The door which was to admit the lion" 62 + "When the trap was ready, I pitched a tent over it" 64 + "They found him stuck fast in the bushes of the boma" 70 + "Perched on the top of water-tanks" 73 + "I took up my position in a crib made of sleepers" 77 + Whitehead on a Trolley at the exact spot where the Lion + jumped upon him 79 + Abdullah and his two Wives 80 + A party of Wa Jamousi 83 + "His length from tip of nose to tip of tail was nine feet + eight inches" 92 + Head of the first Man-Eater 93 + "The following evening I took up my position in this same tree" 100 + "He measured nine feet six inches from tip of nose to + tip of tail, and stood three feet eleven and + a half inches high" 103 + "The bridge over the Tsavo rapidly neared completion" 108 + "The heavy stones were swung into position" 109 + "The girder was run over its exact place" 110 + "And finally lowered gently into position" 111 + "Very soon I had the satisfaction of seeing the first train + cross the finished work" 112 + The completed Tsavo bridge 113 + One of the Trolley Lines after the Flood 114 + Swahili Caravan Porters 120 + "Such was my cook, Mabruki" 122 + The women ... wear a long, brightly-coloured cloth" 123 + "The women attire themselves only in a short kilt" 125 + "We arrived at M'Gogo's capital" 126 + "Making pombe in the hollowed-out stump of a tree" 127 + Wa Taita Men 129 + M'Kamba Woman 131 + "Until it joins the Athi River" 136 + "The banks of the Sabaki are lined with trees" 138 + "I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and successfully + bowled him over" 146 + "A young one was lying down in the grass quite close to me" 147 + A crocodile on the Sabaki 153 + "Beyond all doubt, the man-eaters' den!" 158 + "Watch the animals come down to drink" 161 + "The antelope swinging by his feet" 165 + Hippo Head 167 + "Slaves chained neck to neck as was the custom" 174 + Hospital Tent at Voi where Mrs. O'Hara rested 178 + In the Bazaar at Kampala 181 + "The great Athi Plains" 182 + "First the earth surface has to be prepared" 184 + "Cuttings have to be made and hollows banked up" 185 + "Another gang drops the rails in their places" 187 + "It never moved again" 190 + "The trophy was well worth the pains I had taken to add it to + my collection" 191 + Jackson's Hartebeeste, and Zebra 194 + Waterbuck 195 + "Fortunately the brute fell dead after this final effort" 201 + "We managed to bring them in triumph to the camp" 214 + "I got near enough for a safe shot, which bowled the + antelope over stone-dead" 218 + Wart-hog 220 + "A successful snapshot of an impala just after it had been shot" 228 + A Masai Chief 232 + Masai Warriors 233 + Masai Woman 234 + Masai Girls 235 + Masai Women 237 + N'derobbo Boy 239 + N'derobbo Boy, with Collabus Monkey 240 + N'derobbo Girl 241 + Wa Kikuyu 244 + "The women of the Wa Kikuyu carry the heavy loads" 245 + "Spooner's plucky servant, Imam Din" 281 + A Collection of Trophies 285 + He was kept on view for several days, and then shot 291 + Impala 292 + "I took a photograph of him standing reside his fine trophy" 295 + "Succeeded in finishing him off without further trouble" 297 + Steamer unloading at Kisumu, on Lake Victoria Nyanza 299 + The Grand Falls, Tana River 300 + Shimone, "The Place of Falling Water" (Eldama Ravine) 301 + Oryx 302 + Roan Antelope 303 + "An excellent, cheery fellow ... named Landaalu" 304 + Crossing a Stream on the Cook's Box 305 + Crossing the Angarua River 307 + Reedbuck 309 + The New Eland--T. oryx pattersonianus 316 + Thomson's Gazelle 321 + War Canoe on Lake Victoria Nyanza, near the Ripon Falls 325 + Preparing Breakfast in Camp 326 + View in the Kenya Province 331 + "A flying visit in a rickshaw to Kampala" 332 + "Clad in long flowing cotton garments" 333 + Jinja 334 + "Rushing over the Ripon Falls" 335 + "The mighty river stretching away to the north amid + enchanting scenery" 337 + Wa Kikuyu Warriors 346 + Map of British East Africa 347 + Facsimile of address presented to the author on his departure + from East Africa in 1899 348-351 +</PRE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO +</H1> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +MY ARRIVAL AT TSAVO +</H3> + +<P> +It was towards noon on March 1, 1898, that I first found myself +entering the narrow and somewhat dangerous harbour of Mombasa, on the +east coast of Africa. The town lies on an island of the same name, +separated from the mainland only by a very narrow channel, which forms +the harbour; and as our vessel steamed slowly in, close under the +quaint old Portuguese fortress built over three hundred years ago, I +was much struck with the strange beauty of the view which gradually +opened out before me. Contrary to my anticipation, everything looked +fresh and green, and an oriental glamour of enchantment seemed to hang +over the island. The old town was bathed in brilliant sunshine and +reflected itself lazily on the motionless sea; its flat roofs and +dazzlingly white walls peeped out dreamily between waving palms and +lofty cocoanuts, huge baobabs and spreading mango trees; and the darker +background of well-wooded hills and slopes on the mainland formed a +very effective setting to a beautiful and, to me, unexpected picture. +</P> + +<P> +The harbour was plentifully sprinkled with Arab dhows, in some of +which, I believe, even at the present day, a few slaves are +occasionally smuggled off to Persia and Arabia. It has always been a +matter of great wonder to me how the navigators of little vessels find +their way from port to port, as they do, without the aid of either +compass or sextant, and how they manage to weather the terrible storms +that at certain seasons of the year suddenly visit eastern seas. I +remember once coming across a dhow becalmed in the middle of the Indian +Ocean, and its crew making signals of distress, our captain slowed down +to investigate. There were four men on board, all nearly dead from +thirst; they had been without drink of any kind for several days and +had completely lost their bearings. After giving them some casks of +water, we directed them to Muscat (the port they wished to make), and +our vessel resumed its journey, leaving them still becalmed in the +midst of that glassy sea. Whether they managed to reach their +destination I never knew. +</P> + +<P> +As our steamer made its way to its anchorage, the romantic surroundings +of the harbour of Mombasa conjured up, visions of stirring adventures +of the past, and recalled to my mind the many tales of reckless doings +of pirates and slavers, which as a boy it had been my delight to read. +I remembered that it was at this very place that in 1498 the great +Vasco da Gama nearly lost his ship and life through the treachery of +his Arab pilot, who plotted to wreck the vessel on the reef which bars +more than half the entrance to the harbour. Luckily, this nefarious +design was discovered in time, and the bold navigator promptly hanged +the pilot, and would also have sacked the town but for the timely +submission and apologies of the Sultan. In the principal street of +Mombasa—appropriately called Vasco da Gama Street—there still stands +a curiously shaped pillar which is said to have been erected by this +great seaman in commemoration of his visit. +</P> + +<P> +Scarcely had the anchor been dropped, when, as if by magic, our vessel +was surrounded by a fleet of small boats and "dug-outs" manned by +crowds of shouting and gesticulating natives. After a short fight +between some rival Swahili boatmen for my baggage and person, I found +myself being vigorously rowed to the foot of the landing steps by the +bahareen (sailors) who had been successful in the encounter. Now, my +object in coming out to East Africa at this time was to take up a +position to which I had been appointed by the Foreign Office on the +construction staff of the Uganda Railway. As soon as I landed, +therefore, I enquired from one of the Customs officials where the +headquarters of the railway were to be found, and was told that they +were at a place called Kilindini, some three miles away, on the other +side of the island. The best way to get there, I was further informed, +was by gharri, which I found to be a small trolley, having two seats +placed back to back under a little canopy and running on narrow rails +which are laid through the principal street of the town. Accordingly, I +secured one of these vehicles, which are pushed by two strapping +Swahili boys, and was soon flying down the track, which once outside +the town lay for the most part through dense groves of mango, baobab, +banana and palm trees, with here and there brilliantly coloured +creepers hanging in luxuriant festoons from the branches. +</P> + +<P> +On arrival at Kilindini, I made my way to the railway Offices and was +informed that I should be stationed inland and should receive further +instructions in the course of a day or two. Meanwhile I pitched my tent +under some shady palms near the gharri line, and busied myself in +exploring the island and in procuring the stores and the outfit +necessary for a lengthy sojourn up-country. The town of Mombasa itself +naturally occupied most of my attention. It is supposed to have been +founded about A.D. 1000, but the discovery of ancient Egyptian idols, +and of coins of the early Persian and Chinese dynasties, goes to show +that it must at different ages have been settled by people of the very +earliest civilisations. Coming to more modern times, it was held on and +off from 1505 to 1729 by the Portuguese, a permanent memorial of whose +occupation remains in the shape of the grim old fortress, built about +1593—on the site, it is believed, of a still older stronghold. These +enterprising sea-rovers piously named it "Jesus Fort," and an +inscription recording this is still to be seen over the main entrance. +The Portuguese occupation of Mombasa was, however, not without its +vicissitudes. From March 15, 1696, for example, the town was besieged +for thirty-three consecutive months by a large fleet of Arab dhows, +which completely surrounded the island. In spite of plague, treachery +and famine, the little garrison held out valiantly in Jesus Fort, to +which they had been forced to retire, until December 12, 1698, when the +Arabs made a last determined attack and captured the citadel, putting +the remnant of the defenders, both men and women, to the sword. It is +pathetic to read that only two days later a large Portuguese fleet +appeared off the harbour, bringing the long-looked-for reinforcements. +After this the Portuguese made several attempts to reconquer Mombasa, +but were unsuccessful until 1728, when the town was stormed and +captured by General Sampayo. The Arabs, however, returned the next year +in overwhelming numbers, and again drove the Portuguese out; and +although the latter made one more attempt in 1769 to regain their +supremacy, they did not succeed. +</P> + +<P> +The Arabs, as represented by the Sultan of Zanzibar, remain in nominal +possession of Mombasa to the present day; but in 1887 Seyid Bargash, +the then Sultan of Zanzibar, gave for an annual rental a concession of +his mainland territories to the British East Africa Association, which +in 1888 was formed into the Imperial British East Africa Company. In +1895 the Foreign Office took over control of the Company's possessions, +and a Protectorate was proclaimed; and ten years later the +administration of the country was transferred to the Colonial Office. +</P> + +<P> +The last serious fighting on the island took place so recently as +1895-6, when a Swahili chief named M'baruk bin Rashed, who had three +times previously risen in rebellion against the Sultan of Zanzibar, +attempted to defy the British and to throw off their yoke. He was +defeated on several occasions, however, and was finally forced to flee +southwards into German territory. Altogether, Mombasa has in the past +well deserved its native name of Kisiwa M'vitaa, or "Isle of War"; but +under the settled rule now obtaining, it is rapidly becoming a thriving +and prosperous town, and as the port of entry for Uganda, it does a +large forwarding trade with the interior and has several excellent +stores where almost anything, from a needle to an anchor, may readily +be obtained. +</P> + +<P> +Kilindini is, as I have said, on the opposite side of the island, and +as its name—"the place of deep waters"—implies, has a much finer +harbour than that possessed by Mombasa. The channel between the island +and the mainland is here capable of giving commodious and safe +anchorage to the very largest vessels, and as the jetty is directly +connected with the Uganda Railway, Kilindini has now really become the +principal port, being always used by the liners and heavier vessels. +</P> + +<P> +I had spent nearly a week in Mombasa, and was becoming very anxious to +get my marching orders, when one morning I was delighted to receive an +official letter instructing me to proceed to Tsavo, about one hundred +and thirty-two miles from the coast, and to take charge of the +construction of the section of the line at that place, which had just +then been reached by railhead. I accordingly started at daylight next +morning in a special train with Mr. Anderson, the Superintendent of +Works, and Dr. McCulloch, the principal Medical Officer; and as the +country was in every way new to me, I found the journey a most +interesting one. +</P> + +<P> +The island of Mombasa is separated from the mainland by the Strait of +Macupa, and the railway crosses this by a bridge about three-quarters +of a mile long, called the Salisbury Bridge, in honour of the great +Minister for Foreign Affairs under whose direction the Uganda Railway +scheme was undertaken. For twenty miles after reaching the mainland, +our train wound steadily upwards through beautifully wooded, park-like +country, and on looking back out of the carriage windows we could every +now and again obtain lovely views of Mombasa and Kilindini, while +beyond these the Indian Ocean sparkled in the glorious sunshine as far +as the eye could see. The summit of the Rabai Hills having been +reached, we entered on the expanse of the Taru Desert, a wilderness +covered with poor scrub and stunted trees, and carpeted in the dry +season with a layer of fine red dust. This dust is of a most +penetrating character, and finds its way into everything in the +carriage as the train passes along. From here onward game is more or +less plentiful, but the animals are very difficult to see owing to the +thick undergrowth in which they hide themselves. We managed, however, +to catch sight of a few from the carriage windows, and also noticed +some of the natives, the Wa Nyika, or "children of the wilderness." +</P> + +<P> +At Maungu, some eighty miles from the coast, we came to the end of this +"desert," but almost the only difference to be noticed in the character +of the country was that the colour of the dust had changed. As our +train sped onwards through the level uplands we saw a fine ostrich +striding along parallel with the line, as if having a race with us. Dr. +McCulloch at once seized his rifle and by a lucky shot brought down the +huge bird; the next and greater difficulty, however, was to secure the +prize. For a time the engine-driver took no notice of our signals and +shouts, but at last we succeeded in attracting his attention, and the +train was shunted back to where the ostrich had fallen. We found it to +be an exceptionally fine specimen, and had to exert all our strength to +drag it on board the train. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after this we reached Voi, about a hundred miles from the coast, +and as this was the most important station on the line that we had yet +come to, we made a short halt in order to inspect some construction +work which was going on. On resuming our journey, we soon discovered +that a pleasant change had occurred in the character of the landscape. +From a place called N'dii, the railway runs for some miles through a +beautifully wooded country, which looked all the more inviting after +the deadly monotony of the wilderness through which we had just passed. +To the south of us could be seen the N'dii range of mountains, the +dwelling-place of the Wa Taita people, while on our right rose the +rigid brow of the N'dungu Escarpment, which stretches away westwards +for scores of miles. Here our journey was slow, as every now and again +we stopped to inspect the permanent works in progress; but eventually, +towards dusk, we arrived at our destination, Tsavo. I slept that night +in a little palm hut which had been built by some previous traveller, +and which was fortunately unoccupied for the time being. It was rather +broken-down and dilapidated, not even possessing a door, and as I lay +on my narrow camp bed I could see the stars twinkling through the roof. +I little knew then what adventures awaited me in this neighbourhood; +and if I had realised that at that very time two savage brutes were +prowling round, seeking whom they might devour, I hardly think I should +have slept so peacefully in my rickety shelter. +</P> + +<P> +Next morning I was up betimes, eager to make acquaintance with my new +surroundings. My first impression on coming out of my hut was that I +was hemmed in on all sides by a dense growth of impenetrable jungle: +and on scrambling to the top of a little hill close at hand, I found +that the whole country as far as I could see was covered with low, +stunted trees, thick undergrowth and "wait-a-bit" thorns. The only +clearing, indeed, appeared to be where the narrow track for the railway +had been cut. This interminable nyika, or wilderness of whitish and +leafless dwarf trees, presented a ghastly and sun-stricken appearance; +and here and there a ridge of dark-red heat-blistered rock jutted out +above the jungle, and added by its rugged barrenness to the dreariness +of the picture. Away to the north-east stretched the unbroken line of +the N'dungu Escarpment, while far off to the south I could just catch a +glimpse of the snow-capped top of towering Kilima N'jaro. The one +redeeming feature of the neighbourhood was the river from which Tsavo +takes its name. This is a swiftly-flowing stream, always cool and +always running, the latter being an exceptional attribute in this part +of East Africa; and the fringe of lofty green trees along its banks +formed a welcome relief to the general monotony of the landscape. +</P> + +<P> +When I had thus obtained a rough idea of the neighbourhood, I returned +to my hut, and began in earnest to make preparations for my stay in +this out-of-the-way place. The stores were unpacked, and my "boys" +pitched my tent in a little clearing close to where I had slept the +night before and not far from the main camp of the workmen. Railhead +had at this time just reached the western side of the river, and some +thousands of Indian coolies and other workmen were encamped there. As +the line had to be pushed on with all speed, a diversion had been made +and the river crossed by means of a temporary bridge. My principal work +was to erect the permanent structure, and to complete all the other +works for a distance of thirty miles on each side of Tsavo. I +accordingly made a survey of what had to be done, and sent my +requisition for labour, tools and material to the head-quarters at +Kilindini. In a short time workmen and supplies came pouring in, and +the noise of hammers and sledges, drilling and blasting echoed merrily +through the district. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS +</H3> + +<P> +Unfortunately this happy state of affairs did not continue for long, +and our work was soon interrupted in a rude and startling manner. Two +most voracious and insatiable man-eating lions appeared upon the scene, +and for over nine months waged an intermittent warfare against the +railway and all those connected with it in the vicinity of Tsavo. This +culminated in a perfect reign of terror in December, 1898, when they +actually succeeded in bringing the railway works to a complete +standstill for about three weeks. At first they were not always +successful in their efforts to carry off a victim, but as time went on +they stopped at nothing and indeed braved any danger in order to obtain +their favourite food. Their methods then became so uncanny, and their +man-stalking so well-timed and so certain of success, that the workmen +firmly believed that they were not real animals at all, but devils in +lions' shape. Many a time the coolies solemnly assured me that it was +absolutely useless to attempt to shoot them. They were quite convinced +that the angry spirits of two departed native chiefs had taken this +form in order to protest against a railway being made through their +country, and by stopping its progress to avenge the insult thus shown +to them. +</P> + +<P> +I had only been a few days at Tsavo when I first heard that these +brutes had been seen in the neighbourhood. Shortly afterwards one or +two coolies mysteriously disappeared, and I was told that they had been +carried off by night from their tents and devoured by lions. At the +time I did not credit this story, and was more inclined to believe that +the unfortunate men had been the victims of foul play at the hands of +some of their comrades. They were, as it happened, very good workmen, +and had each saved a fair number of rupees, so I thought it quite +likely that some scoundrels from the gangs had murdered them for the +sake of their money. This suspicion, however, was very soon dispelled. +About three weeks after my arrival, I was roused one morning about +daybreak and told that one of my jemadars, a fine powerful Sikh named +Ungan Singh, had been seized in his tent during the night, and dragged +off and eaten. +</P> + +<P> +Naturally I lost no time in making an examination of the place, and was +soon convinced that the man had indeed been carried off by a lion, as +its "pug" marks were plainly visible in the sand, while the furrows +made by the heels of the victim showed the direction in which he had +been dragged away. Moreover, the jemadar shared his tent with half a +dozen other workmen, and one of his bedfellows had actually witnessed +the occurrence. He graphically described how, at about midnight, the +lion suddenly put its head in at the open tent door and seized Ungan +Singh—who happened to be nearest the opening—by the throat. The +unfortunate fellow cried out "Choro" ("Let go"), and threw his arms up +round the lion's neck. The next moment he was gone, and his +panic-stricken companions lay helpless, forced to listen to the +terrible struggle which took place outside. Poor Ungan Singh must have +died hard; but what chance had he? As a coolie gravely remarked, "Was +he not fighting with a lion?" +</P> + +<P> +On hearing this dreadful story I at once set out to try to track the +animal, and was accompanied by Captain Haslem, who happened to be +staying at Tsavo at the time, and who, poor fellow, himself met with a +tragic fate very shortly afterwards. We found it an easy matter to +follow the route taken by the lion, as he appeared to have stopped +several times before beginning his meal. Pools of blood marked these +halting-places, where he doubtless indulged in the man-eaters' habit of +licking the skin off so as to get at the fresh blood. (I have been led +to believe that this is their custom from the appearance of two +half-eaten bodies which I subsequently rescued: the skin was gone in +places, and the flesh looked dry, as if it had been sucked.) On +reaching the spot where the body had been devoured, a dreadful +spectacle presented itself. The ground all round was covered with blood +and morsels of flesh and bones, but the unfortunate jemadar's head had +been left intact, save for the holes made by the lion's tusks on +seizing him, and lay a short distance away from the other remains, the +eyes staring wide open with a startled, horrified look in them. The +place was considerably cut up, and on closer examination we found that +two lions had been there and had probably struggled for possession of +the body. It was the most gruesome sight I had ever seen. We collected +the remains as well as we could and heaped stones on them, the head +with its fixed, terrified stare seeming to watch us all the time, for +it we did not bury, but took back to camp for identification before the +Medical Officer. +</P> + +<P> +Thus occurred my first experience of man-eating lions, and I vowed +there and then that I would spare no pains to rid the neighbourhood of +the brutes. I little knew the trouble that was in store for me, or how +narrow were to be my own escapes from sharing poor Ungan Singh's fate. +</P> + +<P> +That same night I sat up in a tree close to the late jemadar's tent, +hoping that the lions would return to it for another victim. I was +followed to my perch by a few of the more terrified coolies, who begged +to be allowed to sit up in the tree with me; all the other workmen +remained in their tents, but no more doors were left open. I had with +me my .303 and a 12-bore shot gun, one barrel loaded with ball and the +other with slug. Shortly after settling down to my vigil, my hopes of +bagging one of the brutes were raised by the sound of their ominous +roaring coming closer and closer. Presently this ceased, and quiet +reigned for an hour or two, as lions always stalk their prey in +complete silence. All at once, however, we heard a great uproar and +frenzied cries coming from another camp about half a mile away; we knew +then that the lions had seized a victim there, and that we should see +or hear nothing further of them that night. +</P> + +<P> +Next morning I found that one of the brutes had broken into a tent at +Railhead Camp—whence we had heard the commotion during the night—and +had made off with a poor wretch who was lying there asleep. After a +night's rest, therefore, I took up my position in a suitable tree near +this tent. I did not at all like the idea of walking the half-mile to +the place after dark, but all the same I felt fairly safe, as one of my +men carried a bright lamp close behind me. He in his turn was followed +by another leading a goat, which I tied under my tree in the hope that +the lion might be tempted to seize it instead of a coolie. A steady +drizzle commenced shortly after I had settled down to my night of +watching, and I was soon thoroughly chilled and wet. I stuck to my +uncomfortable post, however, hoping to get a shot, but I well remember +the feeling of impotent disappointment I experienced when about +midnight I heard screams and cries and a heart-rending shriek, which +told me that the man-eaters had again eluded me and had claimed another +victim elsewhere. +</P> + +<P> +At this time the various camps for the workmen were very scattered, so +that the lions had a range of some eight miles on either side of Tsavo +to work upon; and as their tactics seemed to be to break into a +different camp each night, it was most difficult to forestall them. +They almost appeared, too, to have an extraordinary and uncanny faculty +of finding out our plans beforehand, so that no matter in how likely or +how tempting a spot we lay in wait for them, they invariably avoided +that particular place and seized their victim for the night from some +other camp. Hunting them by day, moreover, in such a dense wilderness +as surrounded us, was an exceedingly tiring and really foolhardy +undertaking. In a thick jungle of the kind round Tsavo the hunted +animal has every chance against the hunter, as however careful the +latter may be, a dead twig or something of the sort is sure to crackle +just at the critical moment and so give the alarm. Still I never gave +up hope of some day finding their lair, and accordingly continued to +devote all my spare time to crawling about through the undergrowth. +Many a time when attempting to force my way through this bewildering +tangle I had to be released by my gun-bearer from the fast clutches of +the "wait-a-bit"; and often with immense pains I succeeded in tracing +the lions to the river after they had seized a victim, only to lose the +trail from there onwards, owing to the rocky nature of the ground which +they seemed to be careful to choose in retreating to their den. +</P> + +<P> +At this early stage of the struggle, I am glad to say, the lions were +not always successful in their efforts to capture a human being for +their nightly meal, and one or two amusing incidents occurred to +relieve the tension from which our nerves were beginning to suffer. On +one occasion an enterprising bunniah (Indian trader) was riding along +on his donkey late one night, when suddenly a lion sprang out on him +knocking over both man and beast. The donkey was badly wounded, and the +lion was just about to seize the trader, when in some way or other his +claws became entangled in a rope by which two empty oil tins were +strung across the donkey's neck. The rattle and clatter made by these +as he dragged them after him gave him such a fright that he turned tail +and bolted off into the jungle, to the intense relief of the terrified +bunniah, who quickly made his way up the nearest tree and remained +there, shivering with fear, for the rest of the night. +</P> + +<P> +Shortly after this episode, a Greek contractor named Themistocles +Pappadimitrini had an equally marvellous escape. He was sleeping +peacefully in his tent one night, when a lion broke in, and seized and +made off with the mattress on which he was lying. Though, rudely +awakened, the Greek was quite unhurt and suffered from nothing worse +than a bad fright. This same man, however, met with a melancholy fate +not long afterwards. He had been to the Kilima N'jaro district to buy +cattle, and on the return journey attempted to take a short cut across +country to the railway, but perished miserably of thirst on the way. +</P> + +<P> +On another occasion fourteen coolies who slept together in a large tent +were one night awakened by a lion suddenly jumping on to the tent and +breaking through it. The brute landed with one claw on a coolie's +shoulder, which was badly torn; but instead of seizing the man himself, +in his hurry he grabbed a large bag of rice which happened to be lying +in the tent, and made off with it, dropping it in disgust some little +distance away when he realised his mistake. +</P> + +<P> +These, however, were only the earlier efforts of the man-eaters. Later +on, as will be seen, nothing flurried or frightened them in the least, +and except as food they showed a complete contempt for human beings. +Having once marked down a victim, they would allow nothing to deter +them from securing him, whether he were protected by a thick fence, or +inside a closed tent, or sitting round a brightly burning fire. Shots, +shouting and firebrands they alike held in derision. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON +</H3> + +<P> +All this time my own tent was pitched in an open clearing, unprotected +by a fence of any kind round it. One night when the medical officer; +Dr. Rose, was staying with me, we were awakened about midnight by +hearing something tumbling about among the tent ropes, but on going out +with a lantern we could discover nothing. Daylight, however, plainly +revealed the "pug" marks of a lion, so that on that occasion I fancy +one or other of us had a narrow escape. Warned by this experience, I at +once arranged to move my quarters, and went to join forces with Dr. +Brock, who had just arrived at Tsavo to take medical charge of the +district. We shared a hut of palm leaves and boughs, which we had +constructed on the eastern side of the river, close to the old caravan +route leading to Uganda; and we had it surrounded by a circular boma, +or thorn fence, about seventy yards in diameter, well made and thick +and high. Our personal servants also lived within the enclosure, and a +bright fire was always kept up throughout the night. For the sake of +coolness, Brock and I used to sit out under the verandah of this hut in +the evenings; but it was rather trying to our nerves to attempt to read +or write there, as we never knew when a lion might spring over the +boma, and be on us before we were aware. We therefore kept our rifles +within easy reach, and cast many an anxious glance out into the inky +darkness beyond the circle of the firelight. On one or two occasions, +we found in the morning that the lions had come quite close to the +fence; but fortunately they never succeeded in getting through. +</P> + +<P> +By this time, too, the camps of the workmen had also been surrounded by +thorn fences; nevertheless the lions managed to jump over or to break +through some one or other of these, and regularly every few nights a +man was carried off, the reports of the disappearance of this or that +workman coming in to me with painful frequency. So long, however, as +Railhead Camp—with its two or three thousand men, scattered over a +wide area—remained at Tsavo, the coolies appeared not to take much +notice of the dreadful deaths of their comrades. Each man felt, I +suppose, that as the man-eaters had such a large number of victims to +choose from, the chances of their selecting him in particular were very +small. But when the large camp moved ahead with the railway, matters +altered considerably. I was then left with only some few hundred men to +complete the permanent works; and as all the remaining workmen were +naturally camped together, the attentions of the lions became more +apparent and made a deeper impression. A regular panic consequently +ensued, and it required all my powers of persuasion to induce the men +to stay on. In fact, I succeeded in doing so only by allowing them to +knock off all regular work until they had built exceptionally thick and +high bomas round each camp. Within these enclosures fires were kept +burning all night, and it was also the duty of the night-watchman to +keep clattering half a dozen empty oil tins suspended from a convenient +tree. These he manipulated by means of a long rope, while sitting in +safety within his tent; and the frightful noise thus produced was kept +up at frequent intervals during the night in the hopes of terrifying +away the man-eaters. In spite of all these precautions, however, the +lions would not be denied, and men continued to disappear. +</P> + +<P> +When the railhead workmen moved on, their hospital camp was left +behind. It stood rather apart from the other camps, in a clearing about +three-quarters of a mile from my hut, but was protected by a good thick +fence and to all appearance was quite secure. It seemed, however, as if +barriers were of no avail against the "demons", for before very long +one of them found a weak spot in the boma and broke through. On this +occasion the Hospital Assistant had a marvellous escape. Hearing a +noise outside, he opened the door of his tent and was horrified to see +a great lion standing a few yards away looking at him. The beast made a +spring towards him, which gave the Assistant such a fright that he +jumped backwards, and in doing so luckily upset a box containing +medical stores. This crashed down with such a loud clatter of breaking +glass that the lion was startled for the moment and made off to another +part of the enclosure. Here, unfortunately, he was more successful, as +he jumped on to and broke through a tent in which eight patients were +lying. Two of them were badly wounded by his spring, while a third poor +wretch was seized and dragged off bodily through the thorn fence. The +two wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece of torn tent +having fallen over them; and in this position the doctor and I found +them on our arrival soon after dawn next morning. We at once decided to +move the hospital closer to the main camp; a fresh site was prepared, a +stout hedge built round the enclosure, and all the patients were moved +in before nightfall. +</P> + +<P> +As I had heard that lions generally visit recently deserted camps, I +decided to sit up all night in the vacated boma in the hope of getting +an opportunity of bagging one of them; but in the middle of my lonely +vigil I had the mortification of hearing shrieks and cries coming from +the direction of the new hospital, telling me only too plainly that our +dreaded foes had once more eluded me. Hurrying to the place at daylight +I found that one of the lions had jumped over the newly erected fence +and had carried off the hospital bhisti (water-carrier), and that +several other coolies had been unwilling witnesses of the terrible +scene which took place within the circle of light given by the big camp +fire. The bhisti, it appears, had been lying on the floor, with his +head towards the centre of the tent and his feet neatly touching the +side. The lion managed to get its head in below the canvas, seized him +by the foot and pulled him out. In desperation the unfortunate +water-carrier clutched hold of a heavy box in a vain attempt to prevent +himself being carried off, and dragged it with him until he was forced +to let go by its being stopped by the side of the tent. He then caught +hold of a tent rope, and clung tightly to it until it broke. As soon as +the lion managed to get him clear of the tent, he sprang at his throat +and after a few vicious shakes the poor bhisti's agonising cries were +silenced for ever. The brute then seized him in his mouth, like a huge +cat with a mouse, and ran up and down the boma looking for a weak spot +to break through. This he presently found and plunged into, dragging +his victim with him and leaving shreds of torn cloth and flesh as +ghastly evidences of his passage through the thorns. Dr. Brock and I +were easily able to follow his track, and soon found the remains about +four hundred yards away in the bush. There was the usual horrible +sight. Very little was left of the unfortunate bhisti—only the skull, +the jaws, a few of the larger bones and a portion of the palm with one +or two fingers attached. On one of these was a silver ring, and this, +with the teeth (a relic much prized by certain castes), was sent to the +man's widow in India. +</P> + +<P> +Again it was decided to move the hospital; and again, before nightfall, +the work was completed, including a still stronger and thicker boma. +When the patients had been moved, I had a covered goods-wagon placed in +a favourable position on a siding which ran close to the site which had +just been abandoned, and in this Brock and I arranged to sit up that +night. We left a couple of tents still standing within the enclosure, +and also tied up a few cattle in it as bait for the lions, who had been +seen in no less than three different places in the neighbourhood during +the afternoon (April 23). Four miles from Tsavo they had attempted to +seize a coolie who was walking along the line. Fortunately, however, he +had just time to escape up a tree, where he remained, more dead than +alive, until he was rescued by the Traffic Manager, who caught sight of +him from a passing train. They next appeared close to Tsavo Station, +and a couple of hours later some workmen saw one of the lions stalking +Dr. Brock as he was returning about dusk from the hospital. +</P> + +<P> +In accordance with our plan, the doctor and I set out after dinner for +the goods-wagon, which was about a mile away from our hut. In the light +of subsequent events, we did a very foolish thing in taking up our +position so late; nevertheless, we reached our destination in safety, +and settled down to our watch about ten o'clock. We had the lower half +of the door of the wagon closed, while the upper half was left wide +open for observation: and we faced, of course, in the direction of the +abandoned boma, which, however, we were unable to see in the inky +darkness. For an hour or two everything was quiet, and the deadly +silence was becoming very monotonous and oppressive, when suddenly, to +our right, a dry twig snapped, and we knew that an animal of some sort +was about. Soon afterwards we heard a dull thud, as if some heavy body +had jumped over the boma. The cattle, too, became very uneasy, and we +could hear them moving about restlessly. Then again came dead silence. +At this juncture I proposed to my companion that I should get out of +the wagon and lie on the ground close to it, as I could see better in +that position should the lion come in our direction with his prey. +Brock, however, persuaded me to remain where I was; and a few seconds +afterwards I was heartily glad that I had taken his advice, for at that +very moment one of the man-eaters—although we did not know it—was +quietly stalking us, and was even then almost within springing +distance. Orders had been given for the entrance to the boma to be +blocked up, and accordingly we were listening in the expectation of +hearing the lion force his way out through the bushes with his prey. As +a matter of fact, however, the doorway had not been properly closed, +and while we were wondering what the lion could be doing inside the +boma for so long, he was outside all the time, silently reconnoitring +our position. +</P> + +<P> +Presently I fancied I saw something coming very stealthily towards us. +I feared, however, to trust to my eyes, which by that time were +strained by prolonged staring through the darkness, so under my breath +I asked Brock whether he saw anything, at the same time covering the +dark object as well as I could with my rifle. Brock did not answer; he +told me afterwards that he, too, thought he had seen something move, +but was afraid to say so lest I should fire and it turn out to be +nothing after all. After this there was intense silence again for a +second or two, then with a sudden bound a huge body sprang at us. "The +lion!" I shouted, and we both fired almost simultaneously—not a moment +too soon, for in another second the brute would assuredly have landed +inside the wagon. As it was, he must have swerved off in his spring, +probably blinded by the flash and frightened by the noise of the double +report which was increased a hundredfold by the reverberation of the +hollow iron roof of the truck. Had we not been very much on the alert, +he would undoubtedly have got one of us, and we realised that we had +had a very lucky and very narrow escape. The next morning we found +Brock's bullet embedded in the sand close to a footprint; it could not +have missed the lion by more than an inch or two. Mine was nowhere to +be found. +</P> + +<P> +Thus ended my first direct encounter with one of the man-eaters. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE BUILDING OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE +</H3> + +<P> +During all this troublesome period the construction of the railway had +been going steadily forward, and the first important piece of work +which I had commenced on arrival was completed. This was the widening +of a rock cutting through which the railway ran just before it, reached +the river. In the hurry of pushing on the laying of the line, just +enough of the rock had originally been cut away to allow room for an +engine to pass, and consequently any material which happened to, +project outside the wagons or trucks caught on the jagged faces of the +cutting. I myself saw the door of a guard's van, which had been left +ajar, smashed to atoms in this way; and accordingly I put a gang of +rock-drillers to work at once and soon had ample room made for all +traffic to pass unimpeded. While this was going on, another gang of men +were laying the foundations of a girder bridge which was to span a +gully between this cutting and Tsavo Station. This would have taken too +long to erect when railhead was at the place, so a diversion had been +made round it, the temporary track leading down almost to the bed of +the nullah and up again on the further side. When the foundations and +abutments were ready, the gully was spanned by an iron girder, the +slopes leading up to it banked up on either side, and the permanent way +laid on an easy grade. +</P> + +<P> +Then, also, a water supply had to be established; and this meant some +very pleasant work for me in taking levels up the banks of the river +under the cool shade of the palms. While doing this, I often took my +camp-kit with me, and a luncheon served in the wilds, with occasionally +a friend to share it—when a friend was available—was delightful. On +one occasion in particular, I went a long way up the river and was +accompanied by a young member of my staff. The day had been exceedingly +hot and we were both correspondingly tired when our work was finished, +so my companion suggested that we should build a raft and float +down-stream home. I was rather doubtful, of the feasibility of the +scheme, but nevertheless he decided to give it a trial. Setting to work +with our axes, we soon had a raft built, lashing the poles together +with the fibre which grows in abundance all over the district. When it +was finished, we pushed it out of the little backwater where it had +been constructed, and the young engineer jumped aboard. All went well +until it got out into midstream, when much to my amusement it promptly +toppled gracefully over. I helped my friend to scramble quickly up the +bank out of reach of possible crocodiles, when, none the worse for his +ducking, he laughed as heartily as I at the adventure. +</P> + +<P> +Except for an occasional relaxation of this sort, every moment of my +time was fully occupied. Superintending the various works and a hundred +other duties kept me busy all day long, while my evenings were given up +to settling disputes among the coolies, hearing reports and complaints +from the various jemadars and workpeople, and in studying the Swahili +language. Preparations, too, for the principal piece of work in the +district—the building of the railway bridge over the Tsavo river—were +going on apace. These involved, much personal work on my part; cross +and oblique sections of the river had to be taken, the rate of the +current and the volume of water at flood, mean, and low levels had to +be found, and all the necessary calculations made. These having at +length been completed, I marked out the positions for the abutments and +piers, and the work of sinking their foundations was begun. The two +centre piers in particular caused a great deal of trouble, as the river +broke in several times, and had to be dammed up and pumped dry again +before work could be resumed. Then we found we had to sink much deeper +than we expected in order to reach a solid foundation indeed, the +sinking went on and on, until I began to despair of finding one and was +about to resort to pile-driving, when at last, to my relief, we struck +solid rock on which the huge foundation-stones could be laid with +perfect safety. +</P> + +<P> +Another great difficulty with which we had to contend was the absence +of suitable stone in the neighbourhood. It was not that there was none +to be found, for the whole district abounds in rock, but that it was so +intensely hard as to be almost impossible to work, and a bridge built +of it would have been very costly. I spent many a weary day trudging +through the thorny wilderness vainly searching for suitable material, +and was beginning to think that we should be forced to use iron columns +for the piers, when one day I stumbled quite by accident on the very +thing. Brock and I were out "pot-hunting," and hearing some guinea-fowl +cackling among the bushes, I made a circuit half round them so that +Brock, on getting in his shot, should drive them over in my direction. +I eventually got into position on the edge of a deep ravine and knelt +on one knee, crouching down among the ferns. There I had scarcely time +to load when over flew a bird, which I missed badly; and I did not have +another chance, for Brock had got to work, and being a first-rate shot +had quickly bagged a brace. Meanwhile I felt the ground very hard under +my knee, and on examination found that the bank of the ravine was +formed of stone, which extended for some distance, and which was +exactly the kind of material for which I had long been fruitlessly +searching. I was greatly delighted with my unexpected discovery, though +at first I had grave misgivings about the distance to be traversed and +the difficulty of transporting the stone across the intervening +country. Indeed, I found in the end that the only way of getting the +material to the place where it was wanted was by laying down a tram +line right along the ravine, throwing a temporary bridge across the +Tsavo, following the stream down and re-crossing it again close to the +site of the permanent bridge. Accordingly, I set men to work at once to +cut down the jungle and prepare a road on which to lay the double +trolley line. One morning when they were thus engaged, a little paa—a +kind of very small antelope—sprang out and found itself suddenly in +the midst of a gang of coolies. Terrified and confused by the shouting +of the men, it ran straight at Shere Shah, the jemadar, who promptly +dropped a basket over it and held it fast. I happened to arrive just in +time to save the graceful little animal's life, and took it home to my +camp, where it very soon became a great pet. Indeed, it grew so tame +that it would jump upon my table at meal times and eat from my hand. +</P> + +<P> +When the road for the trolley line was cleared, the next piece of work +was the building of the two temporary bridges over the river. These we +made in the roughest fashion out of palm trees and logs felled at the +crossing places, and had a flood come down they would, of course, have +both been swept away; fortunately, however, this did not occur until +the permanent work was completed. The whole of this feeding line was +finished in a very short time, and trollies were soon plying backwards +and forwards with loads of stone and sand, as we also discovered the +latter in abundance and of good quality in the bed of the ravine. An +amusing incident occurred one day when I was taking a photograph of an +enormous block of stone which was being hauled across one of these +temporary bridges. As the trolley with its heavy load required very +careful manipulation, my head mason, Heera Singh, stood on the top of +the stone to direct operations, while the overseer, Purshotam Hurjee, +superintended the gangs of men who hauled the ropes at either end in +order to steady it up and down the inclines. But we did not know that +the stream had succeeded in washing away the foundations of one of the +log supports; and as the weight of the trolley with the stone came on +the undermined pier, the rails tilted up and over went the whole thing +into the river, just as I snapped the picture. Heera Singh made a wild +spring into the water to get clear of the falling stone, while +Purshotam and the rest fled as if for their lives to the bank. It was +altogether a most comical sight, and an extraordinary chance that at +the very moment of the accident I should be taking a photograph of the +operation. Fortunately, no one was injured in the slightest, and the +stone was recovered undamaged with but little trouble. +</P> + +<P> +Not long after this occurrence my own labours were one day nearly +brought to a sudden and unpleasant end. I was travelling along in an +empty trolley which, pushed by two sturdy Pathans, was returning to the +quarry for sand. Presently we came to the sharp incline which led to +the log bridge over the river. Here it was the custom of the men, +instead of running beside the trolley, to step on to it and to let its +own momentum take it down the slope, moderating its speed when +necessary by a brake in the shape of a pole, which one of them carried +and by which the wheels could be locked. On this occasion, however, the +pole was by some accident dropped overboard, and down the hill we flew +without brake of any kind. Near the bridge there was a sharp curve in +the line, where I was afraid the trolley would jump the rails; still, I +thought it was better to stick to it than to risk leaping off. A moment +afterwards I felt myself flying head first over the edge of the bridge, +just missing by a hair's breadth a projecting beam; but luckily I +landed on a sand bank at the side of the river, the heavy trolley +falling clear of me with a dull thud close by. This accident, also, was +happily unattended by injury to anyone. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN +</H3> + +<P> +It seemed fated that the building of the Tsavo Bridge should never be +allowed to proceed in peace for any length of time. I have already +described our troubles with the lions; and no sooner did the beasts of +prey appear to have deserted us, for the time being at any rate, than +other troubles, no less serious, arose with the workmen themselves. +After I had discovered the stone for the bridge, I sent down to the +coast for gangs of masons to work and dress it. The men who were sent +me for this purpose were mostly Pathans and were supposed to be expert +workmen; but I soon found that many of them had not the faintest notion +of stone-cutting, and were simply ordinary coolies who had posed as +masons in order to draw forty-five instead of twelve rupees a month. On +discovering this fact, I immediately instituted a system of piecework, +and drew up a scale of pay which would enable the genuine mason to earn +his forty-five rupees a month—and a little more if he felt +inclined—and would cut down the impostors to about their proper pay as +coolies. Now, as is often the case in this world, the impostors were +greatly in the majority; and accordingly they attempted to intimidate +the remainder into coming down to their own standard as regards output +of work, in the hope of thereby inducing me to abandon the piece-work +system of payment. This, however, I had no intention of doing, as I +knew that I had demanded only a perfectly fair amount of work from each +man. +</P> + +<P> +These masons were continually having quarrels and fights amongst +themselves, and I had frequently to go down to their camp to quell +disturbances and to separate the Hindus from the Mohammedans. One +particularly serious disturbance of this sort had a rather amusing +sequel. I was sitting after dusk one evening at the door of my hut, +when I heard a great commotion in the masons' camp, which lay only a +few hundred yards away. Presently a jemadar came rushing up to me to +say that the men were all fighting and murdering each other with sticks +and stones. I ran back with him at once and succeeded in restoring +order, but found seven badly injured men lying stretched out on the +ground. These I had carried up to my own boma on charpoys (native +beds); and Brock being away, I had to play the doctor myself as best I +could, stitching one and bandaging another and generally doing what was +possible. There was one man, however, who groaned loudly and held a +cloth over his face as if he were dying. On lifting this covering, I +found him to be a certain mason called Karim Bux, who was well known to +me as a prime mischief-maker among the men. I examined him carefully, +but as I could discover nothing amiss, I concluded that he must have +received some internal injury, and accordingly told him that I would +send him to the hospital at Voi (about thirty miles down the line) to +be attended to properly. He was then carried back to his camp, groaning +grievously all the time. +</P> + +<P> +Scarcely had he been removed, when the head jemadar came and informed +me that the man was not hurt at all, and that as a matter of fact he +was the sole cause of the disturbance. He was now pretending to be +badly injured, in order to escape the punishment which he knew he would +receive if I discovered that he was the instigator of the trouble. On +hearing this, I gave instructions that he was not to go to Voi in the +special train with the others; but I had not heard the last of him yet. +About eleven o'clock that night I was called up and asked to go down to +the masons' camp to see a man who was supposed to be dying. I at once +pulled on my boots, got some brandy and ran down to the camp, where to +my surprise and amusement I found that it was my friend Karim Bux who +was at death's door. It was perfectly evident to me that he was only +"foxing," but when he asked for dawa (medicine), I told him gravely +that I would give him some very good dawa in the morning. +</P> + +<P> +Next day at noon—when it was my custom to have evil-doers brought up +for judgment—I asked for Karim Bux, but was told that he was too ill +to walk. I accordingly ordered him to be carried to my boma, and in a +few moments he arrived in his charpoy, which was shouldered by four +coolies who, I could see, knew quite well that he was only shamming. +There were also a score or so of his friends hanging around, doubtless +waiting in the expectation of seeing the "Sahib" hoodwinked. When the +bed was placed on the ground near me, I lifted the blanket with which +he had covered himself and thoroughly examined him, at the same time +feeling him to make sure that he had no fever. He pretended to be +desperately ill and again asked for dawa; but having finally satisfied +myself that it was as the jemadar had said—pure budmashi +(devilment)—I told him that I was going to give him some very +effective dawa, and carefully covered him up again, pulling the blanket +over his head. I then got a big armful of shavings from a carpenter's +bench which was close by, put them under the bed and set fire to them. +As soon as the sham invalid felt the heat, he peeped over the edge of +the blanket; and when he saw the smoke and flame leaping up round him, +he threw the blanket from him, sprang from the bed exclaiming "Beiman +shaitan!" ("Unbelieving devil!"), and fled like a deer to the entrance +of my boma, pursued by a Sikh sepoy, who got in a couple of good whacks +on his shoulders with a stout stick before he effected his escape. His +amused comrades greeted me with shouts of "Shabash, Sahib!" ("Well +done, sir"), and I never had any further trouble with Karim Bux. He +came back later in the day, with clasped hands imploring forgiveness, +which I readily granted, as he was a clever workman. +</P> + +<P> +A few days after this incident I was returning home one morning from a +tree in which I had been keeping watch for the man-eaters during the +previous night. Coming unexpectedly on the quarry, I was amazed to find +dead silence reigning and my rascals of workmen all stretched out in +the shade under the trees taking it very easy—some sleeping, some +playing cards. I watched their proceedings through the bushes for a +little while, and then it occurred to me to give them a fright by +firing my rifle over their heads. On the report being heard, the scene +changed like magic: each man simply flew to his particular work, and +hammers and chisels resounded merrily and energetically, where all had +been silence a moment before. They thought, of course, that I was still +some distance off and had not seen them, but to their consternation I +shouted to them that they were too late, as I had been watching them +for some time. I fined every man present heavily, besides summarily +degrading the Headman, who had thus shown himself utterly unfit for his +position. I then proceeded to my hut, but had scarcely arrived there +when two of the scoundrels tottered up after me, bent almost double and +calling Heaven to witness that I had shot them both in the back. In +order to give a semblance of truth to an otherwise bald and +unconvincing narrative, they had actually induced one of their fellow +workmen to make a few holes like shot holes in their backs, and these +were bleeding profusely. Unfortunately for them, however, I had been +carrying a rifle and not a shot gun, and they had also forgotten to +make corresponding holes in their clothing, so that all they achieved +by this elaborate tissue of falsehood was to bring on themselves the +derision of their comrades and the imposition of an extra fine. +</P> + +<P> +Shortly after this, when the masons realised that I intended to make +each man do a fair day's work for his money, and would allow nothing to +prevent this intention from being carried out, they came to the +conclusion that the best thing to do would be to put me quietly out of +the way. Accordingly they held a meeting one night, all being sworn to +secrecy, and after a long palaver it was arranged that I was to be +murdered next day when I made my usual visit to the quarry. My body was +to be thrown into the jungle, where of course it would soon be devoured +by wild beasts, and then they were to say that I had been killed and +eaten by a lion. To this cheerful proposal every man present at the +meeting agreed, and affixed his finger-mark to a long strip of paper as +a binding token. Within an hour after the meeting had dispersed, +however, I was aroused by one of the conspirators, who had crept into +my camp to give me warning. I thanked him for his information, but +determined to go to the quarry in the morning all the same, as at this +stage of affairs I really did not believe that they were capable of +carrying out such a diabolical scheme, and was rather inclined to think +that the informant had been sent merely to frighten me. +</P> + +<P> +Accordingly the next morning (September 6) I started off as usual along +the trolley line to the lonely quarry. As I reached a bend in the line, +my head mason, Heera Singh, a very good man, crept cautiously out of +the bushes and warned me not to proceed. On my asking him the reason, +he said that he dared not tell, but that he and twenty other masons +were not going to work that day, as they were afraid of trouble at the +quarry. At this I began to think that there was something in the story +I had heard overnight, but I laughingly assured him there would be no +trouble and continued on my way. On my arrival at the quarry, +everything seemed perfectly peaceful. All the men were working away +busily, but after a moment or two I noticed stealthy side glances, and +felt that there was something in the wind. As soon as I came up to the +first gang of workmen, the jemadar, a treacherous-looking villain, +informed me that the men working further up the ravine had refused to +obey his orders, and asked me if I would go and see them. I felt at +once that this was a device to lure me into the narrow part of the +ravine, where, with gangs in front of me and behind me, there would be +no escape; still I thought I would see the adventure through, whatever +came of it, so I accompanied the jemadar up the gully. When we got to +the further gang, he went so far as to point out the two men who, he +said, had refused to do what he told them—I suppose he thought that as +I was never to leave the place alive, it did not matter whom he +complained of. I noted their names in my pocket-book in my usual +manner, and turned to retrace my steps. Immediately a yell of rage was +raised by the whole body of some sixty men, answered by a similar shout +from those I had first passed, and who numbered about a hundred. Both +groups of men, carrying crowbars and flourishing their heavy hammers, +then closed in on me in the narrow part of the ravine. I stood still, +waiting for them to act, and one man rushed at me, seizing both my +wrists and shouting out that he was going to "be hung and shot for +me"—rather a curious way of putting it, but that was his exact +expression. I easily wrenched my arms free, and threw him from me; but +by this time I was closely hemmed in, and everywhere I looked I could +see nothing but evil and murderous-looking faces. One burly brute, +afraid to be the first to deal a blow, hurled the man next him at me; +and if he had succeeded in knocking me down, I am certain that I should +never have got up again alive. As it was, however, I stepped quickly +aside, and the man intended to knock me down was himself thrown +violently against a rock, over which he fell heavily. +</P> + +<P> +This occasioned a moment's confusion, of which I quickly took +advantage. I sprang on to the top of the rock, and before they had time +to recover themselves I had started haranguing them in Hindustani. The +habit of obedience still held them, and fortunately they listened to +what I had to say. I told them that I knew all about their plot to +murder me, and that they could certainly do so if they wished; but that +if they did, many of them would assuredly be hanged for it, as the +Sirkar (Government) would soon find out the truth and would disbelieve +their story that I had been carried off by a lion. I said that I knew +quite well that it was only one or two scoundrels among them who had +induced them to behave so stupidly, and urged them not to allow +themselves to be made fools of in this way. Even supposing they were to +carry out their plan of killing me, would not another "Sahib" at once +be set over them, and might he not be an even harder task-master? They +all knew that I was just and fair to the real worker; it was only the +scoundrels and shirkers who had anything to fear from me, and were +upright, self-respecting. Pathans going to allow themselves to be led +away by men of that kind? Once having got them to listen to me, I felt +a little more secure, and I accordingly went on to say that the +discontented among them would be allowed to return at once to Mombasa, +while if the others resumed work and I heard of no further plotting, I +would take no notice of their foolish conduct. Finally I called upon +those who were willing to return to work to hold up their hands, and +instantly every hand in the crowd was raised. I then felt that for the +moment the victory was mine, and after dismissing them, I jumped down +from the rock and continued my rounds as if nothing had happened, +measuring a stone here and there and commenting on the work done. They +were still in a very uncertain and sullen mood, however, and not at all +to be relied upon, so it was with feelings of great relief that an hour +later I made my way back, safe and sound, to Tsavo. +</P> + +<P> +The danger was not yet past, unfortunately, for scarcely had I turned +my back to go home when the mutiny broke out again, another meeting +being held, and a fresh plot made to murder me during the night. Of +this I was soon informed by my time-keeper, who also told me that he +was afraid to go out and call the roll, as they had threatened to kill +him also. At this further outrage I lost no time in telegraphing for +the Railway Police, and also to the District Officer, Mr. Whitehead, +who immediately marched his men twenty-five miles by road to my +assistance. I have no doubt, indeed, that his prompt action alone saved +me from being attacked that very night. Two or three days afterwards +the Railway Police arrived and arrested the ringleaders in the mutiny, +who were taken to Mombasa and tried before Mr. Crawford, the British +Consul, when the full details of the plots to murder me were unfolded +by one of them who turned Queen's evidence. All the scoundrels were +found guilty and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment in the +chain-gangs, and I was never again troubled with mutinous workmen. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE REIGN OF TERROR +</H3> + +<P> +The lions seemed to have got a bad fright the night Brock and I sat up +in wait for them in the goods-wagon, for they kept away from Tsavo and +did not molest us in any way for some considerable time—not, in fact, +until long after Brock had left me and gone on safari (a caravan +journey) to Uganda. In this breathing space which they vouchsafed us, +it occurred to me that should they renew their attacks, a trap would +perhaps offer the best chance of getting at them, and that if I could +construct one in which a couple of coolies might be used as bait +without being subjected to any danger, the lions would be quite daring +enough to enter it in search of them and thus be caught. I accordingly +set to work at once, and in a short time managed to make a sufficiently +strong trap out of wooden sleepers, tram-rails, pieces of telegraph +wire, and a length of heavy chain. It was divided into two +compartments—one for the men and one for the lion. A sliding door at +one end admitted the former, and once inside this compartment they were +perfectly safe, as between them and the lion, if he entered the other, +ran a cross wall of iron rails only three inches apart, and embedded +both top and bottom in heavy wooden sleepers. The door which was to +admit the lion was, of course, at the opposite end of the structure, +but otherwise the whole thing was very much on the principle of the +ordinary rat-trap, except that it was not necessary for the lion to +seize the bait in order to send the door clattering down. This part of +the contrivance was arranged in the following manner. A heavy chain was +secured along the top part of the lion's doorway, the ends hanging down +to the ground on either side of the opening; and to these were +fastened, strongly secured by stout wire, short lengths of rails placed +about six inches apart. This made a sort of flexible door which could +be packed into a small space when not in use, and which abutted against +the top of the doorway when lifted up. The door was held in this +position by a lever made of a piece of rail, which in turn was kept in +its place by a wire fastened to one end and passing down to a spring +concealed in the ground inside the cage. As soon as the lion entered +sufficiently far into the trap, he would be bound to tread on the +spring; his weight on this would release the wire, and in an instant +down would come the door behind him; and he could not push it out in +any way, as it fell into a groove between two rails firmly embedded in +the ground. +</P> + +<P> +In making this trap, which cost us a lot of work, we were rather at a +loss for want of tools to bore holes in the rails for the doorway, so +as to enable them to be fastened by the wire to the chain. It occurred +to me, however, that a hard-nosed bullet from my .303 would penetrate +the iron, and on making the experiment I was glad to find that a hole +was made as cleanly as if it had been punched out. +</P> + +<P> +When the trap was ready I pitched a tent over it in order further to +deceive the lions, and built an exceedingly strong boma round it. One +small entrance was made at the back of the enclosure for the men, which +they were to close on going in by pulling a bush after them; and +another entrance just in front of the door of the cage was left open +for the lions. The wiseacres to whom I showed my invention were +generally of the opinion that the man-eaters would be too cunning to +walk into my parlour; but, as will be seen later, their predictions +proved false. For the first few nights I baited the trap myself, but +nothing happened except that I had a very sleepless and uncomfortable +time, and was badly bitten by mosquitoes. +</P> + +<P> +As a matter of fact, it was some months before the lions attacked us +again, though from time to time we heard of their depredations in other +quarters. Not long after our night in the goods-wagon, two men were +carried off from railhead, while another was taken from a place called +Engomani, about ten miles away. Within a very short time, this latter +place was again visited by the brutes, two more men being seized, one +of whom was killed and eaten, and the other so badly mauled that he +died within few days. As I have said, however, we at Tsavo enjoyed +complete immunity from attack, and the coolies, believing that their +dreaded foes had permanently deserted the district, resumed all their +usual habits and occupations, and life in the camps returned to its +normal routine. +</P> + +<P> +At last we were suddenly startled out of this feeling of security. One +dark night the familiar terror-stricken cries and screams awoke the +camps, and we knew that the "demons" had returned and had commenced a +new list of victims. On this occasion a number of men had been sleeping +outside their tents for the sake of coolness, thinking, of course, that +the lions had gone for good, when suddenly in the middle of the night +one of the brutes was discovered forcing its way through the boma. The +alarm was at once given, and sticks, stones and firebrands were hurled +in the direction of the intruder. All was of no avail, however, for the +lion burst into the midst of the terrified group, seized an unfortunate +wretch amid the cries and shrieks of his companions, and dragged him +off through the thick thorn fence. He was joined outside by the second +lion, and so daring had the two brutes become that they did not trouble +to carry their victim any further away, but devoured him within thirty +yards of the tent where he had been seized. Although several shots were +fired in their direction by the jemadar of the gang to which the coolie +belonged, they took no notice of these and did not attempt to move +until their horrible meal was finished. The few scattered fragments +that remained of the body I would not allow to be buried at once, +hoping that the lions would return to the spot the following night; and +on the chance of this I took up my station at nightfall in a convenient +tree. Nothing occurred to break the monotony of my watch, however, +except that I had a visit from a hyena, and the next morning I learned +that the lions had attacked another camp about two miles from +Tsavo—for by this time the camps were again scattered, as I had works +in progress all up and down the line. There the man-eaters had been +successful in obtaining a victim, whom, as in the previous instance, +they devoured quite close to the camp. How they forced their way +through the bomas without making a noise was, and still is, a mystery +to me; I should have thought that it was next to impossible for an +animal to get through at all. Yet they continually did so, and without +a sound being heard. +</P> + +<P> +After this occurrence, I sat up every night for over a week near likely +camps, but all in vain. Either the lions saw me and then went +elsewhere, or else I was unlucky, for they took man after man from +different places without ever once giving me a chance of a shot at +them. This constant night watching was most dreary and fatiguing work, +but I felt that it was a duty that had to be undertaken, as the men +naturally looked to me for protection. In the whole of my life I have +never experienced anything more nerve-shaking than to hear the deep +roars of these dreadful monsters growing gradually nearer and nearer, +and to know that some one or other of us was doomed to be their victim +before morning dawned. Once they reached the vicinity of the camps, the +roars completely ceased, and we knew that they were stalking for their +prey. Shouts would then pass from camp to camp, "Khabar dar, bhaieon, +shaitan ata" ("Beware, brothers, the devil is coming"), but the warning +cries would prove of no avail, and sooner or later agonising shrieks +would break the silence, and another man would be missing from +roll-call next morning. +</P> + +<P> +I was naturally very disheartened at being foiled in this way night +after night, and was soon at my wits' end to know what to do; it seemed +as if the lions were really "devils" after all and bore a charmed life. +As I have said before, tracking them through the jungle was a hopeless +task; but as something had to be done to keep up the men's spirits, I +spent many a weary day crawling on my hands and knees through the dense +undergrowth of the exasperating wilderness around us. As a matter of +fact, if I had come up with the lions on any of these expeditions, it +was much more likely that they would have added me to their list of +victims than that I should have succeeded in killing either of them, as +everything would have been in their favour. About this time, too, I had +many helpers, and several officers—civil, naval and military—came to +Tsavo from the coast and sat up night after night in order to get a +shot at our daring foes. All of us, however, met with the same lack of +success, and the lions always seemed capable of avoiding the watchers, +while succeeding, at the same time in obtaining a victim. +</P> + +<P> +I have a very vivid recollection of one particular night when the +brutes seized a man from the railway station and brought him close to +my camp to devour. I could plainly hear them crunching the bones, and +the sound of their dreadful purring filled the air and rang in my ears +for days afterwards. The terrible thing was to feel so helpless; it was +useless to attempt to go out, as of course the poor fellow was dead, +and in addition it was so pitch dark as to make it impossible to see +anything. Some half a dozen workmen, who lived in a small enclosure +close to mine, became so terrified on hearing the lions at their meal +that they shouted and implored me to allow them to come inside my boma. +This I willingly did, but soon afterwards I remembered that one man had +been lying ill in their camp, and on making enquiry I found that they +had callously left him behind alone. I immediately took some men with +me to bring him to my boma, but on entering his tent I saw by the light +of the lantern that the poor fellow was beyond need of safety. He had +died of shock at being deserted by his companions. +</P> + +<P> +From this time matters gradually became worse and worse. Hitherto, as a +rule, only one of the man-eaters had made the attack and had done the +foraging, while the other waited outside in the bush; but now they +began to change their tactics, entering the bomas together and each +seizing a victim. In this way two Swahili porters were killed during +the last week of November, one being immediately carried off and +devoured. The other was heard moaning for a long time, and when his +terrified companions at last summoned up sufficient courage to go to +his assistance, they found him stuck fast in the bushes of the boma, +through which for once the lion had apparently been unable to drag him. +He was still alive when I saw him next morning, but so terribly mauled +that he died before he could be got to the hospital. +</P> + +<P> +Within a few days of this the two brutes made a most ferocious attack +on the largest camp in the section, which for safety's sake was +situated within a stone's throw of Tsavo Station and close to a +Permanent Way Inspector's iron hut. Suddenly in the dead of night the +two man-eaters burst in among the terrified workmen, and even from my +boma, some distance away, I could plainly hear the panic-stricken +shrieking of the coolies. Then followed cries of "They've taken him; +they've taken him," as the brutes carried off their unfortunate victim +and began their horrible feast close beside the camp. The Inspector, +Mr. Dalgairns, fired over fifty shots in the direction in which he +heard the lions, but they were not to be frightened and calmly lay +there until their meal was finished. After examining the spot in the +morning, we at once set out to follow the brutes, Mr. Dalgairns feeling +confident that he had wounded one of them, as there was a trail on the +sand like that of the toes of a broken limb. After some careful +stalking, we suddenly found ourselves in the vicinity of the lions, and +were greeted with ominous growlings. Cautiously advancing and pushing +the bushes aside, we saw in the gloom what we at first took to be a +lion cub; closer inspection, however, showed it to be the remains of +the unfortunate coolie, which the man-eaters had evidently abandoned at +our approach. The legs, one arm and half the body had been eaten, and +it was the stiff fingers of the other arm trailing along the sand which +had left the marks we had taken to be the trail of a wounded lion. By +this time the beasts had retired far into the thick jungle where it was +impossible to follow them, so we had the remains of the coolie buried +and once more returned home disappointed. +</P> + +<P> +Now the bravest men in the world, much less the ordinary Indian coolie, +will not stand constant terrors of this sort indefinitely. The whole +district was by this time thoroughly panic-stricken, and I was not at +all surprised, therefore, to find on my return to camp that same +afternoon (December 1) that the men had all struck work and were +waiting to speak to me. When I sent for them, they flocked to my boma +in a body and stated that they would not remain at Tsavo any longer for +anything or anybody; they had come from India on an agreement to work +for the Government, not to supply food for either lions or "devils." No +sooner had they delivered this ultimatum than a regular stampede took +place. Some hundreds of them stopped the first passing train by +throwing themselves on the rails in front of the engine, and then, +swarming on to the trucks and throwing in their possessions anyhow, +they fled from the accursed spot. +</P> + +<P> +After this the railway works were completely stopped; and for the next +three weeks practically nothing was done but build "lion-proof" huts +for those workmen who had had sufficient courage to remain. It was a +strange and amusing sight to see these shelters perched on the top of +water-tanks, roofs and girders—anywhere for safety—while some even +went so far as to dig pits inside their tents, into which they +descended at night, covering the top over with heavy logs of wood. +Every good-sized tree in the camp had as many beds lashed on to it as +its branches would bear—and sometimes more. I remember that one night +when the camp was attacked, so many men swarmed on to one particular +tree that down it came with a crash, hurling its terror-stricken load +of shrieking coolies close to the very lions they were trying to avoid. +Fortunately for them, a victim had already been secured, and the brutes +were too busy devouring him to pay attention to anything else. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DISTRICT OFFICER'S NARROW ESCAPE +</H3> + +<P> +Some little time before the flight of the workmen, I had written to Mr. +Whitehead, the District Officer, asking him to come up and assist me in +my campaign against the lions, and to bring with him any of his askaris +(native soldiers) that he could spare. He replied accepting the +invitation, and told me to expect him about dinner-time on December 2, +which turned out to be the day after the exodus. His train was due at +Tsavo about six o'clock in the evening, so I sent my "boy" up to the +station to meet him and to help in carrying his baggage to the camp. In +a very short time, however, the "boy" rushed back trembling with +terror, and informed me that there was no sign of the train or of the +railway staff, but that an enormous lion was standing on the station +platform. This extraordinary story I did not believe in the least, as +by this time the coolies—never remarkable for bravery—were in such a +state of fright that if they caught sight of a hyena or a baboon, or +even a dog, in the bush, they were sure to imagine it was a lion; but I +found out next day that it was an actual fact, and that both +stationmaster and signalman had been obliged to take refuge from one of +the man-eaters by locking themselves in the station building. +</P> + +<P> +I waited some little time for Mr. Whitehead, but eventually, as he did +not put in an appearance, I concluded that he must have postponed his +journey until the next day, and so had my dinner in my customary +solitary state. During the meal I heard a couple of shots, but paid no +attention to them, as rifles were constantly being fired off in the +neighbourhood of the camp. Later in the evening, I went out as usual to +watch for our elusive foes, and took up my position in a crib made of +sleepers which I had built on a big girder close to a camp which I +thought was likely to be attacked. Soon after settling down at my post, +I was surprised to hear the man-eaters growling and purring and +crunching up bones about seventy yards from the crib. I could not +understand what they had found to eat, as I had heard no commotion in +the camps, and I knew by bitter experience that every meal the brutes +obtained from us was announced by shrieks and uproar. The only +conclusion I could come to was that they had pounced upon some poor +unsuspecting native traveller. After a time I was able to make out +their eyes glowing in the darkness, and I took as careful aim as was +possible in the circumstances and fired; but the only notice they paid +to the shot was to carry off whatever they were devouring and to retire +quietly over a slight rise, which prevented me from seeing them. There +they finished their meal at their ease. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as it was daylight, I got out of my crib and went towards the +place where I had last heard them. On the way, whom should I meet but +my missing guest, Mr. Whitehead, looking very pale and ill, and +generally dishevelled. +</P> + +<P> +"Where on earth have you come from?" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you turn +up to dinner last night?" +</P> + +<P> +"A nice reception you give a fellow when you invite him to dinner," was +his only reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what's up?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +"That infernal lion of yours nearly did for me last night," said +Whitehead. +</P> + +<P> +"Nonsense, you must have dreamed it!" I cried in astonishment. +</P> + +<P> +For answer he turned round and showed me his back. "That's not much of +a dream, is it?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +His clothing was rent by one huge tear from the nape of the neck +downwards, and on the flesh there were four great claw marks, showing +red and angry through the torn cloth. Without further parley, I hurried +him off to my tent, and bathed and dressed his wounds; and when I had +made him considerably more comfortable, I got from him the whole story +of the events of the night. +</P> + +<P> +It appeared that his train was very late, so that it was quite dark +when he arrived at Tsavo Station, from which the track to my camp lay +through a small cutting. He was accompanied by Abdullah, his sergeant +of askaris, who walked close behind him carrying a lighted lamp. All +went well until they were about half-way through the gloomy cutting, +when one of the lions suddenly jumped down upon them from the high +bank, knocking Whitehead over like a ninepin, and tearing his back in +the manner I had seen. Fortunately, however, he had his carbine with +him, and instantly fired. The flash and the loud report must have dazed +the lion for a second or two, enabling Whitehead to disengage himself; +but the next instant the brute pounced like lightning on the +unfortunate Abdullah, with whom he at once made off. All that the poor +fellow could say was: "Eh, Bwana, simba" ("Oh, Master, a lion"). As the +lion was dragging him over the bank, Whitehead fired again, but without +effect, and the brute quickly disappeared into the darkness with his +prey. It was of course, this unfortunate man whom I had heard the lions +devouring during the night. Whitehead himself had a marvellous escape; +his wounds were happily not very deep, and caused him little or no +inconvenience afterwards. +</P> + +<P> +On the same day, December 3, the forces arrayed against the lions were +further strengthened. Mr. Farquhar, the Superintendent of Police, +arrived from the coast with a score of sepoys to assist in hunting down +the man-eaters, whose fame had by this time spread far and wide, and +the most elaborate precautions were taken, his men being posted on the +most convenient trees near every camp. Several other officials had also +come up on leave to join in the chase, and each of these guarded a +likely spot in the same way, Mr. Whitehead sharing my post inside the +crib on the girder. Further, in spite of some chaff, my lion trap was +put in thorough working order, and two of the sepoys were installed as +bait. +</P> + +<P> +Our preparations were quite complete by nightfall, and we all took up +our appointed positions. Nothing happened until about nine o'clock, +when to my great satisfaction the intense stillness was suddenly broken +by the noise of the door of the trap clattering down. "At last," I +thought, "one at least of the brutes is done for." But the sequel was +an ignominious one. +</P> + +<P> +The bait-sepoys had a lamp burning inside their part of the cage, and +were each armed with a Martini rifle, with plenty of ammunition. They +had also been given strict orders to shoot at once if a lion should +enter the trap. Instead of doing so, however, they were so terrified +when he rushed in and began to lash himself madly against the bars of +the cage, that they completely lost their heads and were actually too +unnerved to fire. Not for some minutes—not, indeed, until Mr. +Farquhar, whose post was close by, shouted at them and cheered them +on—did they at all recover themselves. Then when at last they did +begin to fire, they fired with a vengeance—anywhere, anyhow. Whitehead +and I were at right angles to the direction in which they should have +shot, and yet their bullets came whizzing all round us. Altogether they +fired over a score of shots, and in the end succeeded only in blowing +away one of the bars of the door, thus allowing our prize to make good +his escape. How they failed to kill him several times over is, and +always will be, a complete mystery to me, as they could have put the +muzzles of their rifles absolutely touching his body. There was, +indeed, some blood scattered about the trap, but it was small +consolation to know that the brute, whose capture and death seemed so +certain, had only been slightly wounded. +</P> + +<P> +Still we were not unduly dejected, and when morning came, a hunt was at +once arranged. Accordingly we spent the greater part of the day on our +hands and knees following the lions through the dense thickets of +thorny jungle, but though we heard their growls from time to time, we +never succeeded in actually coming up with them. Of the whole party, +only Farquhar managed to catch a momentary glimpse of one as it bounded +over a bush. Two days more were spent in the same manner, and with +equal unsuccess; and then Farquhar and his sepoys were obliged to +return to the coast. Mr. Whitehead also departed for his district, and +once again I was left alone with the man-eaters. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER +</H3> + +<P> +A day or two after the departure of my allies, as I was leaving my boma +soon after dawn on December 9, I saw a Swahili running excitedly +towards me, shouting out "Simba! Simba!" ("Lion! Lion!"), and every now +and again looking behind him as he ran. On questioning him I found that +the lions had tried to snatch a man from the camp by the river, but +being foiled in this had seized and killed one of the donkeys, and were +at that moment busy devouring it not far off. Now was my chance. +</P> + +<P> +I rushed for the heavy rifle which Farquhar had kindly left with me for +use in case an opportunity such as this should arise, and, led by the +Swahili, I started most carefully to stalk the lions, who, I devoutly +hoped, were confining their attention strictly to their meal. I was +getting on splendidly, and could just make out the outline of one of +them through the dense bush, when unfortunately my guide snapped a +rotten branch. The wily beast heard the noise, growled his defiance, +and disappeared in a moment into a patch of even thicker jungle close +by. In desperation at the thought of his escaping me once again, I +crept hurriedly back to the camp, summoned the available workmen and +told them to bring all the tom-toms, tin cans, and other noisy +instruments of any kind that could be found. As quickly as possible I +posted them in a half-circle round the thicket, and gave the head +jemadar instructions to start a simultaneous beating of the tom-toms +and cans as soon as he judged that I had had time to get round to the +other side. I then crept round by myself and soon found a good position +and one which the lion was most likely to retreat past, as it was in +the middle of a broad animal path leading straight from the place where +he was concealed. I lay down behind a small ant hill, and waited +expectantly. Very soon I heard a tremendous din being raised by the +advancing line of coolies, and almost immediately, to my intense joy, +out into the open path stepped a huge maneless lion. It was the first +occasion during all these trying months upon which I had had a fair +chance at one of these brutes, and my satisfaction at the prospect of +bagging him was unbounded. +</P> + +<P> +Slowly he advanced along the path, stopping every few seconds to look +round. I was only partially concealed from view, and if his attention +had not been so fully occupied by the noise behind him, he must have +observed me. As he was oblivious to my presence, however, I let him +approach to within about fifteen yards of me, and then covered him with +my rifle. The moment I moved to do this, he caught sight of me, and +seemed much astonished at my sudden appearance, for he stuck his +forefeet into the ground, threw himself back on his haunches and +growled savagely. As I covered his brain with my rifle, I felt that at +last I had him absolutely at my mercy, but .... never trust an +untried weapon! I pulled the trigger, and to my horror heard the dull +snap that tells of a misfire. +</P> + +<P> +Worse was to follow. I was so taken aback and disconcerted by this +untoward accident that I entirely forgot to fire the left barrel, and +lowered the rifle from my shoulder with the intention of reloading—if +I should be given time. Fortunately for me, the lion was so distracted +by the terrific din and uproar of the coolies behind him that instead +of springing on me, as might have been expected, he bounded aside into +the jungle again. By this time I had collected my wits, and just as he +jumped I let him have the left barrel. An answering angry growl told me +that he had been hit; but nevertheless he succeeded once more in +getting clear away, for although I tracked him for some little +distance, I eventually lost his trail in a rocky patch of ground. +</P> + +<P> +Bitterly did I anathematise the hour in which I had relied on a +borrowed weapon, and in my disappointment and vexation I abused owner, +maker, and rifle with fine impartiality. On extracting the unexploded +cartridge, I found that the needle had not struck home, the cap being +only slightly dented; so that the whole fault did indeed lie with the +rifle, which I later returned to Farquhar with polite compliments. +Seriously, however, my continued ill-luck was most exasperating; and +the result was that the Indians were more than ever confirmed in their +belief that the lions were really evil spirits, proof against mortal +weapons. Certainly, they did seem to bear charmed lives. +</P> + +<P> +After this dismal failure there was, of course, nothing to do but to +return to camp. Before doing so, however, I proceeded to view the dead +donkey, which I found to have been only slightly devoured it the +quarters. It is a curious fact that lions always begin at the tail of +their prey and eat upwards towards the head. As their meal had thus +been interrupted evidently at the very beginning, I felt pretty sure +that one or other of the brutes would return to the carcase at +nightfall. Accordingly, as there was no tree of any kind close at hand, +I had a staging erected some ten feet away from the body. This machan +was about twelve feet high and was composed of four poles stuck into +the ground and inclined towards each other at the top, where a plank +was lashed to serve as a seat. Further, as the nights were still pitch +dark, I had the donkey's carcase secured by strong wires to a +neighbouring stump, so that the lions might not be able to drag it away +before I could get a shot at them. +</P> + +<P> +At sundown, therefore, I took up my position on my airy perch, and much +to the disgust of my gun-bearer, Mahina, I decided to go alone. I would +gladly have taken him with me, indeed, but he had a bad cough, and I +was afraid lest he should make any involuntary noise or movement which +might spoil all. Darkness fell almost immediately, and everything +became extraordinarily still. The silence of an African jungle on a +dark night needs to be experienced to be realised; it is most +impressive, especially when one is absolutely alone and isolated from +one's fellow creatures, as I was then. The solitude and stillness, and +the purpose of my vigil, all had their effect on me, and from a +condition of strained expectancy I gradually fell into a dreamy mood +which harmonised well with my surroundings. Suddenly I was startled out +of my reverie by the snapping of a twig: and, straining my ears for a +further sound, I fancied I could hear the rustling of a large body +forcing its way through the bush. "The man-eater," I thought to myself; +"surely to-night my luck will change and I shall bag one of the +brutes." Profound silence again succeeded; I sat on my eyrie like a +statue, every nerve tense with excitement. Very soon, however, all +doubt as to the presence of the lion was dispelled. A deep long-drawn +sigh—sure sign of hunger—came up from the bushes, and the rustling +commenced again as he cautiously advanced. In a moment or two a sudden +stop, followed by an angry growl, told me that my presence had been +noticed; and I began to fear that disappointment awaited me once more. +</P> + +<P> +But no; matters quickly took an unexpected turn. The hunter became the +hunted; and instead of either making off or coming for the bait +prepared for him, the lion began stealthily to stalk me! For about two +hours he horrified me by slowly creeping round and round my crazy +structure, gradually edging his way nearer and nearer. Every moment I +expected him to rush it; and the staging had not been constructed with +an eye to such a possibility. If one of the rather flimsy poles should +break, or if the lion could spring the twelve feet which separated me +from the ground ... the thought was scarcely a pleasant one. I began +to feel distinctly "creepy," and heartily repented my folly in having +placed myself in such a dangerous position. I kept perfectly still, +however, hardly daring even to blink my eyes: but the long-continued +strain was telling on my nerves, and my feelings may be better imagined +than described when about midnight suddenly something came flop and +struck me on the back of the head. For a moment I was so terrified that +I nearly fell off the plank, as I thought that the lion had sprung on +me from behind. Regaining my senses in a second or two, I realised that +I had been hit by nothing more formidable than an owl, which had +doubtless mistaken me for the branch of a tree—not a very alarming +thing to happen in ordinary circumstances, I admit, but coming at the +time it did, it almost paralysed me. The involuntary start which I +could not help giving was immediately answered by a sinister growl from +below. +</P> + +<P> +After this I again kept as still as I could, though absolutely +trembling with excitement; and in a short while I heard the lion begin +to creep stealthily towards me. I could barely make out his form as he +crouched among the whitish undergrowth; but I saw enough for my +purpose, and before he could come any nearer, I took careful aim and +pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot was at once followed by a +most terrific roar, and then I could hear him leaping about in all +directions. I was no longer able to see him, however, as his first +bound had taken him into the thick bush; but to make assurance doubly +sure, I kept blazing away in the direction in which I heard him +plunging about. At length came a series of mighty groans, gradually +subsiding into deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether; and I felt +convinced that one of the "devils" who had so long harried us would +trouble us no more. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring voices was borne +across the dark jungle from the men in camp about a quarter of a mile +away. I shouted back that I was safe and sound, and that one of the +lions was dead: whereupon such a mighty cheer went up from all the +camps as must have astonished the denizens of the jungle for miles +around. Shortly I saw scores of lights twinkling through the bushes: +every man in camp turned out, and with tom-toms beating and horns +blowing came running to the scene. They surrounded my eyrie, and to my +amazement prostrated themselves on the ground before me, saluting me +with cries of "Mabarak! Mabarak!" which I believe means "blessed one" +or "saviour." All the same, I refused to allow any search to be made +that night for the body of the lion, in case his companion might be +close by; besides, it was possible that he might be still alive, and +capable of making a last spring. Accordingly we all returned in triumph +to the camp, where great rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of +the night, the Swahili and other African natives celebrating the +occasion by an especially wild and savage dance. +</P> + +<P> +For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn; and even before it was +thoroughly light I was on my way to the eventful spot, as I could not +completely persuade myself that even yet the "devil" might not have +eluded me in some uncanny and mysterious way. Happily my fears proved +groundless, and I was relieved to find that my luck—after playing me +so many exasperating tricks—had really turned at last. I had scarcely +traced the blood for more than a few paces when, on rounding a bush, I +was startled to see a huge lion right in front of me, seemingly alive +and crouching for a spring. On looking closer, however, I satisfied +myself that he was really and truly stone-dead, whereupon my followers +crowded round, laughed and danced and shouted with joy like children, +and bore me in triumph shoulder-high round the dead body. These +thanksgiving ceremonies being over, I examined the body and found that +two bullets had taken effect—one close behind the left shoulder, +evidently penetrating the heart, and the other in the off hind leg. The +prize was indeed one to be proud of; his length from tip of nose to tip +of tail was nine feet eight inches, he stood three feet nine inches +high, and it took eight men to carry him back to camp. The only blemish +was that the skin was much scored by the boma thorns through which he +had so often forced his way in carrying off his victims. +</P> + +<P> +The news of the death of one of the notorious man-eaters soon spread +far and wide over the country: telegrams of congratulation came pouring +in, and scores of people flocked from up and down the railway to see +the skin for themselves. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DEATH OF THE SECOND MAN-EATER +</H3> + +<P> +It must not be imagined that with the death of this lion our troubles +at Tsavo were at an end; his companion was still at large, and very +soon began to make us unpleasantly aware of the fact. Only a few nights +elapsed before he made an attempt to get at the Permanent Way +Inspector, climbing up the steps of his bungalow and prowling round the +verandah. The Inspector, hearing the noise and thinking it was a +drunken coolie, shouted angrily "Go away!" but, fortunately for him, +did not attempt to come out or to open the door. Thus disappointed in +his attempt to obtain a meal of human flesh, the lion seized a couple +of the Inspector's goats and devoured them there and then. +</P> + +<P> +On hearing of this occurrence, I determined to sit up the next night +near the Inspector's bungalow. Fortunately there was a vacant iron +shanty close at hand, with a convenient loophole in it for firing from; +and outside this I placed three full-grown goats as bait, tying them to +a half-length of rail, weighing about 250 lbs. The night passed +uneventfully until just before daybreak, when at last the lion turned +up, pounced on one of the goats and made off with it, at the same time +dragging away the others, rail and all. I fired several shots in his +direction, but it was pitch dark and quite impossible to see anything, +so I only succeeded in hitting one of the goats. I often longed for a +flash-light on such occasions. +</P> + +<P> +Next morning I started off in pursuit and was joined by some others +from the camp. I found that the trail of the goats and rail was easily +followed, and we soon came up, about a quarter of a mile away, to where +the lion was still busy at his meal. He was concealed in some thick +bush and growled angrily on hearing our approach; finally, as we got +closer, he suddenly made a charge, rushing through the bushes at a +great pace. In an instant, every man of the party scrambled hastily up +the nearest tree, with the exception of one of my assistants, Mr. +Winkler, who stood steadily by me throughout. The brute, however, did +not press his charge home: and on throwing stones into the bushes where +we had last seen him, we guessed by the silence that he had slunk off. +We therefore advanced cautiously, and on getting up to the place +discovered that he had indeed escaped us, leaving two off the goats +scarcely touched. +</P> + +<P> +Thinking that in all probability the lion would return as usual to +finish his meal, I had a very strong scaffolding put up a few feet away +from the dead goats, and took up my position on it before dark. On this +occasion I brought my gun-bearer, Mahina, to take a turn at watching, +as I was by this time worn out for want of sleep, having spent so many +nights on the look-out. I was just dozing off comfortably when suddenly +I felt my arm seized, and on looking up saw Mahina pointing in the +direction of the goats. "Sher!" ("Lion!") was all he whispered. I +grasped my double smooth-bore, which, I had charged with slug, and +waited patiently. In a few moments I was rewarded, for as I watched the +spot where I expected the lion to appear, there was a rustling among +the bushes and I saw him stealthily emerge into the open and pass +almost directly beneath us. I fired both barrels practically together +into his shoulder, and to my joy could see him go down under the force +of the blow. Quickly I reached for the magazine rifle, but before I +could use it, he was out of sight among the bushes, and I had to fire +after him quite at random. Nevertheless I was confident of getting him +in the morning, and accordingly set out as soon as it was light. For +over a mile there was no difficulty in following the blood-trail, and +as he had rested several times I felt sure that he had been badly +wounded. In the end, however, my hunt proved fruitless, for after a +time the traces of blood ceased and the surface of the ground became +rocky, so that I was no longer able to follow the spoor. +</P> + +<P> +About this time Sir Guilford Molesworth, K.C.I.E., late Consulting +Engineer to the Government of India for State Railways, passed through +Tsavo on a tour of inspection on behalf of the Foreign Office. After +examining the bridge and other works and expressing his satisfaction, +he took a number of photographs, one or two of which he has kindly +allowed me to reproduce in this book. He thoroughly sympathised with us +in all the trials we had endured from the man-eaters, and was delighted +that one at least was dead. When he asked me if I expected to get the +second lion soon, I well remember his half-doubting smile as I rather +too confidently asserted that I hoped to bag him also in the course of +a few days. +</P> + +<P> +As it happened, there was no sign of our enemy for about ten days after +this, and we began to hope that he had died of his wounds in the bush. +All the same we still took every precaution at night, and it was +fortunate that we did so, as otherwise at least one more victim would +have been added to the list. For on the night of December 27, I was +suddenly aroused by terrified shouts from my trolley men, who slept in +a tree close outside my boma, to the effect that a lion was trying to +get at them. It would have been madness to have gone out, as the moon +was hidden by dense clouds and it was absolutely impossible to see +anything more than a yard in front of one; so all I could do was to +fire off a few rounds just to frighten the brute away. This apparently +had the desired effect, for the men were not further molested that +night; but the man-eater had evidently prowled about for some time, for +we found in the morning that he had gone right into every one of their +tents, and round the tree was a regular ring of his footmarks. +</P> + +<P> +The following evening I took up my position in this same tree, in the +hope that he would make another attempt. The night began badly, as, +while climbing up to my perch I very nearly put my hand on a venomous +snake which was lying coiled round one of the branches. As may be +imagined, I came down again very quickly, but one of my men managed to +despatch it with a long pole. Fortunately the night was clear and +cloudless, and the moon made every thing almost as bright as day. I +kept watch until about 2 a.m., when I roused Mahina to take his turn. +For about an hour I slept peacefully with my back to the tree, and then +woke suddenly with an uncanny feeling that something was wrong. Mahina, +however, was on the alert, and had seen nothing; and although I looked +carefully round us on all sides, I too could discover nothing unusual. +Only half satisfied, I was about to lie back again, when I fancied I +saw something move a little way off among the low bushes. On gazing +intently at the spot for a few seconds, I found I was not mistaken. It +was the man-eater, cautiously stalking us. +</P> + +<P> +The ground was fairly open round our tree, with only a small bush every +here and there; and from our position it was a most fascinating sight +to watch this great brute stealing stealthily round us, taking +advantage of every bit of cover as he came. His skill showed that he +was an old hand at the terrible game of man-hunting: so I determined to +run no undue risk of losing him this time. I accordingly waited until +he got quite close—about twenty yards away—and then fired my .303 at +his chest. I heard the bullet strike him, but unfortunately it had no +knockdown effect, for with a fierce growl he turned and made off with +great long bounds. Before he disappeared from sight, however, I managed +to have three more shots at him from the magazine rifle, and another +growl told me that the last of these had also taken effect. +</P> + +<P> +We awaited daylight with impatience, and at the first glimmer of dawn +we set out to hunt him down. I took a native tracker with me, so that I +was free to keep a good look-out, while Mahina followed immediately +behind with a Martini carbine. Splashes of blood being plentiful, we +were able to get along quickly; and we had not proceeded more than a +quarter of a mile through the jungle when suddenly a fierce warning +growl was heard right in front of us. Looking cautiously through the +bushes, I could see the man-eater glaring out in our direction, and +showing his tusks in an angry snarl. I at once took careful aim and +fired. Instantly he sprang out and made a most determined charge down +on us. I fired again and knocked him over; but in a second he was up +once more and coming for me as fast as he could in his crippled +condition. A third shot had no apparent effect, so I put out my hand +for the Martini, hoping to stop him with it. To my dismay, however, it +was not there. The terror of the sudden charge had proved too much for +Mahina, and both he and the carbine were by this time well on their way +up a tree. In the circumstances there was nothing to do but follow +suit, which I did without loss of time: and but for the fact that one +of my shots had broken a hind leg, the brute would most certainly have +had me. Even as it was, I had barely time to swing myself up out of his +reach before he arrived at the foot of the tree. +</P> + +<P> +When the lion found he was too late, he started to limp back to the +thicket; but by this time I had seized the carbine from Mahina, and the +first shot I fired from it seemed to give him his quietus, for he fell +over and lay motionless. Rather foolishly, I at once scrambled down +from the tree and walked up towards him. To my surprise and no little +alarm he jumped up and attempted another charge. This time, however, a +Martini bullet in the chest and another in the head finished him for +good and all; he dropped in his tracks not five yards away from me, and +died gamely, biting savagely at a branch which had fallen to the ground. +</P> + +<P> +By this time all the workmen in camp, attracted by the sound of the +firing, had arrived on the scene, and so great was their resentment +against the brute who had killed such numbers of their comrades that it +was only with the greatest difficulty that I could restrain them from +tearing the dead body to pieces. Eventually, amid the wild rejoicings +of the natives and coolies, I had the lion carried to my boma, which +was close at hand. On examination we found no less than six bullet +holes in the body, and embedded only a little way in the flesh of the +back was the slug which I had fired into him from the scaffolding about +ten days previously. He measured nine feet six inches from tip of nose +to tip of tail, and stood three feet eleven and a half inches high; +but, as in the case of his companion, the skin was disfigured by being +deeply scored all over by the boma thorns. +</P> + +<P> +The news of the death of the second "devil" soon spread far and wide +over the country, and natives actually travelled from up and down the +line to have a look at my trophies and at the "devil-killer", as they +called me. Best of all, the coolies who had absconded came flocking +back to Tsavo, and much to my relief work was resumed and we were never +again troubled by man-eaters. It was amusing, indeed, to notice the +change which took place in the attitude of the workmen towards me after +I had killed the two lions. Instead of wishing to murder me, as they +once did, they could not now do enough for me, and as a token of their +gratitude they presented me with a beautiful silver bowl, as well as +with a long poem written in Hindustani describing all our trials and my +ultimate victory. As the poem relates our troubles in somewhat quaint +and biblical language, I have given a translation of it in the +appendix. The bowl I shall always consider my most highly prized and +hardest won trophy. The inscription on it reads as follows:— +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +SIR,—We, your Overseer, Timekeepers, Mistaris and Workmen, present you +with this bowl as a token of our gratitude to you for your bravery in +killing two man-eating lions at great risk to your own life, thereby +saving us from the fate of being devoured by these terrible monsters +who nightly broke into our tents and took our fellow-workers from our +side. In presenting you with this bowl, we all add our prayers for your +long life, happiness and prosperity. We shall ever remain, Sir, Your +grateful servants, +</P> + +<P CLASS="letter"> +Baboo PURSHOTAM HURJEE PURMAR,<BR> + Overseer and Clerk of Works,<BR> + on behalf of your Workmen.<BR> + Dated at Tsavo, January 30, 1899.<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Before I leave the subject of "the man-eaters of Tsavo," it may be of +interest to mention that these two lions possess the distinction, +probably unique among wild animals, of having been specifically +referred to in the House of Lords by the Prime Minister of the day. +Speaking of the difficulties which had been encountered in the +construction of the Uganda Railway, the late Lord Salisbury said:— +</P> + +<P> +"The whole of the works were put a stop to for three weeks because a +party of man-eating lions appeared in the locality and conceived a most +unfortunate taste for our porters. At last the labourers entirely +declined to go on unless they were guarded by an iron entrenchment. Of +course it is difficult to work a railway under these conditions, and +until we found an enthusiastic sportsman to get rid of these lions, our +enterprise was seriously hindered." +</P> + +<P> +Also, The Spectator of March 3, 1900, had an article entitled "The +Lions that Stopped the Railway," from which the following extracts are +taken:— +</P> + +<P> +"The parallel to the story of the lions which stopped the rebuilding of +Samaria must occur to everyone, and if the Samaritans had quarter as +good cause for their fears as had the railway coolies, their wish to +propitiate the local deities is easily understood. If the whole body of +lion anecdote, from the days of the Assyrian Kings till the last year +of the nineteenth century, were collated and brought together, it would +not equal in tragedy or atrocity, in savageness or in sheer insolent +contempt for man, armed or unarmed, white or black, the story of these +two beasts. +</P> + +<P> +"To what a distance the whole story carries us back, and how impossible +it becomes to account for the survival of primitive man against this +kind of foe! For fire—which has hitherto been regarded as his main +safeguard against the carnivora—these cared nothing. It is curious +that the Tsavo lions were not killed by poison, for strychnine is +easily used, and with effect. (I may mention that poison was tried, but +without effect. The poisoned carcases of transport animals which had +died from the bite of the tsetse fly were placed in likely spots, but +the wily man-eaters would not touch them, and much preferred live men +to dead donkeys.) Poison may have been used early in the history of +man, for its powers are employed with strange skill by the men in the +tropical forest, both in American and West Central Africa. But there is +no evidence that the old inhabitants of Europe, or of Assyria or Asia +Minor, ever killed lions or wolves by this means. They looked to the +King or chief, or some champion, to kill these monsters for them. It +was not the sport but the duty of. Kings, and was in itself a title to +be a ruler of men. Theseus, who cleared the roads of beasts and +robbers; Hercules, the lion killer; St. George, the dragon-slayer, and +all the rest of their class owed to this their everlasting fame. From +the story of the Tsavo River we can appreciate their services to man +even at this distance of time. When the jungle twinkled with hundreds +of lamps, as the shout went on from camp to camp that the first lion +was dead, as the hurrying crowds fell prostrate in the midnight forest, +laying their heads on his feet, and the Africans danced savage and +ceremonial dances of thanksgiving, Mr. Patterson must have realised in +no common way what it was to have been a hero and deliverer in the days +when man was not yet undisputed lord of the creation, and might pass at +any moment under the savage dominion of the beasts." +</P> + +<P> +Well had the two man-eaters earned all this fame; they had devoured +between them no less than twenty-eight Indian coolies, in addition to +scores of unfortunate African natives of whom no official record was +kept. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE +</H3> + +<P> +When all the excitement had died down and there was no longer any dread +of the man-eaters, work went on briskly, and the bridge over the Tsavo +rapidly neared completion. As the piers and abutments progressed in +height, the question of how to lift the large stones into their +positions had to be solved. We possessed no cranes for this purpose, so +I set to work and improvised a shears made of a couple of thirty-foot +rails. These were bolted together at the top, while the other ends were +fixed at a distance of about ten feet apart in a large block of wood. +This contrivance acted capitally, and by manipulation of ropes and +pulleys the heavy stones were swung into position quickly and without +difficulty, so that in a very short time the masonry of the bridge was +completed. +</P> + +<P> +The next business was to span the sixty-foot distance between the piers +with iron girders. As I had neither winches nor sufficient blocks and +tackle to haul these over into position, I was driven to erect +temporary piers in the middle of each span, built up crib-shape of +wooden sleepers. Great wooden beams were stretched across from the +stone piers to these cribs, and laid with rails; and the girder was run +over its exact place, while still on the trucks in which it had been +brought up from the coast. It was next "jacked" up from the trucks, +which were hauled away empty, the temporary bridge was dismantled, and +the girder finally lowered gently into position. When the last girder +was thus successfully placed, no time was lost in linking up the +permanent way, and very soon I had the satisfaction of seeing the first +train cross the finished work. +</P> + +<P> +Curiously enough, only a day or so after the bridge had been completed +and the intermediate cribs cleared away, a tremendous rain-storm broke +over the country. The river started to rise rapidly, soon flooding its +banks and becoming a raging murky torrent, tearing up trees by the +roots and whirling them along like straws. Steadily higher and higher +rose the flood, and standing on my bridge, I watched expectantly for +the two temporary trolley bridges—which, it will be remembered, we had +built across the stream in order to bring stone and sand to the main +work—to give way before the ever-rising volume of water. Nor had I +long to wait; for I soon caught sight of a solid mass of palm stems and +railway sleepers sweeping with almost irresistible force round the bend +of the river some little distance above the bridge. This I knew was the +debris of the trolley crossing furthest up the river. On it came, and +with it an additional bank of stormy-looking water. I held my breath +for the space of a moment as it actually leaped at the second frail +structure; there was a dull thud and a rending and riving of timbers, +and then the flood rolled on towards me, leaving not a vestige of the +two bridges behind it. The impact, indeed, was so great that the rails +were twisted round the broken tree-trunks as if they had been so much +ordinary wire. The double tier of wreckage now swept forward, and +hurled itself with a sullen plunge against the cutwaters of my stone +piers. The shock was great, but to my immense satisfaction the bridge +took it without a tremor, and I saw the remnant of the temporary +crossings swirl through the great spans and quickly disappear on its +journey to the ocean. I confess that I witnessed the whole occurrence +with a thrill of pride. +</P> + +<P> +We were never long without excitement of some kind or another at Tsavo. +When the camp was not being attacked by man-eating lions, it was +visited by leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, wild cats, and other +inhabitants of the jungle around us. These animals did a great deal of +damage to the herds of sheep and goats which were kept to supply the +commissariat, and there was always great rejoicing when a capture was +made in one of the many traps that were laid for them. +</P> + +<P> +Leopards especially are most destructive, often killing simply for +pleasure and not for food: and I have always harboured animosity +towards them since the night when one wantonly destroyed a whole herd +of mine. I happened at the time to have a flock of about thirty sheep +and goats which I kept for food and for milk, and which were secured at +sundown in a grass hut at one corner of my boma. One particularly dark +night we were startled by a tremendous commotion in this shed, but as +this was before the man-eaters were killed, no one dared stir out to +investigate the cause of the disturbance. I naturally thought that the +intruder was one of the "demons," but all I could do was to fire +several shots in the direction of the hut, hoping to frighten him away. +In spite of these, however, it was some time before the noise died down +and everything became still again. As soon as it was dawn I went to the +shed to see what had happened, and there, to my intense anger, I found +every one of my sheep and goats lying stretched dead, on the ground +with its throat bitten through. A hole had been made through the frail +wall of the shed, and I saw from this and from the tracks all round +that the author of the wholesale slaughter had been a leopard. He had +not eaten one of the flock, but had killed them all out of pure love of +destruction. +</P> + +<P> +I hoped that he would return the next night to make a meal; and should +he do so, I determined to have my revenge. I accordingly left the +carcases exactly as they lay, and having a very powerful steel +trap—like an enormous rat-trap, and quite strong enough to hold a +leopard if he should put his foot in it—I placed this in the opening +into the shed and secured it by a stout chain to a long stake driven +into the ground outside. Darkness found everyone in my boma on the +alert and listening anxiously to hear the noise the leopard would make +the moment he was caught in the trap. Nor were we disappointed, for +about midnight we heard the click of the powerful spring, followed +immediately by frantic roaring and plunging. I had been sitting all +evening with my rifle by my side and a lantern lighted, so I +immediately rushed out, followed by the chaukidar (watchman) carrying +the lamp. As we approached the shed, the leopard made a frantic spring +in our direction as far as the chain would allow him, and this so +frightened the chaukidar that he fled in terror, leaving me in utter +darkness. The night was as black as had been the previous one, and I +could see absolutely nothing; but I knew the general direction in which +to fire and accordingly emptied my magazine at the beast. As far as I +could make out, he kept dodging in and out through the broken wall of +the goat-house; but in a short time my shots evidently told, as his +struggles ceased and all was still. I called out that he was dead, and +at once everyone in the boma turned out, bringing all the lanterns in +the place. With the others came my Indian overseer, who shouted that he +too wanted revenge, as some of the goats had belonged to him. Whereupon +he levelled his revolver at the dead leopard, and shutting his eyes +tightly, fired four shots in rapid succession. Naturally not one of +these touched the beast, but they caused considerable consternation +amongst the onlookers, who scattered rapidly to right and left. Next +morning a party of starving Wa Kamba happened to be passing just as I +was about to skin the leopard, and asked by means of signs to be +allowed to do the job for me and then to take the meat. I of course +assented to this proposal, and in a very few minutes the skin had been +neatly taken off, and the famishing natives began a ravenous meal on +the raw flesh. +</P> + +<P> +Wild dogs are also very destructive, and often caused great losses +among our sheep and goats. Many a night have I listened to these +animals hunting and harrying some poor creature of the wilds round my +camp; they never relinquish a chase, and will attack anything, man or +beast, when really driven by hunger. I was at Tsavo Station one +day—unfortunately without my rifle—when one of these dogs came up and +stood within about thirty yards of me. He was a fine-looking beast, +bigger than a collie, with jet-black hair and a white-tipped bushy +tail. I was very sorry that I had not brought my rifle, as I badly +wanted a specimen and never had another chance of obtaining one. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SWAHILI AND OTHER NATIVE TRIBES +</H3> + +<P> +I have always been very keenly interested in the different native races +of Africa, and consequently availed myself of every opportunity of +studying their manners and customs. I had little scope for this at +Tsavo, however, as the district around us was practically uninhabited. +Still there was of course a good number of Swahili among my workmen, +together with a few Wa Kamba, Wa N'yam Wezi, and others, so I soon +became more or less acquainted with the habits of these tribes. The +Swahili live principally along the coast of British East Africa and at +Zanzibar. They are a mixed race, being the descendants of Arab fathers +and negro mothers. Their name is derived from the Arabic word suahil, +coast; but it has also been said, by some who have found them scarcely +so guileless as might have been expected, to be really a corruption of +the words sawa hili, that is, "those who cheat all alike." However that +may be, the men are as a rule of splendid physique and well qualified +for the calling that the majority of them follow, that of caravan +porters. They are a careless, light-hearted, improvident people, and +are very fond of all the good things of this world, enjoying them +thoroughly whenever they get the chance. Their life is spent in +journeying to and from the interior, carrying heavy loads of provisions +and trade-goods on the one journey, and returning with similar loads of +ivory or other products of the country. They are away for many months +at a time on these expeditions, and consequently—as they cannot spend +money on the march—they have a goodly number of rupees to draw on +their return to Mombasa. These generally disappear with wonderful +rapidity, and when no more fun can be bought, they join another caravan +and begin a new safari to the Great Lakes, or even beyond. Many a time +have I watched them trudging along the old caravan road which crossed +the Tsavo at a ford about half a mile from the railway station: here a +halt was always called, so that they might wash and bathe in the cool +waters of the river. +</P> + +<P> +Nothing ever seems to damp the spirits of the Swahili porter. Be his +life ever so hard, his load ever so heavy, the moment it is off his +back and he has disposed of his posho (food), he straightway forgets +all his troubles, and begins to laugh and sing and joke with his +fellows as if he were the happiest and luckiest mortal alive. Such was +my cook, Mabruki, and his merry laugh was quite infectious. I remember +that one day he was opening a tin of biscuits for me, and not being +able to pull off the under-lid with his fingers, he seized the flap in +his magnificent teeth and tugged at it. I shouted to him to stop, +thinking that he might break a tooth; but he misunderstood my +solicitude and gravely assured me that he would not spoil the tin! +</P> + +<P> +The Swahili men wear a long white cotton garment, like a night-shirt, +called a kanzu; the women—who are too liberally endowed to be entirely +graceful—go about with bare arms and shoulders, and wear a long +brightly-coloured cloth which they wind tightly round their bosoms and +then allow to fall to the feet. All are followers of the Prophet, and +their social customs are consequently much the same as those of any +other Mohammedan race, though with a good admixture of savagedom. They +have a happy knack of giving a nickname to every European with whom +they have to do, such nickname generally making reference to something +peculiar or striking in his habits, temper, or appearance. On the +whole, they are a kindly, generous folk, whom one cannot help liking. +</P> + +<P> +Of the many tribes which are to be seen about the railway on the way up +from the coast, perhaps the most extraordinary-looking are the Wa +Nyika, the people who inhabit the thorny nyika (wilderness) which +borders on the Taru Desert. They are exceedingly ugly and of a low +type. The men wear nothing in the way of dress but a scanty and very +dirty cloth thrown over the shoulders, while the women attire +themselves only in a short kilt which is tied round them very low at +the waist. Both men and women adorn themselves with brass chains round +the neck and coils of copper and iron wire round the arms. +</P> + +<P> +The nearest native inhabitants to Tsavo are the Wa Taita, who dwell in +the mountains near N'dii, some thirty miles away. My work often took me +to this place, and on one of my visits, finding myself with some spare +time on my hands, I set out to pay a long promised visit to the +District Officer. A fairly good road ran from N'dii Station to his +house at the foot of the mountains, about four miles away, and on my +arrival I was not only most hospitably entertained but was also +introduced to M'gogo, the Head Chief of the Wa Taita, who had just come +in for a shauri (consultation) about some affair of State. The old +fellow appeared delighted to meet me, and promptly invited me to his +kraal, some way up the hills. I jumped at the prospect of seeing the Wa +Taita at home, so presently off we started on our heavy climb, my +Indian servant, Bhawal, coming with us. After a couple of hours' steady +scramble up a steep and slippery goatpath, we arrived at M'gogo's +capital, where I was at once introduced to his wives, who were busily +engaged in making pombe (a native fermented drink) in the hollowed-out +stump of a tree. I presented one of them with an orange for her child, +but she did not understand what it was for on tasting it she made a wry +face and would not eat it. Still she did not throw it away, but +carefully put it into a bag with her other treasures—doubtless for +future investigation. As soon as the women saw Bhawal, however, he +became the centre of attraction, and I was eclipsed. He happened to +have on a new puggaree, with lots of gold work on it, and this took +their fancy immensely; they examined every line most carefully and went +into ecstasies over it—just as their European sisters would have done +over the latest Parisian creation. +</P> + +<P> +We made a short halt for rest and refreshment, and then started again +on our journey to the top of the hills. After a stiff climb for another +two hours, part of it through a thick black forest, we emerged on the +summit, where I found I was well rewarded for my trouble by the +magnificent views we obtained on all sides. The great Kilima N'jaro +stood out particularly well, and made a very effective background to +the fine panorama. I was surprised to find a number of well-fed cattle +on the mountain top, but I fancy M'gogo thought I was casting an evil +spell over them when he saw me taking photographs of them as they +grazed peacefully on the sweet grass which covered the plateau. +</P> + +<P> +Like most other natives of Africa, the Wa Taita are exceedingly +superstitious, and this failing is turned to good account by the +all-powerful "witch-doctor" or "medicine-man." It is, for instance, an +extraordinary sight to see the absolute faith with which a Ki Taita +will blow the simba-dawa, or "lion medicine ", to the four points of +the compass before lying down to sleep in the open. This dawa—which +is, of course, obtainable only from the witch-doctor—consists simply +of a little black powder, usually carried in a tiny horn stuck through +a slit in the ear; but the Ki Taita firmly believes that a few grains +of this dust blown round him from the palm of the hand is a complete +safeguard against raging lions seeking whom they may devour; and after +the blowing ceremony he will lie down to sleep in perfect confidence, +even in the midst of a man-eater's district. In the nature of things, +moreover, he never loses this touching faith in the efficacy of the +witch-doctor's charm; for if he is attacked by a lion, the brute sees +to it that he does not live to become an unbeliever, while if he is not +attacked, it is of course quite clear that it is to the dawa that he +owes his immunity. +</P> + +<P> +For the rest, the Wa Taita are essentially a peace-loving and +industrious people; and, indeed, before the arrival of the British in +the country, they hardly ever ventured down from their mountain +fastnesses, owing to their dread of the warlike Masai. Each man has as +many wives as he can afford to pay for in sheep or cattle; he provides +each spouse with a separate establishment, but the family huts are +clustered together, and as a rule all live in perfect harmony. The most +curious custom of the tribe is the filing of the front teeth into sharp +points, which gives the whole face a most peculiar and rather +diabolical expression. As usual, their ideas of costume are rather +primitive; the men sometimes wear a scrap of cloth round the loins, +while the women content themselves with the same or with a short kilt. +Both sexes adorn themselves with a great quantity of copper or iron +wire coiled round their arms and legs, and smear their bodies all over +with grease, the men adding red clay to the mixture. Many of the women +also wear dozens of rows of beads, while their ears are hung with +pieces of chain and other fantastic ornaments. The men always carry +bows and poisoned arrows, as well as a seemie (a short, +roughly-fashioned sword) hung on a leathern thong round the waist. A +three-legged stool is also an important part of their equipment, and is +slung on the shoulder when on the march. +</P> + +<P> +The next people met with on the road to the Great Lakes are the Wa +Kamba, who inhabit the Ukambani province, and may be seen from M'toto +Andei to the Athi River. They are a very large tribe, but have little +cohesion, being split up, into many clans under chiefs who govern in a +patriarchal kind of way. In appearance and dress—or the want of +it—they are very like the Wa Taita, and they have the same custom of +filing the front teeth. As a rule, too, they are a peace-loving people, +though when driven to it by hunger they will commit very cruel and +treacherous acts of wholesale murder. While the railway was being +constructed, a severe famine occurred in their part of the country, +when hundreds of them died of starvation. During this period they +several times swooped down on isolated railway maintenance gangs and +utterly annihilated them, in order to obtain possession of the food +which they knew would be stored in the camps. These attacks were always +made by night. Like most other native races in East Africa, their only +arms are the bow and poisoned arrow, but in the use of these primitive +weapons they are specially expert. The arrow-head remains in the flesh +when the shaft is withdrawn, and if the poison is fresh, paralysis and +death very quickly follow, the skin round the wound turning yellow and +mortifying within an hour or two. This deadly poison is obtained, I +believe, by boiling down a particular root, the arrow-heads being +dipped in the black, pitchy-looking essence which remains. I am glad to +say, however, that owing to the establishment of several Mission +Stations amongst them, the Wa Kamba are quickly becoming the most +civilised natives in the country; and the missionaries have adopted the +sensible course of teaching the people husbandry and the practical arts +and crafts of everyday life, in addition to caring for their spiritual +needs. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO +</H3> + +<P> +During my stay at Tsavo I made many little excursions into the +surrounding country, and used to go off on a short shooting and +exploring expedition whenever I had the opportunity. I was especially +anxious to bag a hippopotamus, so I made up my mind to try my luck on +the banks of the Sabaki. Unfortunately, I possessed no heavy rifle, +which is almost a necessity for hippo shooting, but it occurred to me +to supply the deficiency by manufacturing a few cartridges for my +smoothbore. In these I had double charges of powder and a hardened +bullet made of lead mixed with about an eighth part of tin. I well +remember the anxiety with which I fired the first round of my home-made +ammunition. As I more than half expected that the barrel would burst, I +lashed the gun in the fork of a tree, tied a piece of string a hundred +feet long to the trigger, and then—taking shelter behind a friendly +stump—pulled off. To my great satisfaction the barrel stood the test +perfectly. More than that, on trying the penetrative effect of my +bullets, I found that they would smash through a steel plate an eighth +of an inch thick at thirty yards' range. This was quite good enough for +my purpose, and gave me great confidence in the weapon. All the same, I +had a very narrow escape one day while manufacturing some of this +ammunition. My plan was to remove the shot from the cartridge, put in +the additional powder, and ram this well in before replacing the wad +and putting in the bullet. I had clamped my refilling machine to my +rough-hewn table, and was stamping the double charge of powder well +down into the cartridge, when suddenly, for some unknown reason, the +whole charge exploded right into my face. Everything became pitch dark +to me, and I groped my way about the little hut in agony of mind as +well as of body, for I thought I had been blinded. I am thankful to +say, however, that gleams of light soon began to return to my eyes, and +in a few hours' time I was almost all right again and able to go on +with my cartridge making. +</P> + +<P> +All my preparations having been made, I set out for the Sabaki, taking +with me my Indian gun-bearer Mahina, my cook Mabruki, a bhisti +(water-carrier), and a couple of natives to carry our odds and ends. On +these occasions I usually took no tent, but bivouacked in the open. We +took some bread and a few tinned provisions with us, but I could always +depend upon getting a paa, guinea-fowl, partridge or rock-rabbit for +the larder on the march. These rock-rabbits are more like big rats than +rabbits, and are found in great numbers among the rocks along the banks +of the rivers. They are not at all bad eating, but the Swahili will not +touch them. They call them tupu (shameless, naked things), owing to +their lack of a tail, of which indeed they possess not even a vestige. +</P> + +<P> +Our route lay by the always interesting Tsavo River. Along the banks +everything within reach of its moisture is delightfully fresh and +green. Palms and other trees, festooned with brilliant flowering +creepers, flourish along its course; all kinds of monkeys chatter and +jabber in the shade overhead as they swing themselves from branch to +branch, while birds of the most gorgeous plumage flutter about, giving +a very tropical aspect to the scene. On the other hand, if one is +tempted to stray away from the river, be it only for a few yards, one +comes immediately into the parched, thorny wilderness of stunted, +leafless trees. Here the sun beats down pitilessly, and makes the nyika +of the Tsavo valley almost intolerable. The river has its source at the +foot of snow-crowned Kilima N'jaro, whence it flows for about eighty +miles in a northerly direction until it joins the Athi River, about +seven miles below Tsavo Station. From this point the united streams +take the name of Sabaki and flow more or less eastwards until they +reach the Indian Ocean at Malindi, some seventy miles north of Mombasa. +</P> + +<P> +A narrow and tortuous Masai warpath winds along its whole length, but +although we followed this trail our journey was nevertheless a very +slow one, owing to the overhanging branches and creepers, from which we +had constantly to be disengaged. The march was full of interest, +however, for it was not long before we came upon fresh tracks both of +hippo and rhino. Every now and again, also, we caught glimpses of +startled bush-buck and water-buck, while occasionally the sound of a +splash in the water told of a wary crocodile. We had gone about half +the distance to the Sabaki when we came upon an unexpected obstacle in +the shape of a great ridge of barren, rugged rock, about a hundred feet +high, which extended for about a mile or so on both banks of the river. +The sides of this gorge went sheer down into the water, and were quite +impossible to scale. I therefore determined to make a detour round it, +but Mahina was confident that he could walk along in the river itself. +I hinted mildly at the possibility of there being crocodiles under the +rocky ledges. Mahina declared, however, that there was no danger, and +making a bundle of his lower garments, he tied it to his back and +stepped into the water. For a few minutes all went well. Then, in an +instant, he was lifted right off his feet by the rush of the water and +whirled away. The river took a sharp bend in this gorge, and he was +round it and out of our sight in no time, the last glimpse we caught of +him showing him vainly trying to catch hold of an overhanging branch. +Although we at once made all the haste we could to get round the ridge +of rocks, it took us nearly half an hour to do it. I had almost given +up hope of ever seeing Mahina again, and was much relieved, therefore, +when we reached the river-side once more, to find him safe and sound, +and little the worse for his adventure. Luckily he had been dashed up +against a rushy bank, and had managed to scramble out with no more +serious damage than a bruised shin. +</P> + +<P> +Eventually we arrived at the junction of the rivers and proceeded some +way down the Sabaki, beside which the Tsavo looks very insignificant. +Several islands are dotted about in mid-stream and are overgrown with +tall reeds and rushes, in which hippo find capital covert all the year +round. As with the Tsavo, the banks of the Sabaki are lined with trees +of various kinds, affording most welcome shade from the heat of the +sun: and skirting the river is a caravan road from the interior—still +used, I believe, for smuggling slaves and ivory to the coast, where +dhows are in readiness to convey them to Persia or Arabia. +</P> + +<P> +After an early dinner, which Mabruki soon got ready, I left my +followers encamped in a safe boma a mile away from the river, and +started out with Mahina to find a suitable tree, near a hippo "run", in +which to spend the night. Having some difficulty in finding a likely +spot, we crossed to the other side of the river—rather a risky thing +to do on account of the number of crocodiles in it: we found a fairly +shallow ford, however, and managed to get safely over. Here, on what +was evidently an island during flood time, we found innumerable traces +of both hippo and rhino—in fact the difficulty was to decide which +track was the best and freshest. At length I picked out a tree close to +the river and commanding a stretch of sand which was all flattened down +and looked as if at least one hippo rolled there regularly every night. +</P> + +<P> +As there was still about an hour before sundown, we did not take up our +station at once, but proceeded along the bank to see if any other game +was about. We had not gone very far when Mahina, who was a little way +ahead, signalled to me, and on joining him I saw a splendid-looking +water-buck standing in a shallow pool of the river. It was the first +time I had seen one of these fine antelope, and I was delighted with +the sight. I might have got twenty yards or so nearer, but I thought I +had better not risk moving, so I aimed at the shoulder and fired. The +buck gave one leap into the air, and then turned and galloped quickly +behind an island which completely hid him from view. We waited for him +to clear the rushes at the other end of this island, but as he did not +appear I got impatient and plunged into the river, regardless of +crocodiles or anything else. On rounding the island, however, he was +nowhere to be seen, and had evidently turned off while in the shelter +of the reeds and so gained the opposite bank. I was keenly disappointed +at my failure, for it was impossible to follow him up: to do so we +should have had to make a long detour to get across the river, and by +that time darkness would have set in. This incident shows the great +drawback to the .303—namely, that it has very little knock-down effect +unless it strikes a vital part; and even then, in a bush country, an +animal may manage to go far enough to be lost. On the other hand, an +animal wounded with a hard bullet is likely to make a speedy recovery, +which is a great blessing. +</P> + +<P> +Mahina was even more upset at the escape of the buck than I was, and as +we trudged back through the sand to our tree, he was full of gloomy +forebodings of an unlucky night. By the light of a splendid full moon +we settled ourselves on a great outspreading branch, and commenced our +vigil. Soon the jungle around us began to be alive with its peculiar +sounds—a night bird would call, a crocodile shut his jaws with a snap, +or a rhino or hippo crash through the bushes on its way to the water: +now and again we could even hear the distant roar of the lion. Still +there was nothing to be seen. +</P> + +<P> +After waiting for some considerable time, a great hippo at last made +his appearance and came splashing along in our direction, but +unfortunately took up his position behind a tree which, in the most +tantalising way, completely hid him from view. Here he stood tooting +and snorting and splashing about to his heart's content. For what +seemed hours I watched for this ungainly creature to emerge from his +covert, but as he seemed determined not to show himself I lost patience +and made up my mind to go down after him. I therefore handed my rifle +to Mahina to lower to me on reaching the ground, and began to descend +carefully, holding on by the creepers which encircled the tree. To my +intense vexation and disappointment, just as I was in this helpless +condition, half-way to the ground, the great hippo suddenly came out +from his shelter and calmly lumbered along right underneath me. I +bitterly lamented my ill-luck and want of patience, for I could almost +have touched his broad back as he passed. It was under these +exasperating conditions that I saw a hippo for the first time, and +without doubt he is the ugliest and most forbidding looking brute I +have ever beheld. +</P> + +<P> +The moment the great beast had passed our tree, he scented us, snorted +loudly, and dived into the bushes close by, smashing through them like +a traction engine. In screwing myself round to watch him go, I broke +the creepers by which I was holding on and landed on my back in the +sand at the foot of the tree—none the worse for my short drop, but +considerably startled at the thought that the hippo might come back at +any moment. I climbed up to my perch again without loss of time, but he +was evidently as much frightened as I was, and returned no more. +Shortly after this we saw two rhino come down to the river to drink; +they were too far off for a shot, however, so I did not disturb them, +and they gradually waddled up-stream out of sight. Then we heard the +awe-inspiring roar of a hungry lion close by, and presently another +hippo gave forth his tooting challenge a little way down the river. As +there seemed no likelihood of getting a shot at him from our tree, I +made up my mind to stalk him on foot, so we both descended from our +perch and made our way slowly through the trees in the semi-darkness. +There were numbers of animals about, and I am sure that neither of us +felt very comfortable as we crept along in the direction of the +splashing hippo; for my own part I fancied every moment that I saw in +front of me the form of a rhino or a lion ready to charge down upon us +out of the shadow of the bush. +</P> + +<P> +In this manner, with nerves strung to the highest pitch, we reached the +edge of the river in safety, only to find that we were again baulked by +a small rush-covered island, on the other side of which our quarry +could be heard. There was a good breeze blowing directly from him, +however, so I thought the best thing to do was to attempt to get on to +the island and to have a shot at him from there. Mahina, too, was eager +for the fray, so we let ourselves quietly into the water, which here +was quite shallow and reached only to our knees, and waded slowly +across. On peering cautiously through the reeds at the corner of the +island, I was surprised to find that I could see nothing of the hippo; +but I soon realised that I was looking too far ahead, for on lowering +my eyes there he was, not twenty-five yards away, lying down in the +shallow water, only half covered and practically facing us. His +closeness to us made me rather anxious for our safety, more especially +as just then he rose to his feet and gave forth the peculiar challenge +or call which we had already heard so often during the night. All the +same, as he raised his head, I fired at it. He whirled round, made a +plunge forward, staggered and fell, and then lay quite still. To make +assurance doubly sure, I gave him a couple more bullets as he lay, but +we found afterwards that they were not needed, as my first shot had +been a very lucky one and had penetrated the brain. We left him where +he fell and got back to our perch, glad and relieved to be in safety +once more. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as it was daylight we were joined by my own men and by several +Wa Kamba, who had been hunting in the neighbourhood. The natives cut +out the tusks of the hippo, which were rather good ones, and feasted +ravenously on the flesh, while I turned my attention with gratitude to +the hot coffee and cakes which Mabruki had meanwhile prepared. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A DAY ON THE N'DUNGU ESCARPMENT +</H3> + +<P> +Immediately after breakfast camp was struck, and accompanied by a few +of the Wa Kamba, we started off for the N'dungu Escarpment—a frowning +ridge which runs for a great distance parallel to the Sabaki, some +three or four miles from its northern bank. We had not gone very far +before I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and successfully bowled him +over—a good omen for the day, which put us all in excellent spirits. +Mabruki cut off several strips of the tough meat and impaled them on a +sharp stick to dry in the sun as he went along. I warned him that he +had better be careful that a lion did not scent the meat, as if it did +it would be sure to follow up and kill him. Of course I did not mean +this seriously; but Mabruki was a great glutton, and by no means +courageous, so I wanted to frighten him. +</P> + +<P> +As we trudged along towards the hill, I heard a peculiar noise behind a +small rising on our right, and on looking over the crest, I was +delighted to see two beautiful giraffe feeding peacefully a little +distance away and straining their long necks to get at the tops of some +mimosa-like trees, while a young one was lying down in the grass quite +close to me. For some time I remained concealed, watching the +full-grown pair with great interest: they had evidently just come up +from the river, and were slowly making their way back to their home on +the escarpment. They seemed on the most affectionate terms, +occasionally entwining their great long necks and gently biting each +other on the shoulders. Much as I should have liked to have added a +giraffe to my collection of trophies, I left them undisturbed, as I +think it a pity to shoot these rather rare and very harmless creatures, +unless one is required for a special purpose. +</P> + +<P> +We pushed on, accordingly, towards the escarpment, for I was very +impatient to get to the top and explore a place where I felt convinced +no other white man had ever set foot. From the river the ground rose +gently upwards to the foot of the ridge, and was covered more or less +densely with stunted trees and bushes, and of course the inevitable +"wait-a-bit" thorns. I was fortunate enough, however, to find a rhino +path which afforded a fairly comfortable and open road, on which we +could walk upright the greater part of the way. The climb up the +escarpment itself was a stiff one, and had to be negotiated principally +on all-fours, but on the way up I discovered that there was an enormous +cleft some miles to the right which would probably have afforded an +easier ascent. I had not time to explore it on this particular day, but +I made a mental note to do so on some future occasion. +</P> + +<P> +After a two hours' journey from the river we sat panting on the summit +after our scramble and surveyed the valley of the Tsavo, which lay +spread out like a map about five hundred feet below us. Our home tents, +the bridge, Tsavo Station and other buildings were plainly visible, and +the railway itself, like a shining snake, could be seen for many miles +winding its way through the parched wilderness. Having taken a few +photographs of the scene, we turned and struck through the N'dungu +Plateau. Here I found the same kind of nyika as that round Tsavo, the +only difference being that there were more green trees about. The +country, moreover, was somewhat more open, and was intersected by +hundreds of broad and well-beaten animal paths, along which we could +walk upright in comfort. I was leading the way, followed closely by +Mahina and Mabruki, when suddenly we almost walked upon a lion which +was lying down at the side of the path and which had probably been +asleep. It gave a fierce growl and at once bounded off through the +bush; but to Mabruki—who doubtless recalled then the warning I had +given him in fun earlier in the day—the incident appeared so alarming +that he flung down his stick-load of meat and fled for his life, much +to the amusement of the others, even the usually silent Wa Kamba +joining in the general laughter as they scrambled for the discarded +meat. We saw nothing more of the lion, though a few steps further on +brought us to the remains of a zebra which he had recently killed and +feasted on; but after this Mabruki kept carefully in the rear. +Curiously enough, only a short while later we had an exactly similar +adventure with a rhino, as owing to the tortuous nature of the path, we +walked right into it before we were aware. Like the lion, however, it +was more frightened than we, and charged away from us through the +jungle. +</P> + +<P> +For about two hours we pursued our journey into the plateau, and saw +and heard a wonderful variety of game, including giraffe, rhino, +bush-buck, the lesser kudu, zebra, wart-hog, baboons and monkeys, and +any number of paa, the last being of a redder colour than those of the +Tsavo valley. Of natives or of human habitations, however, we saw no +signs, and indeed the whole region was so dry and waterless as to be +quite uninhabitable. The animals that require water have to make a +nightly journey to and from the Sabaki, which accounts for the +thousands of animal paths leading from the plateau to the river. +</P> + +<P> +By this time we were all beginning to feel very tired, and the bhisti's +stock of water was running low. I therefore climbed the highest tree I +could find in order to have a good look round, but absolutely nothing +could I see in any direction but the same flat thorny wilderness, +interspersed here and there with a few green trees; not a landmark of +any sort or kind as far as the eye could reach; a most hopeless, +terrible place should one be lost in it, with certain death either by +thirst or by savage beasts staring one in the face. Clearly, then, the +only thing to do was to return to the river; and in order to accomplish +this before dark it was necessary that no time should be lost. But we +had been winding in and out so much through the animal paths that it +was no easy matter to say in which direction the Sabaki lay. First I +consulted my Wa Kamba followers as to the route back, they simply shook +their heads. Then I asked Mahina, who pointed out a direction exactly +opposite to that which I felt confident was the right one. Mabruki, of +course, knew nothing, but volunteered the helpful and cheering +information that we were lost and would all be killed by lions. In +these circumstances, I confirmed my own idea as to our way by comparing +my watch and the sun, and gave the order to start at once. For two +solid hours, however, we trudged along in the fearful heat without +striking a single familiar object or landmark. Mabruki murmured loudly; +even Mahina expressed grave doubts as to whether the "Sahib" had taken +the right direction; only the Wa Kamba stalked along in reassuring +silence. For some time we had been following a broad white rhino path, +and the great footmarks, of one of these beasts were fresh and plainly +visible in the dust. He had been travelling in the opposite direction +to us, and I felt sure that he must have been returning from drinking +in the river. I accordingly insisted on our keeping to this path, and +very soon, to my great relief, we found that we were at the edge of the +escarpment, a couple of miles away from the place where we had made the +ascent. Here a halt was called; a sheet was spread over some of the +stunted trees, and under its shade we rested for half an hour, had some +food, and drank the last of our water. After this we pushed on with +renewed vigour, and arrived at the Sabaki in good time before sundown, +having bagged a couple of guinea-fowl and a paa on the way to serve for +dinner. After the long and fatiguing day my bathe in a clear shady pool +was a real delight, but I might not have enjoyed it quite so much if I +had known then of the terrible fate which awaited one of my followers +in the same river the next day. By the time I got back to camp supper +was ready and fully appreciated. The tireless Mahina had also collected +some dry grass for my bed, and I turned in at once, with my rifle +handy, and slept the sleep of the just, regardless of all the wild +beasts in Africa. +</P> + +<P> +At dawn Mabruki roused me with a cup of steaming hot coffee and some +biscuits, and a start was at once made on our return journey to Tsavo. +The place where we had struck the Sabaki the previous evening was some +miles further down the stream than I had ever been before, so I decided +to take advantage of the Masai trail along its bank until the Tsavo +River was reached. I did not think we should meet with any further +adventure on our way home, but in the wilds the unexpected is always +happening. Shortly after we started one of the Wa Kamba went down to +the river's edge to fill his calabash with water, when a crocodile +suddenly rose up out of the stream, seized the poor fellow and in a +moment had dragged him in. I was on ahead at the time and so did not +witness the occurrence, but on hearing the cries of the others I ran +back as quickly as possible—too late, however, to see any sign of +either crocodile or native. Mahina philosophically remarked that after +all it was only a washenzi (savage), whose loss did not much matter; +and the other three Wa Kamba certainly did not appear to be affected by +the incident, but calmly possessed themselves of their dead companion's +bow and quiver of poisoned arrows, and of the stock of meat which he +had left on the bank. +</P> + +<P> +I have since learned that accidents of this kind are of fairly frequent +occurrence along the banks of these rivers. On one occasion while I was +in the country a British officer had a very lucky escape. He was +filling his water bottle at the river, when one of these brutes caught +him by the hand and attempted to draw him in. Fortunately one of his +servants rushed to his assistance and managed to pull him out of the +crocodile's clutches with the loss only of two of his fingers. +</P> + +<P> +As we made our way up the Sabaki, we discovered a beautiful waterfall +about a hundred and fifty feet high—not a sheer drop, but a series of +cascades. At this time the river was in low water, and the falls +consequently did not look their best; but in flood time they form a +fine sight, and the thunder of the falling water can then be plainly +heard at Tsavo, over seven miles away, when the wind is in the right +direction. We crossed the river on the rocks at the head of these +falls, and after some hours' hard marching reached camp without further +incident. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FINDING OF THE MAN-EATERS' DEN +</H3> + +<P> +There were some rocky-looking hills lying to the south-west of Tsavo +which I was particularly anxious to explore, so on one occasion when +work had been stopped for the day owing to lack of material, I set off +for them, accompanied by Mahina and a Punjaubi coolie, who was so stout +that he went by the name of Moota (i.e. "Fattie"). In the course of my +little excursions round Tsavo I gradually discovered that I was nearly +always able to make my way to any required point of the compass by +following certain well-defined animal paths, which I mapped out bit by +bit during my explorations. On this occasion, for instance, as soon as +we had crossed the river and had struck into the jungle, we were +fortunate enough to find a rhino path leading in the right direction, +which greatly facilitated our progress. As we were making our way along +this path through the dry bed of a nullah, I happened to notice that +the sandy bottom sparkled here and there where the sunbeams penetrated +the dense foliage. This at once filled my head with thoughts of +precious stones, and as the spot looked likely enough, I started to dig +vigorously at the gravel with my hunting knife. After a few minutes of +this work, I came across what I at first took to be a magnificent +diamond sparkling in the damp sand: it was about half an inch long, and +its facets looked as if they had been cut by an Amsterdam expert. I +tested the stone on my watch glass and found that it cut my initials +quite easily, and though I knew that quartz would do this as well, it +did not seem to me to have either the general appearance or angles of +any quartz I had ever seen. For a moment or two I was greatly delighted +with my discovery, and began to have rosy dreams of a diamond mine; but +I am sorry to say that on closer examination and testing I was forced +to the conclusion that my find was not a diamond, though unlike any +other mineral I had ever come across. +</P> + +<P> +My hopes of rapidly becoming a millionaire having thus been dashed to +the ground, we proceeded on our way, getting further and further into +the depths of a gloomy forest. A little distance on, I noticed through +a break in the trees a huge rhino standing in full view near the edge +of a ravine. Unfortunately he caught sight of us as well, and before I +could take aim, he snorted loudly and crashed off through the tangled +undergrowth. As I followed up this ravine, walking stealthily along in +the delightful shade of the overhanging palms, I observed on my left a +little nullah which opened out of the main channel through a confused +mass of jungle and creeper. Through this tangle there was a +well-defined archway, doubtless made by the regular passage of rhino +and hippo, so I decided to enter and explore what lay beyond. I had not +gone very far when I came upon a big bay scooped out of the bank by the +stream when in flood and carpeted with a deposit of fine, soft sand, in +which were the indistinct tracks of numberless animals. In one corner +of this bay, close under an overhanging tree, stood a little sandy +hillock, and on looking over the top of this I saw on the other side a +fearsome-looking cave which seemed to run back for a considerable +distance under the rocky bank. Round the entrance and inside the cavern +I was thunderstruck to find a number of human bones, with here and +there a copper bangle such as the natives wear. Beyond all doubt, the +man-eaters' den! In this manner, and quite by accident, I stumbled upon +the lair of these once-dreaded "demons", which I had spent so many days +searching for through the exasperating and interminable jungle during +the time when they terrorised Tsavo. I had no inclination to explore +the gloomy depths of the interior, but thinking that there might +possibly still be a lioness or cub inside, I fired a shot or two into +the cavern through a hole in the roof. Save for a swarm of bats, +nothing came out; and after taking a photograph of the cave, I gladly +left the horrible spot, thankful that the savage and insatiable brutes +which once inhabited it were no longer at large. +</P> + +<P> +Retracing my steps to the main ravine, I continued my journey along it. +After a little while I fancied I saw a hippo among some tall rushes +growing on the bank, and quickly signed to Mahina and Moota to stay +perfectly still. I then made a careful stalk, only to discover, after +all my trouble, that my eyes had deceived me and made me imagine a +black bank and a few rushes to be a living animal. We now left the bed +of the ravine, and advanced along the top. This turned out to be a good +move, for soon we heard the galloping of a herd of some animal or other +across our front. I rushed round a corner in the path a few yards +ahead, and crouching under the bushes saw a line of startled zebras +flying past. This was the first time I had seen these beautifully +marked animals in their wild state, so I selected the largest and +fired, and as I was quite close to them he dropped in his tracks +stone-dead. When I stood over the handsome creature I was positively +sorry for having killed him. Not so Moota, however, who rushed up in +ecstasy, and before I could stop him had cut his throat. This was done, +as he remarked, "to make the meat lawful," for Moota was a devout +follower of the Prophet, and no true Mohammedan will eat the flesh of +any animal unless the throat has been cut at the proper place and the +blood allowed to flow. This custom has often caused me great annoyance, +for Mohammedan followers rush in so quickly when an animal is shot and +cut the head off so short that it is afterwards quite useless as a +trophy. +</P> + +<P> +By the time the zebra was skinned, darkness was fast approaching, so we +selected a suitable tree in which to pass the night. Under it we built +a goodly fire, made some tea, and roasted a couple of quails which I +had shot early in the day and which proved simply delicious. We then +betook ourselves to the branches—at least, Mahina and I did; Moota was +afraid of nothing, and said he would sleep on the ground. He was not so +full of courage later on, however, for about midnight a great rhino +passed our way, winded us and snorted so loudly that Moota scrambled in +abject terror up our tree. He was as nimble as a monkey for all his +stoutness, and never ceased climbing until he was far above us. We both +laughed heartily at his extraordinary haste to get out of danger, and +Mahina chaffed him unmercifully. +</P> + +<P> +The rest of the night passed without incident, and in the early +morning, while the boys were preparing breakfast, I strolled off +towards the rocky hills which I had seen from Tsavo, and which were now +only about half a mile distant. I kept a sharp look-out for game, but +came across nothing save here and there a paa and a few guinea-fowl, +until, just as I was about half-way round the hill, I saw a fine +leopard lying on a rocky ledge basking in the morning sun. But he was +too quick for me, and made off before I could get a shot; I had not +approached noiselessly enough, and a leopard is too wary a beast to be +caught napping. Unfortunately I had no more time at my disposal in +which to explore these hills, as I was anxious to resume work at Tsavo +as soon as possible; so after breakfast we packed up the zebra skin and +began to retrace our steps through the jungle. It was an intensely hot +day, and we were all very glad when at length we reached the home camp. +</P> + +<P> +Most of my little trips of this sort, however, were made in a northerly +direction, towards the ever-interesting Athi or Sabaki rivers. After a +long and tiring walk through the jungle what a pleasure it was to lie +up in the friendly shelter of the rushes which line the banks, and +watch the animals come down to drink, all unconscious of my presence. I +took several photographs of scenes of this kind, but unfortunately many +of the negatives were spoiled. Often, too, on a brilliant moonlight +night have I sat on a rock out in the middle of the stream, near a +favourite drinking place, waiting for a shot at whatever fortune might +send my way. How exasperating it was, when the wind changed at the +critical moment, and gave me away to the rhino or other animal I had +sat there for hours patiently awaiting! Occasionally I would get +heartily tired of my weary vigil and would wade ashore through the warm +water, to make my bed in the soft sand regardless of the snap, snap of +the crocodiles which could plainly be heard from the deeper pools up +and down the river. At the time, being new to the country, I did not +realise the risks I ran; but later on—after my poor Wa Kamba follower +had been seized and dragged under, as I have already described—I +learned to be much more cautious. +</P> + +<P> +The shortest way of reaching the Athi river from Tsavo was to strike +through the jungle in a north-westerly direction, and here there was +luckily a particularly well-defined rhino path which I always made use +of. I discovered it quite by accident on one occasion when I had asked +some guests, who were staying with me at Tsavo, to spend a night on the +banks of the river. As we were making our way slowly and painfully +through the dense jungle, I came across this well-trodden path, which +appeared to lead in the direction in which I wished to go, and as I +felt convinced that at any rate it would bring us to the river +somewhere, I followed it with confidence. Our progress was now easy, +and the track led through fairly open glades where traces of bush-buck +and water-buck were numerous; indeed once or twice we caught glimpses +of these animals as they bounded away to the shelter of the thicket, +warned by the sound of our approach. In the end, as I anticipated, the +old rhino path proved a true guide, for it struck the Athi at an ideal +spot for a camping ground, where some lofty trees close to the bank of +the river gave a most grateful and refreshing shade. We had a +delightful picnic, and my guests greatly enjoyed their night in the +open, although one of them got rather a bad fright from a rhino which +suddenly snorted close to our camp, evidently very annoyed at our +intrusion on his domain. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning they went off as soon as it was light to try their luck +along the river, while I remained in camp to see to breakfast. After an +hour or more, however, they all returned, empty-handed but very hungry; +so when they had settled down to rest after a hearty meal, I thought I +would sally forth and see if I could not meet with better success. I +had gone only a short distance up the right bank of the river, when I +thought I observed a movement among the bushes ahead of me. On the +alert, I stopped instantly, and the next moment was rewarded by seeing +a splendid bush-buck advance from the water in a most stately manner. I +could only make out his head and neck above the undergrowth, but as he +was only some fifty yards off, I raised my rifle to my shoulder to +fire. This movement at once caught his eye, and for the fraction of a +second he stopped to gaze at me, thus giving me time to aim at where I +supposed his shoulder to be. When I fired, he disappeared so suddenly +and so completely that I felt sure that I had missed him, and that he +had made off through the bush. I therefore re-loaded, and advanced +carefully with the intention of following up his trail; but to my +unbounded delight I came upon the buck stretched out dead in his +tracks, with my bullet through his heart. I lost no time in getting +back to camp, the antelope swinging by his feet from a branch borne by +two sturdy coolies: and my unlucky friends were very much astonished +when they saw the fine bag I had secured in so short a time. The animal +was soon skinned and furnished us with a delicious roast for lunch; and +in the cool of the evening we made our way back to Tsavo without +further adventure. +</P> + +<P> +Some little time after this, while one of these same friends (Mr. C. +Rawson) happened to be again at Tsavo, we were sitting after dark under +the verandah of my hut. I wanted something from my tent, and sent +Meeanh, my Indian chaukidar, to fetch it. He was going off in the dark +to do so, when I called him back and told him to take a lantern for +fear of snakes. This he did, and as soon as he got to the door of the +tent, which was only a dozen yards off, he called out frantically, +"Are, Sahib, burra sanp hai!" ("Oh, Master, there is a big snake here!) +</P> + +<P> +"Where?" I shouted. +</P> + +<P> +"Here by the bed," he cried, "Bring the gun, quickly." +</P> + +<P> +I seized the shot-gun, which I always kept handy, and rushed to the +tent, where, by the light of the lantern, I saw a great red snake, +about seven feet long, gazing at me from the side of my camp-bed. I +instantly fired at him, cutting him clean in half with the shot; the +tail part remained where it was, but the head half quickly wriggled off +and disappeared in the gloom of the tent. The trail of blood, however, +enabled us to track it, and we eventually found the snake, still full +of fight, under the edge of the ground-sheet. He made a last vicious +dart at one of the men who had run up, but was quickly given the happy +despatch by a blow on the head. Rawson now picked it up and brought it +to the light. He then put his foot on the back of its head and with a +stick forced open the jaws, when suddenly we saw two perfectly clear +jets of poison spurt out from the fangs. An Indian baboo (clerk), who +happened to be standing near, got the full benefit of this, and the +poor man was so panic-stricken that in a second he had torn off every +atom of his clothing. We were very much amused at this, as of course we +knew that although the poison was exceedingly venomous, it could do no +harm unless it penetrated a cut or open wound in the flesh. I never +found out the name of this snake, which, as I have said, was of a dark +brick-red colour all over; and I only saw one other of the same kind +all the time I was in East Africa. I came upon it suddenly one day when +out shooting. It was evidently much startled, and stood erect, hissing +venomously; but I also was so much taken aback at its appearance that I +did not think about shooting it until it had glided off and disappeared +in the thick undergrowth. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS +</H3> + +<P> +Although the jungle round Tsavo was a network of rhino paths I had +never so far been successful in my efforts to obtain one of these +animals, nor was my ambition yet to be realised. One day I was out +exploring in the dense bush some six or seven miles away from camp, and +found my progress more than usually slow, owing to the fact that I had +to spend most of my time crawling on all-fours through the jungle. I +was very pleased, therefore, to emerge suddenly on a broad and +well-beaten track along which I could walk comfortably in an upright +position. In this were some fresh rhino footprints which seemed barely +an hour old, so I determined to follow them up. The roadway was beaten +in places into a fine white dust by the passage of many heavy animals; +and as I pushed cautiously forward I fully expected to come face to +face with a rhino at every corner I turned. After having gone a little +way I fancied that I really did see one lying at the foot of a tree +some distance ahead of me, but on approaching cautiously found that it +was nothing more than a great brown heap of loose earth which one of +the huge beasts had raised by rolling about on the soft ground. This, +however, was evidently a resting-place which was regularly used, so I +made up my mind to spend a night in the overhanging branches of the +tree. +</P> + +<P> +The next afternoon, accordingly, Mahina and I made our way back to the +place, and by dusk we were safely but uncomfortably perched among the +branches directly over the path. We had scarcely been there an hour +when to our delight we heard a great rhino plodding along the track in +our direction. Unfortunately the moon had not yet risen, so I was +unable to catch sight of the monster as he approached; I knew, however, +that there was light enough for me to see him when he emerged from the +bushes into the little clearing round the foot of our tree. Nearer and +nearer we heard him coming steadily on, and I had my rifle ready, +pointing it in the direction in which I expected his head to appear. +But, alas, just at that moment the wind veered round and blew straight +from us towards the rhino, who scented us immediately, gave a mighty +snort and then dived madly away through the jungle. For some +considerable time we could hear him crashing ponderously through +everything that came in his way, and he must have gone a long distance +before he recovered from his fright and slowed down to his usual pace. +At any rate we neither heard nor saw anything more of him, and spent a +wakeful and uncomfortable night for nothing. +</P> + +<P> +My next attempt to bag a rhino took place some months later, on the +banks of the Sabaki, and was scarcely more successful. I had come down +from Tsavo in the afternoon, accompanied by Mahina, and finding a +likely tree, within a few yards of the river and with fresh footprints +under it, I at once decided to take up my position for the night in its +branches. Mahina preferred to sit where he could take a comfortable +nap, and wedged himself in a fork of the tree some little way below me, +but still some eight or ten feet from the ground. It was a calm and +perfect night, such as can be seen only in the tropics; everything +looked mysteriously beautiful in the glorious moonlight, and stood out +like a picture looked at through a stereoscope. From my perch among the +branches I watched first a water-buck come to drink in the river; then +a bush-buck; later, a tiny paa emerged from the bushes and paused at +every step with one graceful forefoot poised in the air—thoroughly on +the alert and looking round carefully and nervously for any trace of a +possible enemy. At length it reached the brink of the river in safety, +and stooped to drink. Just then I saw a jackal come up on its trail and +begin carefully to stalk it, not even rustling a fallen leaf in its +stealthy advance on the poor little antelope. All of a sudden, however, +the jackal stopped dead for a second, and then made off out of sight as +fast as ever he could go. I looked round to discover the cause of this +hurried exit, and to my surprise saw a large and very beautiful leopard +crouching down and moving noiselessly in the direction of our tree. At +first I thought it must be stalking some animal on the ground below us, +but I soon realised that it was Mahina that the brute was intent on. +Whether, if left to himself, the leopard would actually have made a +spring at my sleeping gun-bearer, I do not know; but I had no intention +of letting him have a chance of even attempting this, so I cautiously +raised my rifle and levelled it at him. Absolutely noiseless as I was +in doing this, he noticed it—possibly a glint of moonlight on the +barrel caught his eye—and immediately disappeared into the bush before +I could get in a shot. I at once woke Mahina and made him come up to +more secure quarters beside me. +</P> + +<P> +For a long time after this nothing disturbed our peace, but at last the +quarry I had hoped for made his appearance on the scene. Just below us +there was an opening in the elephant grass which lined the river's +edge, and through this the broad stream shone like silver in the +moonlight. Without warning this gap was suddenly filled by a huge black +mass—a rhino making his way, very leisurely, out of the shallow water. +On he came with a slow, ponderous tread, combining a certain +stateliness with his awkward strides. Almost directly beneath us he +halted and stood for an instant clearly exposed to our view. This was +my opportunity; I took careful aim at his shoulder and fired. +Instantly, and with extraordinary rapidity, the huge beast whirled +round like a peg-top, whereupon I fired again. This time I expected him +to fall; but instead of that I had the mortification of seeing him rush +off into the jungle and of hearing him crash through it like a great +steam-roller for several minutes. I consoled myself by thinking that he +could not go far, as he was hard hit, and that I should easily find him +when daylight arrived. Mahina, who was in a wild state of excitement +over the burra janwar (great animal), was also of this opinion, and as +there was no longer any reason for silence, he chatted to me about many +strange and curious things until the grey dawn appeared. When we got +down from our perch, we found the track of the wounded rhino clearly +marked by great splashes of blood, and for a couple of miles the spoor +could thus be easily followed. At length, however, it got fainter and +fainter, and finally ceased altogether, so that we had to abandon the +search; the ground round about was rocky, and there was no possibility +of telling which way our quarry had gone. I was exceedingly sorry for +this, as I did not like to leave him wounded; but there was no help for +it, so we struck out for home and arrived at Tsavo in the afternoon +very tired, hungry and disappointed. +</P> + +<P> +Rhinos are extraordinary animals, and not in any way to be depended +upon. One day they will sheer off on meeting a human being and make no +attempt to attack; the next day, for no apparent reason, they may +execute a most determined charge. I was told for a fact by an official +who had been long in the country that on one occasion while a gang of +twenty-one slaves, chained neck to neck as was the custom, was being +smuggled down to the coast and was proceeding in Indian file along a +narrow path, a rhinoceros suddenly charged out at right angles to them, +impaled the centre man on its horns and broke the necks of the +remainder of the party by the suddenness of his rush. These huge beasts +have a very keen sense of smell, but equally indifferent eyesight, and +it is said that if a hunter will only stand perfectly still on meeting +a rhino, it will pass him by without attempting to molest him. I feel +bound to add, however, that I have so far failed to come across anybody +who has actually tried the experiment. On the other hand, I have met +one or two men who have been tossed on the horns of these animals, and +they described it as a very painful proceeding. It generally means +being a cripple for life, if one even succeeds in escaping death. Mr. +B. Eastwood, the chief accountant of the Uganda Railway, once gave me a +graphic description of his marvellous escape from an infuriated rhino. +He was on leave at the time on a hunting expedition in the +neighbourhood of Lake Baringo, about eighty miles north of the railway +from Nakuru, and had shot and apparently killed a rhino. On walking up +to it, however, the brute rose to its feet and literally fell on him, +breaking four ribs and his right arm. Not content with this, it then +stuck its horn through his thigh and tossed him over its back, +repeating this operation once or twice. Finally, it lumbered off, +leaving poor Eastwood helpless and fainting in the long grass where he +had fallen. He was alone at the time, and it was not for some hours +that he was found by his porters, who were only attracted to the spot +by the numbers of vultures hovering about, waiting in their ghoulish +manner for life to be extinct before beginning their meal. How he +managed to live for the eight days after this which elapsed before a +doctor could be got to him I cannot imagine; but in the end he +fortunately made a good recovery, the only sign of his terrible +experience being the absence of his right arm, which had to be +amputated. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A WIDOW'S STORY +</H3> + +<P> +Very shortly before I left Tsavo I went (on March 11, 1899) on +inspection duty to Voi, which, as I have already mentioned, is about +thirty miles on the Mombasa side of Tsavo. At this time it was a +miserable, swampy spot, where fever, guinea-worm, and all kinds of +horrible diseases were rampant; but this state of affairs has now been +completely altered by drainage and by clearing away the jungle. Dr. +Rose was in medical charge of the place at the time of my visit, and as +it was the good old custom to put up with any friend one came across +towards nightfall, I made him my host when my day's work was over. We +spent a very pleasant evening together, and naturally discussed all the +local news. Amongst other things we chatted about the new road which +was being constructed from Voi to a rather important missionary station +called Taveta, near Mount Kilima N'jaro, and Dr. Rose mentioned that +Mr. O'Hara (the engineer in charge of the road-making), with his wife +and children, was encamped in the Wa Taita country, about twelve miles +away from Voi. +</P> + +<P> +Early next morning I went out for a stroll with my shot-gun, but had +not gone far from the doctor's tent when I saw in the distance four +Swahili carrying something which looked like a stretcher along the +newly-made road. Fearing that some accident had happened, I went +quickly to meet them and called out to ask what they were carrying. +They shouted back "Bwana" ("The master"); and when I asked what bwana, +they replied "Bwana O'Hara." On enquiring what exactly had happened, +they told me that during the night their master had been killed by a +lion, and that his wife and children were following behind, along the +road. At this I directed the men to the hospital and told them where to +find Dr. Rose, and without waiting to hear any further particulars +hurried on as fast as possible to give what assistance I could to poor +Mrs. O'Hara. Some considerable way back I met her toiling along with an +infant in her arms, while a little child held on to her skirt, utterly +tired out with the long walk. I helped her to finish the distance to +the doctor's tent; she was so unstrung by her terrible night's +experience and so exhausted by her trying march carrying the baby that +she was scarcely able to speak. Dr. Rose at once did all he could both +for her and for the children, the mother being given a sleeping draught +and made comfortable in one of the tents. When she appeared again late +in the afternoon she was much refreshed, and was able to tell us the +following dreadful story, which I shall give as nearly as possible in +her own words. +</P> + +<P> +"We were all asleep in the tent, my husband and I in one bed and my two +children in another. The baby was feverish and restless, so I got up to +give her something to drink; and as I was doing so, I heard what I +thought was a lion walking round the tent. I at once woke my husband +and told him I felt sure there was a lion about. He jumped up and went +out, taking his gun with him. He looked round the outside of the tent, +and spoke to the Swahili askari who was on sentry by the camp fire a +little distance off. The askari said he had seen nothing about except a +donkey, so my husband came in again, telling me not to worry as it was +only a donkey that I had heard. +</P> + +<P> +"The night being very hot, my husband threw back the tent door and lay +down again beside me. After a while I dozed off, but was suddenly +roused by a feeling as if the pillow were being pulled away from under +my head. On looking round I found that my husband was gone. I jumped up +and called him loudly, but got no answer. Just then I heard a noise +among the boxes outside the door, so I rushed out and saw my poor +husband lying between the boxes. I ran up to him and tried to lift him, +but found I could not do so. I then called to the askari to come and +help me, but he refused, saying that there was a lion standing beside +me. I looked up and saw the huge beast glowering at me, not more than +two yards away. At this moment the askari fired his rifle, and this +fortunately frightened the lion, for it at once jumped off into the +bush. +</P> + +<P> +"All four askaris then came forward and lifted my husband back on to +the bed. He was quite dead. We had hardly got back into the tent before +the lion returned and prowled about in front of the door, showing every +intention of springing in to recover his prey. The askaris fired at +him, but did no damage beyond frightening him away again for a moment +or two. He soon came back and continued to walk round the tent until +daylight, growling and purring, and it was only by firing through the +tent every now and then that we kept him out. At daybreak he +disappeared and I had my husband's body carried here, while I followed +with the children until I met you." +</P> + +<P> +Such was Mrs. O'Hara's pitiful story. The only comfort we could give +her was to assure her that her husband had died instantly and without +pain; for while she had been resting Dr. Rose had made a post-mortem +examination of the body and had come to this conclusion. He found that +O'Hara had evidently been lying on his back at the time, and that the +lion, seizing his head in its mouth, had closed its long tusks through +his temples until they met again in the brain. We buried him before +nightfall in a peaceful spot close by, the doctor reading the funeral +service, while I assisted in lowering the rude coffin into the grave. +It was the saddest scene imaginable. The weeping widow, the wondering +faces of the children, the gathering gloom of the closing evening, the +dusky forms of a few natives who had gathered round—all combined to +make a most striking and solemn ending to a very terrible tragedy of +real life. +</P> + +<P> +I am glad to say that within a few weeks' time the lion that was +responsible for this tragedy was killed by a poisoned arrow, shot from +a tree top by one of the Wa Taita. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +AN INFURIATED RHINO +</H3> + +<P> +My work at Tsavo was finished in March, 1899, when I received +instructions to proceed to railhead and take charge of a section of the +work there. For many reasons I was sorry to say good-bye to Tsavo, +where I had spent an eventful year; but all the same I was very glad to +be given this new post, as I knew that there would be a great deal of +interesting work to be done and a constant change of camp and scene, as +the line progressed onward to the interior. In good spirits, therefore, +I set out for my new headquarters on March 28. By this time railhead +had reached a place called Machakos Road, some two hundred and +seventy-six miles from Mombasa and within a few miles of the great Athi +Plains, the latter being treeless and waterless expanses, bare of +everything except grass, which the great herds of game keep closely +cropped. After leaving Tsavo, the character of the country remains +unaltered for some considerable distance, the line continuing to run +through the thorny nyika, and it is not until Makindu is reached—about +two hundred miles from the coast—that a change is apparent. From this +place, however, the journey lies through a fairly open and interesting +tract of country, where game of all kinds abounds and can be seen +grazing peacefully within a few hundred yards of the railway. On the +way I was lucky enough to get some fine views of Kilima N'jaro, the +whole mountain from base to summit standing out clearly and grandly, +with the lofty peak of Kibo topping the fleecy clouds with its snowy +head. +</P> + +<P> +At Machakos Road I found the country and the climate very different +from that to which I had grown accustomed at Tsavo. Here I could see +for miles across stretches of beautiful, open downs, timbered here and +there like an English park; and it was a great relief to be able to +overlook a wide tract of country and to feel that I was no longer +hemmed in on all sides by the interminable and depressing thorny +wilderness. As Machakos Road is some four thousand feet higher above +the sea level than Tsavo, the difference in temperature was also very +marked, and the air felt fresh and cool compared with that of the +sun-baked valley in which I had spent the previous year. +</P> + +<P> +My instructions were to hurry on the construction of the line as fast +as possible to Nairobi, the proposed headquarters of the Railway +Administration, which lay about fifty miles further on across the Athi +Plains; and I soon began to find platelaying most interesting work. +Everything has to move as if by clockwork. First the earth surface has +to be prepared and rendered perfectly smooth and level; cuttings have +to be made and hollows banked up; tunnels have to be bored through +hills and bridges thrown across rivers. Then a line of coolies moves +along, placing sleepers at regular intervals; another gang drops the +rails in their places; yet another brings along the keys, fishplates, +bolts and nuts while following these are the men who actually fix the +rails on the sleepers and link up from one to another. Finally, the +packing gang finishes the work by filling in earth and ballast under +and around the steel sleepers to give them the necessary grip and +rigidity. Some days we were able to lay only a few yards, while on +other days we might do over a mile; all depended on the nature of the +country we had to cover. On one occasion we succeeded in breaking the +record for a day's platelaying, and were gratified at receiving a +telegram of congratulation from the Railway Committee at the Foreign +Office. +</P> + +<P> +I made it my custom to take a walk each morning for some distance ahead +of rails along the centre-line of the railway, in order to spy out the +land and to form a rough estimate of the material that would be +required in the way of sleepers, girders for temporary bridges, etc. It +was necessary to do this in order to avoid undue delay taking place +owing to shortage of material of any kind. About ten days after my +arrival at Machakos Road I walked in this way for five or six miles +ahead of the last-laid rail. It was rather unusual for me to go so far, +and, as it happened, I was alone on this occasion, Mahina having been +left behind in camp. About two miles away on my left, I noticed a +dark-looking object and thinking it was an ostrich I started off +towards it. Very soon, however, I found that it was bigger game than an +ostrich, and on getting still nearer made out the form of a great +rhinoceros lying down. I continued to advance very cautiously, +wriggling through the short grass until at length I got within fifty +yards of where the huge beast was resting. Here I lay and watched him; +but after some little time he evidently suspected my presence, for +rising to his feet, he looked straight in my direction and then +proceeded to walk round me in a half-circle. The moment he got wind of +me, he whipped round in his tracks like a cat and came for me in a +bee-line. Hoping to turn him, I fired instantly; but unfortunately my +soft-nosed bullets merely annoyed him further, and had not the +slightest effect on his thick hide. On seeing this, I flung myself down +quite flat on the grass and threw my helmet some ten feet away in the +hope that he would perceive it and vent his rage on it instead of me. +On he thundered, while I scarcely dared to breathe. I could hear him +snorting and rooting up the grass quite close to me, but luckily for me +he did not catch sight of me and charged by a few yards to my left. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as he had passed me, my courage began to revive again, and I +could not resist the temptation of sending a couple of bullets after +him. These, however, simply cracked against his hide and splintered to +pieces on it, sending the dry mud off in little clouds of dust. Their +only real effect, indeed, was to make him still more angry. He stood +stock-still for a moment, and then gored the ground most viciously and +started off once more on the semi-circle round me. This proceeding +terrified me more than ever, as I felt sure that he would come up-wind +at me again, and I could scarcely hope to escape a second time. +Unfortunately, my surmise proved correct, for directly he scented me, +up went his nose in the air and down he charged like a battering-ram. I +fairly pressed myself into the ground, as flat as ever I could, and +luckily the grass was a few inches high. I felt the thud of his great +feet pounding along, yet dared not move or look up lest he should see +me. My heart was thumping like a steam hammer, and every moment I fully +expected to find myself tossed into the air. Nearer and nearer came the +heavy thudding and I had quite given myself up for lost, when from my +lying position I caught sight, out of the corner of my eye, of the +infuriated beast rushing by. He had missed me again! I never felt so +relieved in my life, and assuredly did not attempt to annoy him +further. He went off for good this time, and it was with great +satisfaction that I watched him gradually disappear in the distance. I +could not have believed it possible that these huge, ungainly-looking +brutes could move so rapidly, and turn and twist in their tracks just +like monkeys, had I not actually seen this one do so before my eyes. If +he had found me he would certainly have pounded me to atoms, as he was +an old bull and in a most furious and vicious mood. +</P> + +<P> +One day when Dr. Brock and I were out shooting, shortly after this +incident and not far from where it occurred, we caught sight of two +rhinos in a hollow some little distance from us, and commenced to stalk +them, taking advantage of every fold of the ground in doing so and +keeping about fifty yards apart in case of a charge. In that event one +or other of us would be able to get in a broadside shot, which would +probably roll the beast over. Proceeding carefully in this manner, we +managed to get within about sixty yards of them, and as it was my turn +for a shot, I took aim at the larger of the two, just as it was moving +its great head from one side to the other, wondering which of us it +ought to attack. When at last it decided upon Brock, it gave me the +chance I had been waiting for. I fired instantly at the hollow between +neck and shoulder; the brute dropped at once, and save for one or two +convulsive kicks of its stumpy legs as it lay half on its back, it +never moved again. The second rhino proved to be a well-grown youngster +which showed considerable fight as we attempted to approach its fallen +comrade. We did not want to kill it, and accordingly spent about two +hours in shouting and throwing stones at it before at last we succeeded +in driving it away. We then proceeded to skin our prize; this, as may +be imagined, proved rather a tough job, but we managed it in the end, +and the trophy was well worth the pains I had taken to add it to my +collection. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS +</H3> + +<P> +Shortly after I took charge at railhead we entered the Kapiti Plain, +which gradually merges into the Athi Plain, and, indeed, is hardly to +be distinguished from the latter in the appearance or general character +of the country. Together they form a great tract of rolling downs +covered with grass, and intersected here and there by dry ravines, +along the baked banks of which a few stunted trees—the only ones to be +seen—struggle to keep themselves alive. In all this expanse there is +absolutely no water in the dry season, except in the Athi River (some +forty miles away) and in a few water-holes known only to the wild +animals. The great feature of the undulating plains, however, and the +one which gives them a never-failing interest, is the great abundance +of game of almost every conceivable kind. Here I myself have seen lion, +rhinoceros, leopard, eland, giraffe, zebra, wildebeeste, hartebeeste, +waterbuck, wart-hog, Granti, Thomsoni, impala, besides ostriches, +greater and lesser bustard, marabout, and a host of other animals and +birds too numerous to name; while along the Athi and close to its banks +may be found large numbers of hippo and crocodiles. At the time I was +there, these great plains also formed the principal grazing ground for +the immense herds of cattle owned by the Masai. I am very glad to say +that the whole of this country on the south side of the railway as far +as the boundary of German East Africa, from the Tsavo River on the east +to the Kedong Valley on the west, is now a strictly protected Game +Reserve; and so long, as this huge expanse is thus maintained as a +sanctuary, there can be no danger of any of these species becoming +extinct. +</P> + +<P> +While crossing this dry expanse, the greatest difficulty I had to +contend with was the provision of sufficient water for the three +thousand workmen employed about railhead, for not a drop could be +obtained on the way, nor could we hope for any until we had got to the +other side of the plain and had reached the Athi River, which could not +be accomplished under a couple of months. As we progressed onwards into +the waterless belt, this became a very serious matter indeed, as any +breakdown in the supply would have had the most disastrous consequences +among so large a body of men working all day under the blazing sun of a +tropical climate. Every day two trainloads of water in great tanks were +brought up from the last stream we had passed, which, of course, daily +fell further to the rear. This was a source of considerable delay, for +the line was blocked all the time the water was being pumped into the +tanks, and consequently no material for construction could come +through; and a good deal of time was also wasted, when the trains +returned to railhead, in distributing the water to the workmen, who +often quarrelled and fought in their eagerness to get at it. At first I +had most of the tank-filling done by night, but on one occasion a lion +came unpleasantly close to the men working the pump, and so night work +had to be abandoned. The coolies themselves were so anxious, indeed, to +get a plentiful supply of water, that once or twice some of the more +daring spirits among them ventured to go out on to the plains in search +of waterholes, which, by reason of the large herds of game, we knew +must exist somewhere. The only result of these expeditions, however, +was that three of these men never returned; what befell them is not +known to this day. +</P> + +<P> +When we had proceeded some distance across this dry land, and when I +was experiencing to the full the disadvantage and delay caused by my +tank trains, a native from some remote corner of the plains—with +nothing by way of dress but a small piece of cowhide thrown over his +left shoulder—came to my tent door one day and squatted down on his +heels in the native fashion. On being asked his business, "I have +heard," he replied, "that the Great Master wants water; I can show it +to him." This was good news, if it could be relied upon; so I +questioned him closely, and ascertained that some time +previously—exactly how long ago I could not gather—he had been in the +locality on a raiding expedition and had succeeded in finding water. I +asked if the place was far away, and got the reply in Swahili "M'bali +kidogo" ("A little distance"). Now, I had had experience of M'bali +kidogo before; it is like the Irishman's "mile and a bit." So I decided +to start very early next morning on a search for this pond—for such my +informant described it to be. In the meantime the poor fellow, who +appeared starving—there was a sore famine among the natives of the +district at the time—was given food and drink, and made a ravenous +meal. In the evening I had a long talk with him in broken Swahili round +the camp fire, and obtained some insight into many of the strange and +barbarous customs of the Masai, to which interesting tribe he belonged. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning I started off betimes, taking my .303 rifle and being +accompanied by Mahina with the 12-bore shot-gun, and by another Indian +carrying the necessary food and water. Our Masai guide, whose name we +found to be Lungow, seemed to be quite certain of his way, and led us +across the rolling plains more or less in the direction in which the +railway was to run, but some miles to the right of its centre-line. The +march was full of interest, for on the way we passed within easy range +of herds of wildebeeste, hartebeeste, gazelle, and zebra. I was out +strictly on business, however, and did not attempt a shot, reserving +that pleasure for the homeward trip. Late in the forenoon we arrived at +Lungow's pond—a circular dip about eighty yards in diameter, which +without doubt had contained water very recently, but which, as I +expected to find, was now quite dry. A considerable number of bones lay +scattered round it, whether of "kills" or of animals which had died of +thirst I could not say. Our guide appeared very much upset when he +found the pond empty, and gave vent to many exclamations in his +peculiar language, in which the letter "r" rolled like a kettledrum. +</P> + +<P> +Our search for water having thus proved a failure, I determined to try +my luck with the game. The Masai and the Indian were sent back to camp, +while Mahina and I made a big detour from the dried-up water-hole. Game +abounded in all directions, but the animals were much more shy than +they had been in the morning, and it was in vain that I stalked—if it +can be called "stalking," when as a matter of fact one has to move in +the open—splendid specimens of Thomson's and Grant's gazelle. I might +have attempted a shot once or twice, but the probability was that owing +to the long range it would have resulted only in a wound, and I think +there is nothing so painful as to see an animal limping about in a +crippled condition. In this fruitless manner we covered several miles, +and I was beginning to think that we should have to return to camp +without so much as firing a shot. Just then, however, I saw a herd of +wildebeeste, and with much care managed to get within three hundred +yards of them. I singled out the biggest head and waiting for a +favourable moment, fired at him, dropping him at once. I ran up to the +fallen beast, which appeared to be dying, and told Mahina to drive the +hunting knife right through his heart so as to put him quickly out of +all pain. As Mahina was not doing this as skilfully or as quickly as I +thought it might be done, and seemed unable to pierce the tough hide, I +handed him my rifle and took the knife in order to do it myself. Just +as I raised the knife to strike, I was startled by the wildebeeste +suddenly jumping to his feet. For a moment he stood looking at me in a +dazed and tottery kind of way, and then to my amazement he turned and +made off. At first he moved with such a shaky and uncertain gait that I +felt confident that he could only go a few yards before dropping; so, +as I did not wish to disturb the other game around us by firing a +second shot, I thought it best just to wait. To my utter astonishment, +however, after he had staggered for about sixty yards he seemed to +revive suddenly, broke into his ordinary gallop and quickly rejoined +the herd. From that time I lost all trace of him, though I followed up +for four or five miles. +</P> + +<P> +The wildebeeste, in fact, is like Kipling's Fuzzy-Wuzzy—"'e's +generally shammin' when 'e's dead"; and my friend Rawson about this +time had an experience very similar to mine, but attended with more +serious results. He had knocked his wildebeeste over in much the same +way, and thought it was dead; and as he was very keen on obtaining +photographs of game, he took his stand-camera from the Indian who +carried it and proceeded to focus it on the animal's head. When he was +just about to take the picture, he was thunderstruck to see the +wildebeeste jump up and come charging down upon him. He sprang quickly +aside, and in an instant up went the camera into the air, followed the +next moment by the unfortunate Indian, the wildebeeste having stuck its +horn right through the man's thigh and tossed him over its back. +Fortunately the brute fell dead after this final effort, leaving Rawson +grateful for his escape. +</P> + +<P> +After abandoning the chase of my wildebeeste, we had not gone far on +our way towards the home camp when I thought I observed something of a +reddish colour moving in a patch of long grass, a good distance to our +left front. I asked Mahina if he could make out what it was, but he was +unable to do so, and before I could get my field-glasses to bear, the +animal, whatever it was, had disappeared into the grass. I kept my eye +on the spot, however, and we gradually approached it. When we were +about a hundred yards off, the reddish object again appeared; and I saw +that it was nothing less than the shaggy head of a lion peeping over +the long grass. This time Mahina also saw what it was, and called out, +"Dekko, Sahib, sher!" ("Look, Master, a lion!"). I whispered to him to +be quiet and to take no notice of him, while I tried my best to follow +my own advice. So we kept on, edging up towards the beast, but +apparently oblivious of his presence, as he lay there grimly watching +us. As we drew nearer, I asked Mahina in a whisper if he felt equal to +facing a charge from the sher if I should wound him. He answered simply +that where I went, there would he go also; and right well he kept his +word. +</P> + +<P> +I watched the lion carefully out of the corner of my eye as we closed +in. Every now and then he would disappear from view for a moment; and +it was a fascinating sight to see how he slowly raised his massive head +above the top of the grass again and gazed calmly and steadily at us as +we neared him. Unfortunately I could not distinguish the outline of his +body, hidden as it was in the grassy thicket. I therefore circled +cautiously round in order to see if the cover was sufficiently thin at +the back to make a shoulder shot possible; but as we moved, the lion +also twisted round and so always kept his head full on us. When I had +described a half-circle, I found that the grass was no thinner and that +my chances of a shot had not improved. We were now within seventy yards +of the lion, who appeared to take the greater interest in us the closer +we approached. He had lost the sleepy look with which he had at first +regarded us, and was now fully on the alert; but still he did not give +me the impression that he meant to charge, and no doubt if we had not +provoked him, he would have allowed us to depart in peace. I, however, +was bent on war, in spite of the risk which one must always run by +attacking a lion at such close quarters on an open plain as flat as the +palm of the hand; so in a standing position I took careful aim at his +head, and fired. The distance was, as I have said, a bare seventy +yards; yet I must confess to a disgraceful miss. More astonishing +still, the beast made not the slightest movement—did not even blink an +eye, so far as I could see—but continued his steadfast, questioning +gaze. Again I took aim, this time for a spot below the tip of his nose, +and again I fired—with more success, the lion turning a complete +somersault over his tail. I thought he was done for, but he instantly +sprang to his feet again, and to my horror and astonishment was joined +by a lioness whose presence we had never even thought of or suspected. +</P> + +<P> +Worse was still to follow, for to our dismay both made a most +determined charge on us, bounding along at a great pace and roaring +angrily as they came. Poor Mahina cried out, "Sahib, do sher ata hai!" +("Master, two lions are coming!"), but I told him to stand stock-still +and for his life not to make the slightest movement. In the twinkling +of an eye the two beasts had covered about forty yards of the distance +towards us. As they did not show the least sign of stopping, I thought +we had given the experiment of remaining absolutely motionless a fair +trial, and was just about to raise the rifle to my shoulder as a last +resort, when suddenly the wounded lion stopped, staggered, and fell to +the ground. The lioness took a couple of bounds nearer to us, and then +to my unmeasured relief turned to look round for her mate, who had by +this time managed to get to his feet again. There they both stood, +growling viciously and lashing their tails, for what appeared to me to +be a succession of ages. The lioness then made up her mind to go back +to the lion, and they both stood broadside on, with their heads close +together and turned towards us, snarling in a most aggressive manner. +Had either of us moved hand or foot just then, it would, I am +convinced, have at once brought on another and probably a fatal charge. +</P> + +<P> +As the two great brutes stood in this position looking at us, I had, of +course, a grand opportunity of dropping both, but I confess I did not +feel equal to it at the moment. I could only devoutly hope that they +would not renew their attack, and was only too thankful to let them +depart in peace if they would, without any further hostility on my +part. Just at this juncture the lion seemed to grow suddenly very weak. +He staggered some ten yards back towards his lair, and then fell to the +ground; the lioness followed, and lay down beside him—both still +watching us, and growling savagely. After a few seconds the lion +struggled to his feet again and retreated a little further, the lioness +accompanying him until he fell once more. A third time the same thing +took place, and at last I began to breathe more freely, as they had now +reached the thicket from which they had originally emerged. Accordingly +I took a shot at the lioness as she lay beside her mate, partly +concealed in the long grass. I do not think I hit her, but anyhow she +at once made off and bounded away at a great rate on emerging into the +open. +</P> + +<P> +I sent a few bullets after her to speed her on her way, and then +cautiously approached the wounded lion. He was stretched out at full +length on his side, with his back towards me, but I could see by the +heaving of his flanks that he was not yet dead, so I put a bullet +through his spine. He never moved after this; but for safety's sake, I +made no attempt to go up to him for a few minutes, and then only after +Mahina had planted a few stones on his body just to make sure that he +was really dead. +</P> + +<P> +We both felt very pleased with ourselves as we stood over him and +looked at his fine head, great paws, and long, clean, sharp tusks. He +was a young, but full-grown lion in fine condition, and measured nine +feet eight and a half inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. My last +shot had entered the spine close to the shoulder, and had lodged in the +body; the first shot was a miss; as I have already said; but the second +had caught him on the forehead, right between the eyes. The bullet, +however, instead of traversing the brain, had been turned downwards by +the frontal bone, through which it crashed, finally lodging in the root +of the tongue, the lead showing on both sides. I cut out the tongue and +hung it up to dry, intending to keep it as a trophy; but unfortunately +a vulture swooped down when my back was turned, and carried it off. +</P> + +<P> +From the time I knocked the lion over until he first staggered and fell +not more than a minute could have elapsed—quite long enough, however, +to have enabled him to cover the distance and to have seized one or +other of us. Unquestionably we owed our lives to the fact that we both +remained absolutely motionless; and I cannot speak too highly of Mahina +for the splendid way in which he stood the charge. Had he acted as did +another gun-boy I know of, the affair might not have had so happy an +ending. This gun-boy went out with Captain G—— in this very +neighbourhood, and not long after our adventure. G—— came across a +lion just as we did, and wounded it. It charged down on them, but +instead of remaining absolutely still, the terrified gun-boy fled, with +the result that the lion came furiously on, and poor G—— met with a +terrible death. +</P> + +<P> +While Mahina was scouring the neighbourhood in search of some natives +to carry the skin back to camp, I took a good look round the place and +found the half-eaten body of a zebra, which I noticed had been killed +out in the open and then dragged into the long grass. The tracks told +me, also, that all the work had been done by the lion, and this set me +thinking of the lioness. I accordingly swept the plain with my glasses +in the direction in which she had bounded off, and after some searching +I discovered her about a mile away, apparently lying down in the midst +of a herd of hartebeeste, who grazed away without taking any notice of +her. I felt much inclined to follow her up, but I was afraid that if I +did so the vultures that were already hovering around would settle on +my lion and spoil the skin, for the destruction of which these ravenous +birds are capable, even in the space of only a few minutes, is almost +beyond belief. I accordingly returned to the dead beast and sat down +astride of him. I had read that a frontal shot at a lion was a very +risky one, and on carefully examining the head it was easy to see the +reason; for owing to the sharp backward slope of the forehead it is +almost impossible for a bullet fired in this manner to reach the brain. +As there were lots of lions about in this district and as I wanted to +bag some more, I set myself to think out a plan whereby the risk of a +frontal shot might be got rid of. About a fortnight afterwards I had an +opportunity of putting my scheme into practice, happily with most +excellent results; this, however, is another story, which will be told +later on. +</P> + +<P> +I next commenced to skin my trophy and found it a very tough job to +perform by myself. He proved to be a very fat beast, so I knew that +Mahina would make a few honest and well-earned rupees out of him, for +Indians will give almost anything for lion fat, believing that it is an +infallible cure for rheumatism and various other diseases. When at +length the skinning process was completed, I waited impatiently for the +return of Mahina, who had by this time been gone much longer than I +expected. It is rather a nerve shattering thing—I am speaking for +myself—to remain absolutely alone for hours on a vast open plain +beside the carcase of a dead lion, with vultures incessantly wheeling +about above one, and with nothing to be seen or heard for miles around +except wild animals. It was a great relief, therefore, when after a +long wait I saw Mahina approaching with half-a-dozen practically naked +natives in his train. It turned out that he had lost his way back to +me, so that it was lucky he found me at all. We lost no time in getting +back to camp, arriving there just at sundown, when my first business +was to rub wood ashes into the skin and then stretch it on a portable +frame which I had made a few days previously. The camp fire was a big +one that night, and the graphic and highly coloured description which +Mahina gave to the eager circle of listeners of the way in which we +slew the lion would have made even "Bahram, that great Hunter," anxious +for his fame. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE STRICKEN CARAVAN +</H3> + +<P> +Not long after this adventure the permanent way reached the boundary of +the Kapiti Plains, where a station had to be built and where +accordingly we took up our headquarters for a week or two. A few days +after we had settled down in our new camp, a great caravan of some four +thousand men arrived from the interior with luggage and loads of food +for a Sikh regiment which was on its way down to the coast, after +having been engaged in suppressing the mutiny of the Sudanese in +Uganda. The majority of these porters were Basoga, but there were also +fair numbers of Baganda (i.e. people of Uganda) and of the natives of +Unyoro, and various other tribes. Of course none of these wild men of +Central Africa had either seen or heard of a railway in all their +lives, and they consequently displayed the liveliest curiosity in +regard to it, crowding round one of the engines which happened to be +standing at the station, and hazarding the wildest guesses as to its +origin and use in a babel of curious native languages. I thought I +would provide a little entertainment for them, so I stepped on to the +footplate and blew off the steam, at the same time sounding the +whistle. The effect was simply magical. The whole crowd first threw +themselves flat on the ground howling with fear, and then—with heads +well down and arms well spread out—they fled wildly in all directions; +nor did the stampede cease until I shut off steam and stopped the +whistle. Then, their curiosity gradually overpowering them, very +cautiously they began to return, approaching the locomotive stealthily +as though it were some living monster of the jungle. Eventually, two of +their chiefs summoned up courage enough to climb on to the engine, and +afterwards thoroughly enjoyed a short run which I had to make down the +line in order to bring up some construction material. +</P> + +<P> +Just after this caravan had moved on we were subjected to some +torrential rain-storms, which transformed the whole plain into a +quaking bog and stopped all railway work for the time being. Indeed, +the effect of a heavy downpour of rain in this sun-baked district is +extraordinary. The ground, which is of a black sub-soil, becomes a mass +of thick mud in no time, and on attempting to do any walking one slides +and slips about in the slush in a most uncomfortable manner. +Innocent-looking dongas, where half an hour previously not one drop of +water was to be seen, become roaring torrents from bank to bank in an +incredibly short time; while for many hours or even a few days the +rivers become absolutely impassable in this land of no bridges. On this +account it is the custom of the wise traveller in these parts always to +cross a river before camping, for otherwise a flood may come down and +detain him and his caravan on the wrong side of the stream for perhaps +a week. Of course when the rain ceases, the floods as quickly subside, +the rivers and dongas dry up, and the country once more resumes its +normal sun-cracked appearance. +</P> + +<P> +On leaving my tent one morning when work was at a standstill owing to +the rain, I noticed a great herd of zebra about a couple of miles away +on the north side of the railway. Now, it had long been my ambition to +capture one of these animals alive; so I said to myself, "Here is my +chance!" The men could do nothing owing to the rain, and the ground was +very boggy, so I thought that if we could surround the herd judiciously +and chase the zebra up and down from point to point through the heavy +ground, some of them would soon get exhausted and we should then be +able to catch them. I selected for the hunt a dozen fleet-footed +Indians who were employed on the earth works, and who at once entered +with great zest into the spirit of the scheme. After having partially +surrounded the herd, the half-circle of coolies began to advance with +wild shouts, whereupon the zebras galloped madly about from side to +side, and then did just what we wished them to do—made straight for an +exceptionally boggy part of the ground, where they soon became more or +less helpless. We singled out a few young ones and succeeded in running +them to an absolute standstill, when we threw them down and sat on +their heads until the other men came up with ropes. In this way we +captured no less than six: they were very wild and fractious, giving us +a great deal of trouble in getting them along, but eventually we +managed to bring them in triumph to the camp, where they were firmly +secured. The whole expedition lasted little more than a couple of hours. +</P> + +<P> +Three of the captured zebras I kept for myself, while the other three +were given to the Surfacing Engineer, whose men had assisted in the +hunt. Two of my three unfortunately died very shortly after; but the +third, a sturdy two-year-old, flourished splendidly. At first he was +exceedingly vicious, biting and kicking everyone who approached him; +indeed, he once planted both his hind feet on my chest, but did me no +serious damage beyond throwing me heavily to the ground. In time, +however, he became very tame and domesticated, allowing himself to be +led about by a rope and head collar, and would drink from a bucket and +eat from my hand. He used to be left to graze picketed by a long rope +to a stake in the ground; but one afternoon on returning to camp I +found, much to my annoyance, that he had disappeared. On making +enquiry, I learned from my servants that a herd of wild zebra had +galloped close by, and that this had so excited him that he managed to +tear the picketing peg out of the ground and so rejoin his brethren in +freedom. +</P> + +<P> +Some few days after our successful sortie against the zebra, the great +caravan of Basoga porters returned from the coast on their way back to +their own country; but alas, with what a terrible difference in their +appearance! All their gaiety and lightheartedness was gone, and the +poor fellows were in a pitiable state. A frightful epidemic of +dysentery had broken out amongst them, doubtless caused by their having +eaten food to which they were entirely unaccustomed, their simple diet +in their own homes consisting almost entirely of bananas, from which +they also make a most refreshing and stimulating drink. The ranks of +the caravan were terribly decimated, and dozens of men were left dead +or dying along the roadside after each march. It was a case of the +survival of the fittest, as of course it was quite impossible for the +whole caravan to halt in the wilderness where neither food nor water +was to be had. There was only one European with the party, and although +he worked like a slave he could do very little among such a number, +while the Basoga themselves seemed quite indifferent to the sufferings +of their comrades. Thirteen poor wretches fell out to die close to my +tent; they were in the most hopeless condition and far too weak to be +able to do anything at all for themselves. As soon as I discovered +them, I boiled a bucketful of water, added some tins of condensed milk +and the greater part of a bottle of brandy to it, and fed them with the +mixture. Their feeble cries for some of this nourishment were +heartrending; some could only whisper, "Bwana, Bwana" ("Master, +Master"), and then open their mouths. One or two of them, indeed, could +hardly do even this, and were so weak as to be unable to swallow the +spoonful of milk which I put between their lips. In the end six proved +to be beyond all help, and died that night; but the remaining seven I +managed to nurse into complete recovery in about a fortnight's time. As +our camp was moved on, they were brought along from place to place on +the top of trucks, until finally they were well enough to resume their +journey to Usoga, very grateful indeed for the care which we had taken +of them. +</P> + +<P> +The day after I first found these stricken natives I had arranged to +ride on my pony for some miles in advance of the railway, in order to +make arrangements for the building of a temporary bridge over the Stony +Athi River—a tributary of the Athi, and so-called on account of the +enormous numbers of stones in its bed and along its banks. I ordered my +tent to follow me later in the day, and left directions for the care of +the sick Basoga, as I knew I should be away all night. My road lay +along the route taken by the home-returning caravan, and every hundred +yards or so I passed the swollen corpse of some unfortunate porter who +had fallen out and died by the wayside. Before very long I came up with +the rearguard of this straggling army, and here I was witness of as +unfeeling an act of barbarism as can well be imagined. A poor wretch, +utterly unable to go a step further, rolled himself up in his scarlet +blanket and lay down by the roadside to die; whereupon one of his +companions, coveting the highly-coloured and highly-prized article, +turned back, seized one end of the blanket, and callously rolled the +dying man out of it as one would unroll a bale of goods. This was too +much for me, so I put spurs to my pony and galloped up to the +scoundrel, making as if to thrash him with my kiboko, or whip made of +rhinoceros hide. In a moment he put his hand on his knife and half drew +it from its sheath, but on seeing me dismount and point my rifle at +him, he desisted and tried to run away. I made it clear to him by +signs, however, that I would fire if he did not at once go back and +replace the blanket round his dying comrade. This he eventually did, +though sullenly enough, and I then marched him in front of me to the +main camp of the caravan, some little distance further on. Here I +handed him over to the officer in charge, who, I am glad to say, had +him soundly thrashed for his brutality and theft. +</P> + +<P> +After performing this little act of retributive justice, I pushed on +towards the Stony Athi. On the way—while still not far from the +caravan camp—I spied a Grant's gazelle in the distance, and by the aid +of my glasses discovered that it was a fine-looking buck with a capital +pair of horns. A few Basoga from the caravan had followed me, doubtless +in the hope of obtaining meat, of which they are inordinately fond; so, +handing them my pony, I wriggled from tuft to tuft and crawled along in +the folds of the ground until eventually I got near enough for a safe +shot, which bowled the antelope over stone-dead. Scarcely had he +dropped when the Basoga swooped down on him, ripped him open, and +devoured huge chunks of the raw and still quivering flesh, lapping up +the warm blood in the palms of their hands. In return for the meat +which I gave them, two of them willingly agreed to go on with me and +carry the head and haunch of the gazelle. When we had got very nearly +to the place where I intended to camp for the night, a great wart-hog +suddenly jumped up almost at my horse's feet, and as he had very fine +and exceptionally long tusks, I dismounted at once and bagged him too. +The Basoga were delighted at this, and promptly cut off the head; but +my own people, who arrived with my tent just at this juncture, and who +were all good Mohammedans, were thoroughly disgusted at the sight of +this very hideous-looking pig. +</P> + +<P> +I camped for the night on the banks of the Stony Athi, close to where +the railway was to cross, and made my notes of what was necessary for +the temporary bridge. At the time the river was absolutely dry, but I +knew that it might at any moment become a roaring torrent if rain +should set in; it would therefore be necessary to span it with a +forty-foot girder in order to prevent constant "washouts" during the +rainy season. The next morning I started early on my return to +railhead. On my way I had to pass the camp which the Basoga caravan had +just left, but the spectacle of about a dozen newly-made graves which +the hyenas had already torn open caused me to put spurs to my horse and +to gallop as fast as possible through the pestilential spot. When I had +almost got back to railhead I happened to notice a huge serpent +stretched out on the grass, warming himself, his skin of old gold and +bright green sparkling brilliantly in the sunshine. He appeared to take +little notice of me as I cautiously approached, and was probably drowsy +and sated with a heavy meal. I shot him through the head as he lay, and +the muscular contortions after death throughout his long body gave me a +very vivid idea of the tremendous squeezing power possessed by these +reptiles. Skinning him was an easy process, but unfortunately his +beautiful colouring soon disappeared, the old gold turning to white and +the bright green to lustreless black. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER +</H3> + +<P> +In spite of all our difficulties, rapid progress continued to be made +with the line. Each day railhead crept a mile or so further across the +Plains, and on April 24 we reached the Stony Athi River, where our +great camp was pitched for a few days while the temporary bridge was +being thrown across the dry bed of the stream. Still another temporary +bridge had to be arranged for the Athi itself, which was some eight +miles further on, so I had to make one or two expeditions to this river +in order to select a suitable place for the crossing and to make +various other arrangements. On one of these occasions I was busy +attending to the pitching of my tent after arriving at the Athi late in +the evening, when on looking round I was very much surprised to see two +European ladies sitting under the shade of some trees on the river +bank. As I knew that this was anything but a safe place in which to +rest, owing to the number of lions about, I went up to them to see if I +could be of any assistance, and found that they were American +missionaries journeying to their stations further inland. They were +waiting for their camp equipment to arrive, but their porters had been +considerably delayed by some very heavy rain, which of course made the +roads bad and the tents about double their usual weight. The men of the +party were expected every moment with the porters, but there was as yet +no sign of the little caravan, and as a matter of fact it did not +arrive until long after nightfall. In these circumstances it was +perhaps a great blessing that I happened to be there; and as the ladies +were both very tired and hungry, I was glad to be able to place my tent +at their disposal and to offer them as good a dinner as it was possible +to provide in the wilds. It is indeed wonderful what dangers and +hardships these delicately nurtured ladies will face cheerfully in +order to carry out their self-appointed mission. +</P> + +<P> +When they had left next morning to resume their journey, I started out +and made a search up and down the river for the proper position for my +temporary bridge. After a thorough examination of all the possible +situations, I chose the most suitable and pitched my tent close to it +for a night or two while I made the necessary calculations for carrying +out the work. The crossing on which I had decided had to be approached +by a somewhat sharp curve in the line, and in laying this out with the +theodolite I experienced considerable difficulty, as for some reason or +other I could not make the last peg on the curve come anywhere near the +tangent point where the curve should link up with the straight. I +repeated the whole operation time after time, but always with the same +result. Eventually I came to the conclusion that there must be some +mistake in the table of angles from which I had been working, so I +started to work them out for myself and soon discovered a serious +misprint. This being rectified in my calculations, I proceeded to lay +out the curve again, when at last everything came out accurately and to +my satisfaction. +</P> + +<P> +After I had pegged out this temporary diversion of the line, I thought +I richly deserved a few hours' play, and accordingly determined to try +my luck after lions up-stream towards the source of the Athi. The +river—which runs almost due north here, before taking a turn eastward +to the Indian Ocean—forms part of the western boundary of the Athi +Plains, and is fringed all along its course by a belt of thorny +hardwood trees. In some places this fringe is quite narrow, while in +others it is about a quarter of a mile wide, with grassy glades here +and there among the trees. Every now and again, too, the stream itself +widens out into a broad stretch of water, nearly always covered over +with tall reeds and elephant grass, while along the banks are frequent +patches of stunted bushes, which struck me as very likely places for +the king of beasts to sleep in after having drunk at the river. I had +noticed that after having eaten and drunk well, a lion would throw +himself down quite without caution in the first shady spot he came to; +of course nothing except man ever disturbs him, and even of man the +lions in this part of the country had as yet no fear, for they had +rarely if ever been hunted previous to my time. +</P> + +<P> +As I felt rather tired after my morning's work, I decided to use my +pony on this expedition, although as a rule I went on foot. Mahina and +half-a-dozen natives to beat the belt of trees were to accompany me, +and after a hasty lunch off we started up the left bank of the river. I +walked for some distance at first, partly because the ground was very +stony and partly because I thought a lion might suddenly bound out of +some likely patches in front of the beaters; but after having gone +about six miles in this way without adventure of any kind, I decided to +mount again. At this time the beaters were in line about a hundred +yards behind me, shouting and halloing with all their might as they +advanced through the scrub and undergrowth, while I rode well to the +flank so as to be ready for any emergency. Just as the men got up to a +rather thicker piece of jungle than usual, I fancied I saw a movement +among the bushes and pulled up suddenly to watch the spot, but did not +dismount. The next moment out bounded a lioness, who raced straight +across the open strip into the next patch of jungle, quickly followed +by another. Throwing myself off my pony, I seized my rifle to get a +shot at the second lioness as she galloped past, and was just about to +pull the trigger, when to my utter amazement out sprang a huge +black-maned lion, making all haste after his mates. Before he could +reach the further thicket, however, I fired, and had the satisfaction +of hearing the deep growl that tells of a serious hit. +</P> + +<P> +The beaters and I now advanced with great care, taking advantage of +every bit of cover and keeping a sharp look-out for the wounded animal +as we crept from tree to tree. Fully a quarter of an hour must have +elapsed in this slow yet exciting search, before one of the men, some +fifty or sixty yards to my left, and a little ahead of the line, called +out that he could see the lion awaiting our approach, with his head +just visible in a large bed of rushes only a short distance in front of +where I then was. Almost at the same moment I found blood marks left by +the wounded animal, leading apparently to a kind of gap in the bank of +the river, which had evidently been worn down by a rhino going to and +fro to drink. I accordingly made for this with the greatest caution, +ordering all the men, except Mahina, to remain behind; and as +noiselessly as possible I slipped from cover to cover in my endeavour +to obtain a peep over the bank. I saw that it was no use to attempt to +climb a tree, as the overspreading foliage would have prevented me from +obtaining any view ahead; so I continued my slow advance with a +fast-beating heart, not knowing where the huge brute was and expecting +every moment that he would charge out at me over the bank from his +reedy refuge. Emboldened to a certain extent, however, by the fact that +up till then I had heard no movement on the part of my enemy, I crept +steadily forward and at last, from the shelter of a friendly tree +behind the bole of which I hid myself, I was able to look over the +bank. And there, not twenty yards from me, crouched the lion—luckily +watching, not me, but the native who had first seen him and who had +directed me to where he was. I raised my rifle very cautiously, without +making the slightest sound, and steadying the barrel against the trunk +of the tree and standing on tip-toe in order to get a better view, I +fired plump at the side of his head. It was as if he had suddenly been +hit with a sledgehammer, for he fell over instantly and lay like a log. +</P> + +<P> +On my calling out that the lion was done for, the beaters came running +up shouting with joy; and although I warned them to be careful, as the +two lionesses were probably still close at hand, they did not seem to +care in the slightest and in a twinkling had the dead lion lifted from +the reeds on to the dry bank. Before I allowed anything further to be +done, however, I had the patch of rushes thoroughly beaten out: but as +no traces of the lionesses could be found, we commenced to skin my fine +trophy. When this was about half done, I decided to let Mahina finish +the operation, while I went on ahead to try my luck either with more +lions or with any other game that might come my way. I followed up the +river almost to its source, but no more lions crossed my path. Once +indeed I felt convinced that I saw one, and gave chase to it with all +my might as it rushed through the long grass: but a nearer view showed +me nothing more than a huge wart-hog. As I wanted the tusks, which I +noticed were very fine ones, I fired but only badly hipped him: so I +ran up as fast as I could and at ten yards fired again. This time I +missed him entirely, and was puzzled to account for my failure until I +looked at my back sight and found that by some accident it had got +raised and that I had the 200-yards sight up. On rectifying this, +another shot quickly put the wounded animal out of pain. +</P> + +<P> +Still my day's sport was not yet over. While rambling back through the +trees I caught sight of a graceful-looking antelope in the distance, +and on cautiously approaching closer saw that it was an impala. My +stalk was crowned with success, the beautiful animal being bagged +without much trouble; and on reaching my prize I was delighted to find +that its horns were much above the average. On another occasion I was +fortunate enough to get a successful snapshot of an impala just after +it had been shot by a friend, and the photograph gives a very good idea +of what mine was like. +</P> + +<P> +As it was now growing late, I made all haste back to where I had left +Mahina skinning the lion, but to my astonishment he was nowhere to be +seen. I fired several shots and shouted myself hoarse, all without +response; and the only conclusion I could come to was that he had +returned to the camp at the temporary bridge. I accordingly pushed on, +reaching home long after dark; and there I found Mahina safe and sound, +with the lion's skin already pegged out to dry, so that I could not +find it in my heart to give him the severe scolding he deserved for +having returned without me. Next morning I packed up my trophies and +returned to my work at railhead. On my way back I happened to meet one +of the other engineers, who called out, "Hallo! I hear you have got a +fine line." +</P> + +<P> +My thoughts being full of my adventures of the day before, I answered: +"Yes, I did; but how on earth did you hear of it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" he said, "Reynolds told me." +</P> + +<P> +"Good heavens," I replied, "why, he left before I shot it." +</P> + +<P> +"Shot?" he exclaimed, "whatever do you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"Didn't you say," I asked, "that you heard I had got a fine lion?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, no," was his reply; "a fine line for the temporary bridge over the +river." +</P> + +<P> +We both laughed heartily at the misunderstanding, and when he saw my +trophy, which was being carried by my man just behind me, he agreed +that it was quite fine enough to monopolise my thoughts and prevent me +from thinking of anything else. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES +</H3> + +<P> +A few Masai may still be seen on the Athi Plains, but as a rule they +keep away from the railway, the majority of the tribe being now settled +on the Laikipia Plateau. Formerly they were by far the most powerful +native race in East Africa, and when on the war-path were the terror of +the whole country from the furthest limits of Uganda to Mombasa itself. +Their numbers have latterly become greatly reduced through famine and +small-pox, but the remnant of the tribe, more especially the men, are +still a fine, lithe, clean-limbed people. While I was stationed in the +Plains I managed to have an interview with the chief, Lenana, at one of +his "royal residences," a kraal near Nairobi. He was affability itself, +presenting me with a spear and shield as a memento of the occasion; but +he had the reputation of being a most wily old potentate, and I found +this quite correct, as whenever he was asked an awkward question, he +would nudge his Prime Minister and command him to answer for him. I +managed to induce him and his wives and children to sit for their +photograph, and they made a very fine group indeed; but unfortunately +the negative turned out very badly. I also got Lenana's nephew and a +warrior to engage in combat with the spear and shield, and both made +fine play with their long keen blades, which more than once penetrated +the opponent's shield. +</P> + +<P> +The Masai have a wonderfully well-organised military system. The +warriors (elmorani) of the tribe must attend strictly to their duties, +and are not allowed to marry or to smoke or to drink until after their +term of active service is completed. Besides the spear and shield they +generally carry a sword or knobkerrie, suspended from a raw-hide +waist-belt; and they certainly look very ferocious in their +weird-looking headdress when on the warpath. Once or twice I met +detachments out on these expeditions, but they were always quite +friendly to me, even though I was practically alone. Before the advent +of British rule, however, sudden raids were constantly being made by +them on the weaker tribes in the country; and when a kraal was captured +all the male defenders-were instantly killed with the spear, while the +women were put to death during the night with clubs. The Masai, indeed, +never made slaves or took prisoners, and it was their proud boast that +where a party of elmorani had passed, nothing of any kind was left +alive. The object of these raids was, of course, to capture live stock, +for the Masai are not an agricultural people and their wealth consists +entirely in their herds of cattle, sheep and goats. Curiously enough +they do not hunt game, although the country abounds with it, but live +principally on beef and milk; and it is also a common custom for them +to drink daily a pint or so of blood taken from a live bullock. As they +thus live entirely on cattle, and as cattle cannot thrive without good +pasture, it is not unnatural to find that they have a great reverence +for grass. They also worship a Supreme Being whom they call N'gai, but +this term is also applied to anything which is beyond their +understanding. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps the most curious of the customs of the Masai is the extraction +of the two front teeth from the lower jaw. It is said that this habit +originated at a time when lockjaw was very prevalent among the tribe, +and it was found that if these teeth were pulled out food could still +be taken. This explanation seems scarcely satisfactory or sufficient, +and I give it only for what it is worth: but whatever the reason for +the custom, the absence of these two teeth constitutes a most +distinctive identifying mark. I remember once being out with a Masai +one day when we came across the bleached skull of a long defunct member +of his tribe, of course easily recognisable as such by the absence of +the proper teeth. The Masai at once plucked a handful of grass, spat +upon it, and then placed it very carefully within the skull; this was +done, he said, to avert evil from himself. The same man asked me among +many other questions if my country was nearer to God than his. I am +afraid I was unable conscientiously to answer him in the affirmative. +Formerly the Masai used to spit in the face as a mark of great +friendship, but nowadays—like most other native races—they have +adopted our English fashion of shaking hands. +</P> + +<P> +Another very common custom amongst them is that of distorting the lobe +of the ear by stretching it until it hangs down quite five or six +inches. It is then pierced and decorated in various ways—by sticking +through it a piece of wood two or three inches in diameter, or a little +round tin canister, and by hanging to it pieces of chain, rings, beads, +or bunches of brass-headed nails, according to fancy. Nearly all the +men wear little bells on their ankles to give notice of their approach, +while the women are very fond of covering themselves with large +quantities of iron or copper wire. Their limbs, indeed, are often +almost completely encased with these rings, which I should think must +be very heavy and uncomfortable: but no Masai woman considers herself a +lady of fashion without them, and the more she possesses the higher +does she stand in the social scale. +</P> + +<P> +As a rule, the Masai do not bury their dead, as they consider this +custom to be prejudicial to the soil; the bodies are simply carried +some little distance from the village and left to be devoured by birds +and wild beasts. The honour of burial is reserved only for a great +chief, over whose remains a large mound is also raised. I came across +one of these mounds one day near Tsavo and opened it very carefully, +but found nothing: possibly I did not pursue my search deep enough into +the earth. In general, the Masai are an upright and honourable savage +race, and it is a great pity that they are gradually dying out. +</P> + +<P> +More or less serfs of the Masai are the Wa N'derobbo, who, unlike their +over-lords, are a race of hunters. They are seldom to be met with, +however, as they hide away in caves and thickets, and keep constantly +moving from place to place following the game. Not long ago I saw a few +of them in the neighbourhood of the Eldama Ravine: but these were more +or less civilised, and the girls, who were quite graceful, had +abandoned the native undress costume for flowing white robes. +</P> + +<P> +In the district from Nairobi to the Kedong River, and in the Kenya +Province, dwell the Wa Kikuyu, who are similar to the Masai in build, +but not nearly so good-looking. Like the latter, they use the spear and +shield, though of a different shape; their principal weapon, however, +is the bow and poisoned arrow. They also frequently carry a rudely made +two-edged short sword in a sheath, which is slung round the waist by a +belt of raw hide. Their front teeth are filed to a sharp point in the +same manner as those of nearly all the other native tribes of East +Africa, with the exception of the Masai. They live in little villages +composed of beehive huts and always situated in the very thickest +patches of forest that they can find, and their cattle kraals are +especially strongly built and carefully hidden. On one occasion I +managed after a great deal of difficulty and crawling on all-fours to +make my way into one of these kraals, and was much amazed to notice +what labour and ingenuity had been expended on its construction. Unlike +the Masai, the Wa Kikuyu have a fairly good idea of agriculture, and +grow crops of m'tama (a kind of native grain from which flour is made), +sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, and tobacco. +</P> + +<P> +The Wa Kikuyu have the reputation of being a very cowardly and +treacherous people, and they have undoubtedly committed some very cruel +deeds. A friend of mine, Captain Haslem, with whom I lived for a few +months at Tsavo, was barbarously murdered by some members of this +tribe. He left me to go up to the Kikuyu country in charge of the +transport, and as he was keenly interested in finding out all about the +tropical diseases from which the animals suffered, he made it his +custom to dissect the bodies of those that died. The superstitious Wa +Kikuyu were fully convinced that by this he bewitched their cattle, +which at the time were dying in scores from rinderpest. So—instigated +no doubt by the all-powerful witch-doctor—they treacherously killed +him. For my part, however, I found them not nearly so black as they had +been painted to me. I had about four hundred of them working at one +thing or another at Nairobi and never had any trouble with them. On the +contrary I found them well-behaved and intelligent and most anxious to +learn. +</P> + +<P> +As is the case with all other African races, the women of the Wa Kikuyu +do the manual labour of the village and carry the heavy loads for their +lords and masters, the bundles being held in position on their back by +a strap passing round the forehead. +</P> + +<P> +Notwithstanding this some of them are quite pleasant looking, and once +they have overcome their fear of the European, do not object to being +photographed. +</P> + +<P> +Of the other tribes to be met with in this part of the world, the +Kavirondo are the most interesting. They are an industrious, simple +people, devoted to agriculture and hospitable in the extreme—a little +addicted to thieving, perhaps, but then that is scarcely considered a +sin in the heart of Africa. They are clothed (to use Mark Twain's +expression) in little but a smile, a bead or two here and there being +considered ample raiment; nevertheless they are modest in their ways +and are on the whole about the best of the East African tribes. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE +</H3> + +<P> +On May 12 railhead reached the Athi River, where, as there was a great +deal of miscellaneous work to be done, our headquarters remained +established for some little time. One day not long after we had settled +down in our new camp, I was joined quite unexpectedly by my friend Dr. +Brock, who had shared the exciting adventure with me at Tsavo the night +we were attacked in the goods-wagon by one of the man-eaters. Now Brock +had so far not been fortunate enough to bag a lion, and was +consequently most anxious to do so. Shortly after his arrival, +accordingly, he suggested that we should go for a shooting expedition +on the morrow, and that I should trot out for his benefit one of the +local lions. Of course I said I should be delighted—I was always ready +for a hunt when it was possible for me to get away, and as just at the +time we were "held up" by the Athi River, I could manage a day off +quite easily. So we made the usual preparations for a day's absence +from camp—filled our water-bottles with tea, put a loaf of bread and a +tin of sardines in our haversacks, looked carefully to our rifles and +ammunition; and warned the "boys" who were to accompany us as beaters +to be ready before dawn. I decided to make a very early start, as I +knew that the most likely place for lions lay some distance away, and I +wanted to get there if possible by daybreak. We should thus have a +better chance of catching one of the lords of the plain as he returned +from his nightly depredations to the kindly shelter of the tall grass +and rushes which fringed the banks of the river. We therefore retired +to rest early, and just as I was dozing off to sleep, one of my Indian +servants, Roshan Khan, put his head through the slit at my tent door +and asked leave to accompany the "Sahibs" in the morning so that he +might see what shikar (hunting) was like. This request I sleepily +granted, thinking that it could make little difference whether he came +with us or stayed behind in camp. As things turned out, however, it +made all the difference in the world, for if he had not accompanied us, +my shikar would in all probability have ended disastrously next day. He +was a very dusky-coloured young Pathan about twenty years of age, lithe +and active, and honest and pleasant-looking, as Pathans go. He had been +my "boy" for some time and was much attached to me, besides having a +touching faith in my prowess in shikar: probably, indeed, this was the +reason why he stuck so close to me throughout the hunt. +</P> + +<P> +We breakfasted by candle light and managed to get several miles on our +way towards the source of the Athi before dawn. As soon as it was +thoroughly daylight, we extended in line, Dr. Brock, as the guest, +being placed in the most likely position for a shot, while Roshan Khan +followed close behind me with the day's provisions. In this order we +trudged steadily forward for a couple of miles without coming across +anything, though we advanced through many patches of rushes and long +grass likely to conceal our expected quarry. It was most interesting +and exciting work all the same, as we never knew but that a lion might +the next moment jump up at our very feet. We had just beaten through a +most hopeful-looking covert without success and had come out on to a +beautiful open grassy glade which stretched away for some distance +ahead of us, when I noticed a big herd of wildebeeste browsing quietly +some distance to our right. I knew that Brock also wanted a +wildebeeste, so I whistled softly to him, and pointed out the +weird-looking, bison-like antelopes. He came across at once and started +off towards the herd, while I sat down to watch the proceedings. He +made a beautiful stalk, which was rendered really very difficult by the +open nature of the country, but still the wildebeeste quickly noticed +his approach and kept steadily moving on, until at last they +disappeared over one of the gentle rises which are such a feature of +the Athi Plains. +</P> + +<P> +I still sat and waited, expecting every moment to hear the sound of +Brock's rifle. Some time elapsed without a shot, however, and I was +just about to follow him up and find out how things were going, when +Roshan Khan suddenly exclaimed excitedly:—"Dekko, Sahib, shenzi ata +hain!" ("Look, Sahib, the savages are coming!"). I was not in the least +alarmed at this somewhat startling announcement, as the Indians called +all the natives of the interior of Africa shenzi, or savages; and on +looking round I saw five tall, slim Masai approaching in Indian file, +each carrying a six-foot spear in his right hand. On coming nearer, the +leader of the party eagerly asked in Swahili, "What does the Bwana +Makubwa ("Great Master") desire?" +</P> + +<P> +"Simba" ("Lions"), said I. +</P> + +<P> +"Come," he replied, "I will show you many." +</P> + +<P> +This filled me with interest at once. "How far away are they?" I asked. +</P> + +<P> +"M'bali kidogo" ("A little distance"), came the stereotyped reply. +</P> + +<P> +I immediately had a good look round for Brock, but could see no sign of +him, so, in case the "many" lions should get away in the meantime, I +told the Masai to lead the way, and off we started. +</P> + +<P> +As usual, the m'bali kidogo proved a good distance—over two miles in +this case. Indeed, I began to get impatient at the long tramp, and +called out to the Masai to know where his lions were; but he vouchsafed +me no answer and continued to walk steadily on, casting keen glances +ahead. After a little I again asked, "Where are the lions?" This time +he extended his spear in a most dramatic manner, and pointing to a +clump of trees just ahead, exclaimed: "Look, Master; there are the +lions." I looked, and at once caught sight of a lioness trotting off +behind the bushes. I also saw some suspicious-looking thing at the foot +of one of the big trees, but came to the conclusion that it was only a +growth of some kind projecting from the trunk. I was soon to be +undeceived, however, for as I started to run towards the trees in order +to cut off the fast disappearing lioness from a stretch of rushes for +which she was making, a low and sinister growl made me look closer at +the object which had first aroused my suspicions. To my surprise and +delight I saw that it was the head of a huge black-maned lion peering +out from behind the trunk of the tree, which completely hid his body. I +pulled up short and stared at him. Although he was not seventy yards +away from me, yet owing to the nature of the background it was very +difficult to make him out, especially as he kept his head perfectly +still, gazing steadily at me. It was only when the great mouth opened +in an angry snarl that I could see plainly what he really was. For a +few seconds we stood thus and looked at each other; then he growled +again and made off after the lioness. As I could not get a fair shot at +him from where I stood, I ran with all my might for a point of vantage +from which I might have a better chance of bagging him as he passed. +</P> + +<P> +Now by this time I had almost got beyond the surprise stage where lions +were concerned; yet I must admit that I was thoroughly startled and +brought to a full stop in the middle of my race by seeing no less than +four more lionesses jump up from the covert which the lion had just +left. In the twinkling of an eye three of them had disappeared after +their lord in long, low bounds, but the fourth stood broadside on, +looking, not at me, but at my followers, who by this time were grouped +together and talking and gesticulating excitedly. This gave me a +splendid chance for a shoulder shot at about fifty yards' distance, so +I knelt down at once and fired after taking careful aim. The lioness +disappeared from sight instantly, and on looking over the top of the +grass I saw that my shot had told, as she was on her back, clawing the +air and growling viciously. As she looked to me to be done for, I +shouted to some of the men to remain behind and watch her, while I set +off once more at a run to try to catch up the lion. I feared that the +check with the lioness might have lost him to me altogether, but to my +relief I soon caught sight of him again. He had not made off very +quickly, and had probably stopped several times to see what I was up +to; indeed the men, who could see him all the time, afterwards told me +that when he heard the growl of rage from the lioness after she was +shot, he made quite a long halt, apparently deliberating whether he +should return to her rescue. Evidently, however, he had decided that +discretion was the better part of valour. Fortunately he was travelling +leisurely, and I was delighted to find that I was gaining on him fast; +but I had still to run about two hundred yards at my best pace, which, +at an altitude of more than 5,000 feet above sea-level, leaves one very +breathless at the end of it. +</P> + +<P> +When the lion perceived me running towards him, he took up his station +under a tree, where he was half hidden by some low bushes, above which +only his head showed. Here he stood, watching my every movement and +giving vent to his anger at my presence in low, threatening growls. I +did not at all like the look of him, and if there had been another tree +close by, I should certainly have scrambled up it into safety before +attempting to fire. As a matter of fact, however, there was no shelter +of any kind at hand; so, as I meant to have a try for him at all costs, +I sat down where I was, about sixty yards from him, and covered his +great head with my rifle. I was so breathless after my run, and my arms +were so shaky, that it was all I could do to keep the sight on the +fierce-looking target and I thought to myself, as the rifle barrel +wobbled about, "If I don't knock him over with the first shot, he will +be out of these bushes and down on me like greased lightning—and then +I know what to expect." It was a most exciting moment, but in spite of +the risk I would not have missed it for the world; so, taking as steady +an aim as was possible in the circumstances, I pulled the trigger. +Instantly the shaggy head disappeared from view, and such a succession +of angry roars and growls came up out of the bushes that I was fairly +startled, and felt keenly anxious to finish him off before he could +charge out and cover the short distance which separated us. I therefore +fired half a dozen shots into the bushes at the spot where I imagined +he lay, and soon the growling and commotion ceased, and all was still. +I was confident the brute was dead, so I called up one of the men to +stay and watch the place, while I again rushed off at full +speed—jumping over such rocks and bushes as came in my way—to have a +shot at a lioness that was still in sight. +</P> + +<P> +By this time my followers numbered about thirty men, as when one is +hunting in these plains natives seem to spring from nowhere in the most +mysterious manner, and attach themselves to one in the hope of +obtaining same portion of the kill. By signal I ordered them to advance +in line on the thicket in which the lioness had just taken refuge, +while I took up my position on one side, so as to obtain a good shot +when she broke covert. The line of natives shouting their native cries +and striking their spears together soon disturbed her, and out she +sprang into the open, making for a clump of rushes close to the river. +Unfortunately she broke out at the most unfavourable spot from my point +of view, as some of the natives masked my fire, and I had consequently +to wait until she got almost to the edge of the rushes. Whether or not +I hit her then I cannot say; at any rate, she made good her escape into +the reeds, where I decided to leave her until Brock should arrive. +</P> + +<P> +I now retraced my steps towards the spot where I had shot the lion, +expecting, of course, to find the man I had told to watch him still on +guard. To my intense vexation, however, I found that my sentry had +deserted his post and had joined the other men of the party, having +become frightened when left by himself. The result of his disobedience +was that now I could not tell where lay the dead lion—or, rather, the +lion which I believed to be dead; but I had no intention of losing so +fine a trophy, so I began a systematic search, dividing the jungle into +strips, and thus going over the whole place thoroughly. The task of +finding him, however, was not so easy as might be thought; the chase +after the lioness had taken us some distance from where I had shot him, +and as there were numbers of trees about similar to that under which he +fell, it was really a very difficult matter to hit upon the right +place. At last one of the men sang out joyfully that he had found the +lion at the same time running away from the spot as hard as ever he +could. A number of those nearest to him, both Indians and natives, had +more courage or curiosity, and went up to have a look at the beast. I +shouted to them as I hurried along to be careful and not to go too +near, in case by any chance he might not be dead; but they paid little +heed to the warning, and by the time I got up, some half-dozen of them +were gathered in a group at the lion's tail, gesticulating wildly and +chattering each in his own language, and all very pleased and excited. +On getting near I asked if the lion was dead, and was told that he was +nearly so, but that he still breathed. He was lying at full length on +his side, and when I saw him at close quarters I was more delighted +than I can tell, for he was indeed a very fine specimen. For a moment +or two I stood with the group of natives, admiring him. He still +breathed regularly, as his flanks heaved with each respiration; but as +he lay absolutely still with all the men jabbering within a yard of +him, I assumed that he was on the point of death and unable to rise. +Possessed with this belief, I very foolishly allowed my curiosity to +run away with my caution, and stepped round to have a look at his head. +The moment I came into his view, however, he suddenly became possessed +of a diabolical ferocity. With a great roar he sprang to his feet, as +if he were quite unhurt; his eyes blazed with fury, and his lips were +drawn well back, exposing his tusks and teeth in a way I hope never to +witness again. When this perilous situation so unexpectedly developed +itself, I was not more than three paces away from him. +</P> + +<P> +The instant the lion rose, all the men fled as if the Evil One himself +were after them, and made for the nearest trees—with one exception, +for as I took a step backwards, keeping my eye on the infuriated +animal, I almost trod on Roshan Khan, who had still remained close +behind me. Fortunately for me, I had approached the lion's head with my +rifle ready, and as I stepped back I fired. The impact of the .303 +bullet threw him back on his haunches just as he was in the act of +springing, but in an instant he was up again and coming for me so +quickly that I had not even time to raise my rifle to my shoulder, but +fired point blank at him from my hip, delaying him for a second or so +as before. He was up again like lightning, and again at the muzzle of +my rifle; and this time I thought that nothing on earth could save me, +as I was almost within his clutches. Help came from an unexpected and +unconscious quarter, for just at this critical moment Roshan Khan +seemed all at once to realise the danger of the situation, and suddenly +fled for his life, screaming and shrieking with all his might. Beyond +all question this movement saved me, for the sight of something darting +away from him diverted the lion's attention from me, and following his +natural instinct, he gave chase instead to the yelling fugitive. +</P> + +<P> +Roshan Khan having thus unwittingly rescued me from my perilous +position, it now became my turn to do all I could to save him, if this +were possible. In far less time than it takes to tell the story, I had +swung round after the pursuing lion, levelled my rifle and fired; but +whether because of the speed at which he was going, or because of my +over-anxiety to save my "boy", I missed him completely, and saw the +bullet raise the dust at the heels of a flying Masai. Like lightning I +loaded again from the magazine, but now the lion was within a spring of +his prey, and it seemed hopeless to expect to save poor Roshan Khan +from his clutches. Just at this moment, however, the terrified youth +caught sight of the brute over his left shoulder, and providentially +made a quick swerve to the right. As the lion turned to follow him, he +came broadside on to me, and just as he had Roshan Khan within striking +distance and was about to seize him, he dropped in the middle of what +would otherwise assuredly have been the fatal spring—bowled over with +a broken shoulder. This gave me time to run up and give him a final +shot, and with a deep roar he fell back full length on the grass, +stone-dead. +</P> + +<P> +I then looked round to see if Roshan Khan was all right, as I was not +sure whether the lion had succeeded in mauling him or not. The sight +that met my eyes turned tragedy into comedy in an instant, and made me +roar with laughter; indeed, it was so utterly absurd that I threw +myself down on the grass and rolled over and over, convulsed with +uncontrollable mirth. For there was Roshan Khan, half-way up a thorn +tree, earnestly bent on getting to the very topmost branch as quickly +as ever he could climb; not a moment, indeed, was he able to spare to +cast a glance at what was happening beneath. His puggaree had been torn +off by one thorn, and waved gracefully in the breeze; a fancy waistcoat +adorned another spiky branch, and his long white cotton gown was torn +to ribbons in his mad endeavour to put as great a distance as possible +between himself and the dead lion. As soon as I could stop laughing, I +called out to him to come down, but quite in vain. There was no +stopping him, indeed, until he had reached the very top of the tree; +and even then he could scarcely be induced to come down again. Poor +fellow, he had been thoroughly terrified, and little wonder. +</P> + +<P> +My followers now began to emerge from the shelter of the various trees +and bushes where they had concealed themselves after their wild flight +from the resuscitated lion, and crowded round his dead body in the +highest spirits. The Masai, especially, seemed delighted at the way in +which he had been defeated, and to my surprise and amusement proved +themselves excellent mimics, some three or four of them beginning at +once to act the whole adventure. One played the part of the lion and +jumped growling at a comrade, who immediately ran backwards just as I +had done, shouting "Ta, Ta, Ta" and cracking his fingers to represent +the rifle-shots. Finally the whole audience roared with delight when +another bolted as fast as he could to Roshan Khan's tree with the +pseudo lion roaring after him. At the end of these proceedings up came +Brock, who had been attracted to the place by the sound of the firing. +He was much astonished to see my fine dead lion lying stretched out, +and his first remark was, "You are a lucky beggar!" Afterwards, when he +heard the full story of the adventure, he rightly considered me even +more lucky than he had first thought. +</P> + +<P> +Our next business was to go back to the lioness which I had first shot +and left for dead. Like her mate, however, she was still very much +alive when we reached her, so I stalked carefully up to a neighbouring +tree, from whose shelter I gave her the finishing shot. We then left +Mahina and the other men to skin the two beasts, and went on to the +rushes where the second lioness had taken cover. Here all our efforts +to turn her out failed, so we reluctantly abandoned the chase and were +fated to see no more lions that day. +</P> + +<P> +Our only other adventure was with a stolid old rhino, who gave me +rather a fright and induced Brock to indulge in some lively exercise. +Separated by about a hundred yards or so, we were walking over the +undulating ground a short distance from the river, when, on gaining the +top of a gentle rise, I suddenly came upon the ungainly animal as it +lay wallowing in a hollow. It jumped to its feet instantly and came for +where I stood, and as I had no wish to shoot it, I made a dash for +cover round the knoll. On reaching the top of the rise, the rhino +winded my companion and at once changed its direction and made for him. +Brock lost no time in putting on his best pace in an endeavour to reach +the shelter of a tree which stood some distance off, while I sat down +and watched the exciting race. I thought it would be a pretty close +thing, but felt confident that Brock, who was very active, would manage +to pull it off. When he got about half-way to the tree, however, he +turned to see how far his pursuer was behind, and in doing so put his +foot in a hole in the ground, and to my horror fell head over heels, +his rifle flying from his grasp. I expected the great brute to be on +him in a moment, but to my intense relief the old rhino stopped dead +when he saw the catastrophe which had taken place, and then, failing (I +suppose) to understand it, suddenly made off in the opposite direction +as hard as he could go. In the meantime Brock had got to his feet +again, and raced for dear life to the tree without ever looking round. +It was a most comical sight, and I sat on the rise and for the second +time that day laughed till my sides ached. +</P> + +<P> +After this we returned to the scene of my morning's adventure, where we +found that the invaluable Mahina had finished skinning the two lions. +We accordingly made our way back to camp with our trophies, all of us, +with perhaps the exception of Roshan Khan, well satisfied with the +day's outing. Whenever afterwards I wanted to chaff this "boy", I had +only to ask whether he would like to come and see some more shikar. He +would then look very solemn, shake his head emphatically and assure me +"Kabhi nahin, Sahib" ("Never again, Sir"). +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap23"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT +</H3> + +<P> +When the Athi river had been bridged, the section of the line to +Nairobi was pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and from dawn to +dark we all exerted ourselves to the very utmost. One day (May 28) the +weather was exceptionally hot, and I had been out in the broiling sun +ever since daylight superintending the construction of banks and +cuttings and the erection of temporary bridges. On returning to my hut, +therefore, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, I threw myself into +a long deck chair, too tired for anything beyond a long cool drink. +Here I rested for an hour or so, amused by the bustle at the small +wayside station we had just built, and idly watching our tiny +construction engine forging its way, with a great deal of clanking and +puffing, up a steep gradient just across the river. It was touch-and-go +whether it would manage to get its heavy load of rails and sleepers to +the top of the incline or not, and I became so interested in the +contest between steam and friction and gravity, that I did not notice +that a visitor had approached and was standing quietly beside me. +</P> + +<P> +On hearing the usual salutation, however, I turned round and saw a lean +and withered half-bred Masai, clothed in a very inadequate piece of +wildebeeste hide which was merely slipped under the left arm and looped +up in a knot over the right shoulder. He stood for a moment with the +right hand held out on a level with his shoulder, the fingers extended +and the palm turned towards me—all indicating that he came on a +friendly visit. I returned his salutation, and asked him what he +wanted. Before answering, he dropped down on his heels, his old bones +cracking as he did so. "I want to lead the Great Master to two lions," +he said; "they have just killed a zebra and are now devouring it." On +hearing this I straightway forgot that I had already done a hard day's +work in the full blaze of an equatorial sun; I forgot that I was tired +and hungry; in fact, I forgot everything that was not directly +connected with the excitement of lion-hunting. Even the old savage at +my feet grinned when he saw how keen I was about it. I plied him with +questions—were they both lions or lionesses? had they manes? how far +away were they? and so on. Naturally, to the last question he was bound +to answer "M'bali kidogo." Of course they were not far away; nothing +ever is to a native of East Africa. However, the upshot was that in a +very few minutes I had a mule saddled, and with the old Masai as guide, +started off accompanied by my faithful Mahina and another coolie to +help to bring home the skin if I should prove successful. I also left +word for my friend Spooner, the District Engineer, who happened to be +absent from camp just at the moment, that I had gone after two lions, +but hoped to be back by nightfall. +</P> + +<P> +We travelled at a good pace, and within an hour had covered fully six +miles; still there was no sign of lions. On the way we were joined by +some Wa Kamba, even more scantily attired than our guide, and soon a +dispute arose between these hangers-on and the old Masai, who refused +to allow them to accompany us, as he was afraid that they would seize +all the zebra-meat that the lions had not already eaten. However, I +told him not to bother, but to hurry up and show me the lions, and that +I would look after him all right. Eventually, on getting to the low +crest of one of the long swells in the ground, our guide extended a +long skinny finger and said proudly, "Tazama, Bwana" ("See, Master"). I +looked in the direction in which he pointed, and sure enough, about six +hundred yards off were a lion and a lioness busily engaged on the +carcase of a zebra. On using my field-glasses, I was amused to observe +a jackal in attendance on the pair. Every now and then he would come +too close to the zebra, when the lion would make a short rush at him +and scare him away. The little jackal looked most ridiculous, +scampering off before the huge beast with his tail well down; but no +sooner did the lion stop and return to his meal than he crept nearer +again. The natives say, by the way, that a lion will eat every kind of +animal—including even other lions—except a jackal or a hyena. I was +also interested to notice the way in which the lion got at the flesh of +the zebra; he took a short run at the body, and putting his claws well +into the skin, in this manner tore off great strips of the hide. +</P> + +<P> +While I was thus studying the picture, my followers became impatient at +my inactivity, and coming up to the top of the rise, showed themselves +on the sky-line. The lions saw them at once, turning round and standing +erect to stare at them. There was not an atom of cover to be seen, nor +any chance of taking advantage of the rolling ground, for it did not +slope in the required direction; so I started to walk in the open in a +sidelong direction towards the formidable-looking pair. They allowed me +to come a hundred yards or so nearer them, and then the lioness bolted, +the lion following her at a more leisurely trot. As soon as they left +the body of the zebra, my African following made a rush for it, and +began a fierce fight over the remains, so that I had to restore order +and leave a coolie to see that our guide got the large share, as he +deserved. In the meantime the lion, hearing the noise of the squabble, +halted on the crest of the hill to take a deliberate look at me, and +then disappeared over the brow. I jumped on to my mule and galloped as +hard as I could after him, and luckily found the pair still in sight +when I reached the top of the rise. As soon as they saw me following +them up, the lioness took covert in some long grass that almost +concealed her when she lay down, but the lion continued to move +steadily away. Accordingly I made for a point which would bring me +about two hundred yards to the right of the lioness, and which would +leave a deep natural hollow between us, so as to give me a better +chance, in the event of a charge, of bowling her over as she came up +the rise towards me. I could plainly make out her light-coloured form +in the grass, and took careful aim and fired. In an instant she was +kicking on her back and tossing about, evidently hard hit; in a few +seconds more she lay perfectly still, and I saw that she was dead. +</P> + +<P> +I now turned my attention to the lion, who meanwhile had disappeared +over another rise. By this time Mahina and the other Indian, with three +or four of the disappointed Wa Kamba, had come up, so we started off in +a body in pursuit of him. I felt sure that he was lurking somewhere in +the grass not far off, and I knew that I could depend upon the native +eye to find him if he showed so much as the tip of his ear. Nor was I +disappointed, for we had scarcely topped the next rise when one of the +Wa Kamba spotted the dark brown head of the brute as he raised it for +an instant above the grass in order to watch us. We pretended not to +have seen him, however, and advanced to within two hundred yards or so, +when, as he seemed to be getting uneasy, I thought it best to risk a +shot even at this range. I put up the 200-yards sight and the bullet +fell short; but the lion never moved. Raising the sight another fifty +yards, I rested the rifle on Mahina's back for the next shot, and again +missed; fortunately, however, the lion still remained quiet. I then +decided to put into practice the scheme I had thought out the day I sat +astride the lion I had killed on the Kapiti Plain: so I told all my +followers to move off to the right, taking the mule with them, and to +make a half-circle round the animal, while I lay motionless in the +grass and waited. The ruse succeeded admirably, for as the men moved +round so did the lion, offering me at last a splendid shoulder shot. I +took very careful, steady aim and fired, with the result that he rolled +over and over, and then made one or two attempts to get up but failed. +I then ran up to within a few yards of him, and—helpless as he was +with a bullet through both shoulders—he was still game, and twist +round so as to face me, giving vent all the time to savage growls. A +final shot laid him out, however, and we at once proceeded to skin him. +While we were busy doing this, one of the Wa Kamba suddenly drew my +attention to the fact that we were actually being stalked at that very +moment by two other lions, who eventually approached to within five +hundred yards' distance and then lay down to watch us skinning their +dead brother, their big shaggy heads rising every now and again above +the grass to give us a prolonged stare. At the time I little knew what +a stirring adventure was in store for me next day while in pursuit of +these same brutes. +</P> + +<P> +It was almost dark when the skinning process was finished, so without +delay we started on our way back to camp, which was about seven miles +off. The lioness I thought I should leave to be skinned the next day; +but the men I sent out to do the job on the morrow were unable to find +any trace of her—they probably missed the place where she lay, for I +am sure that I killed her. It was a good two hours after night had +fallen before we got anywhere near the railway, and the last few miles +I was obliged to do by the guidance of the stars. Tramping over the +plain on a pitch-dark night, with lions and rhino all about, was by no +means pleasant work and I heartily wished myself and my men safely back +in camp. Indeed, I was beginning to think that I must have lost my +bearings and was getting anxious about it, when to my relief I heard a +rifle shot about half a mile ahead of us. I guessed at once that it was +fired by my good friend Spooner in order to guide me, so I gave a reply +signal; and on getting to the top of the next rise, I saw the plain in +front of me all twinkling with lights. When he found that I had not +returned by nightfall, Spooner had become nervous about me, and fearing +that I had met with some mishap, had come out with a number of the +workmen in camp to search for me in the direction I had taken in the +afternoon. He was delighted to find me safe and sound and with a lion's +skin as a trophy, while I was equally glad to have his escort and +company back to camp, which was still over a mile away. +</P> + +<P> +When we had settled down comfortably to dinner that night, I fired +Spooner's sporting ardour by telling him of the fine pair of lions who +had watched us skinning their companion, and we agreed at once to go +out next day and try to bag them both. Spooner and I had often had many +friendly arguments in regard to the comparative courage of the lion and +the tiger, he holding the view that "Stripes" was the more formidable +foe, while I, though admitting to the full-the courage of the tiger, +maintained from lively personal experience that the lion when once +roused was unequalled for pluck and daring, and was in fact the most +dangerous enemy one could meet with. He may at times slink off and not +show fight; but get him in the mood, or wound him, and only his death +or yours will end the fray—that, at least, was my experience of East +African lions. I think that Spooner has now come round to my opinion, +his conversion taking place the next day in a very melancholy manner. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap24"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR +</H3> + +<P> +Long after I had retired to rest that night I lay awake listening to +roar answering roar in every direction round our camp, and realised +that we were indeed in the midst of a favourite haunt of the king of +beasts. It is one thing to hear a lion in captivity, when one knows he +is safe behind iron bars; but quite another to listen to him when he is +ramping around in the vicinity of one's fragile tent, which with a +single blow he could tear to pieces. Still, all this roaring was of +good omen for the next day's sport. +</P> + +<P> +According to our over-night arrangement, we were up betimes in the +morning, but as there was a great deal of work to be done before we +could get away, it was quite midday before we made ready to start. I +ought to mention before going further that as a rule Spooner declined +my company on shooting trips, as he was convinced that I should get +"scuppered" sooner or later if I persisted in going after lions with a +"popgun," as he contemptuously termed my .303. Indeed, this was rather +a bone of contention between us, he being a firm believer (and rightly) +in a heavy, weapon for big and dangerous game, while I always did my +best to defend the .303 which I was in the habit of using. On this +occasion we effected a compromise for the day, I accepting the loan of +his spare 12-bore rifle as a second gun in case I should get to close +quarters. But my experience has been that it is always a very dangerous +thing to rely on a borrowed gun or rifle, unless it has precisely the +same action as one's own; and certainly in this instance it almost +proved disastrous. +</P> + +<P> +Having thus seen to our rifles and ammunition and taken care also that +some brandy was put in the luncheon-basket in case of an accident, we +set off early in the afternoon in Spooner's tonga, which is a +two-wheeled cart with a hood over it. The party consisted of Spooner +and myself, Spooner's Indian shikari Bhoota, my own gun-boy Mahina, and +two other Indians, one of whom, Imam Din, rode in the tonga, while the +other led a spare horse called "Blazeaway." Now it may seem a strange +plan to go lion-hunting in a tonga, but there is no better way of +getting about country like the Athi Plains, where—so long as it is +dry—there is little or nothing to obstruct wheeled traffic. Once +started, we rattled over the smooth expanse at a good rate, and on the +way bagged a hartebeeste and a couple of gazelle, as fresh meat was +badly needed in camp; besides, they offered most tempting shots, for +they stood stock-still gazing at us, struck no doubt by the novel +appearance of our conveyance. Next we came upon a herd of wildebeeste, +and here we allowed Bhoota, who was a wary shikari and an old servant +of Spooner's, to stalk a solitary bull. He was highly pleased at this +favour, and did the job admirably. +</P> + +<P> +At last we reached the spot where I had seen the two lions on the +previous day—a slight hollow, covered with long grass; but there was +now no trace of them to be discovered, so we moved further on and had +another good beat round. After some little time the excitement began by +our spying the black-tipped ears of a lioness projecting above the +grass, and the next moment a very fine lion arose from beside her and +gave us a full view of his grand head and mane. After staring fixedly +at us in an inquiring sort of way as we slowly advanced upon them, they +both turned and slowly trotted off, the lion stopping every now and +again to gaze round in our direction. Very imposing and majestic he +looked, too, as he thus turned his great shaggy head defiantly towards +us, and Spooner had to admit that it was the finest sight he had ever +seen. For a while we followed them on foot; but finding at length that +they were getting away from us and would soon be lost to sight over a +bit of rising ground, we jumped quickly into the tonga and galloped +round the base of the knoll so as to cut off their retreat, the +excitement of the rough and bumpy ride being intensified a hundred-fold +by the probability of our driving slap into the pair on rounding the +rise. On getting to the other side, however, they were nowhere to be +seen, so we drove on as hard as we could to the top, whence we caught +sight of them about four hundred yards away. As there seemed to be no +prospect of getting nearer we decided to open fire at this range, and +at the third shot the lioness tumbled over to my .303. At first I +thought I had done for her, as for a few minutes she lay on the ground +kicking and struggling; but in the end, although evidently badly hit, +she rose to her feet and followed the lion, who had escaped uninjured, +into some long grass from which we could not hope to dislodge them. +</P> + +<P> +As it was now late in the afternoon, and as there seemed no possibility +of inducing the lions to leave the thicket in which they had concealed +themselves, we turned back towards camp, intending to come out again +the next day to track the wounded lioness. I was now riding "Blazeaway" +and was trotting along in advance of the tonga, when suddenly he shied +badly at a hyena, which sprang up out of the grass almost from beneath +his feet and quickly scampered off. I pulled up for a moment and sat +watching the hyena's ungainly bounds, wondering whether he were worth a +shot. Suddenly I felt "Blazeaway" trembling violently beneath me, and +on looking over my left shoulder to discover the reason, I was startled +to see two fine lions not more than a hundred yards away, evidently the +pair which I had seen the day before and which we had really come in +search of. They looked as if they meant to dispute our passage, for +they came slowly towards me for about ten yards or so and then lay +down, watching me steadily all the time. I called out to Spooner, "Here +are the lions I told you about," and he whipped up the ponies and in a +moment or two was beside me with the tonga. +</P> + +<P> +By this time I had seized my .303 and dismounted, so we at once +commenced a cautious advance on the crouching lions, the arrangement +being that Spooner was to take the right-hand one and I the other. We +had got to within sixty yards' range without incident and were just +about to sit down comfortably to "pot" them, when they suddenly +surprised us by turning and bolting off. I managed, however, to put a +bullet into the one I had marked just as he crested a bank, and he +looked very grand as he reared up against the sky and clawed the air on +feeling the lead. For a second or two he gave me the impression that he +was about to charge; but luckily he changed his mind and followed his +companion, who had so far escaped scot free. I immediately mounted +"Blazeaway" and galloped off in hot pursuit, and after about half a +mile of very stiff going got up with them once more. Finding now that +they could not get away, they halted; came to bay and then charged down +upon me, the wounded lion leading. I had left my rifle behind, so all I +could do was to turn and fly as fast as "Blazeaway" could go, praying +inwardly the while that he would not put his foot into a hole. When the +lions saw that they were unable to overtake me, they gave up the chase +and lay down again, the wounded one being about two hundred yards in +front of the other. At once I pulled up too, and then went back a +little way, keeping a careful eye upon them; and I continued these +tactics of riding up and down at a respectful distance until Spooner +came up with the rifles, when we renewed the attack. +</P> + +<P> +As a first measure I thought it advisable to disable the unhurt lion if +possible, and, still using the .303, I got him with the second shot at +a range of about three hundred yards. He seemed badly hit, for he +sprang into the air and apparently fell heavily. I then exchanged my +.303 for Spooner's spare 12-bore rifle, and we turned our attention to +the nearer lion, who all this time had been lying perfectly still, +watching our movements closely, and evidently just waiting to be down +upon us the moment we came within charging distance. He was never given +this opportunity, however, for we did not approach nearer than ninety +yards, when Spooner sat down comfortably and knocked him over quite +dead with one shot from his .577, the bullet entering the left shoulder +obliquely and passing through the heart. +</P> + +<P> +It was now dusk, and there was no time to be lost if we meant to bag +the second lion as well. We therefore resumed our cautious advance, +moving to the right, as we went, so as to get behind us what light +there was remaining. The lion of course twisted round in the grass in +such a way as always to keep facing us, and looked very ferocious, so +that I was convinced that unless he were entirely disabled by the first +shot he would be down on us like a whirlwind. All the same, I felt +confident that, even in this event, one of us would succeed in stopping +him before he could do any damage; but in this I was unfortunately to +be proved mistaken. +</P> + +<P> +Eventually we managed to get within eighty yards of the enraged animal, +I being about five yards to the left front of Spooner, who was followed +by Bhoota at about the same distance to his right rear. By this time +the lion was beside himself with fury, growling savagely and raising +quite a cloud of dust by lashing his tail against the ground. It was +clearly high time that we did something, so asking Spooner to fire, +dropped on one knee and waited. Nor was I kept long in suspense, for +the moment Spooner's shot rang out, up jumped the lion and charged down +in a bee-line for me, coming in long, low bounds at great speed. I +fired the right barrel at about fifty yards, but apparently missed; the +left at about half that range, still without stopping effect. I knew +then that there was no time reload, so remained kneeling, expecting him +to be on me the next moment. Suddenly, just as he was within a bound of +me, he made a quick turn, to my right. "Good heavens," I thought, "he +is going for Spooner." I was wrong in this, however, for like a flash +he passed Spooner also, and with a last tremendous bound seized Bhoota +by the leg and rolled over and over with him for some yards in the +impetus of the rush. Finally he stood over him and tried to seize him +by the throat, which the brave fellow prevented by courageously +stuffing his left arm right into the great jaws. Poor Bhoota! By moving +at the critical moment, he had diverted the lion's attention from me +and had drawn the whole fury of the charge on to himself. +</P> + +<P> +All this, of course, happened in only a second or two. In the short +instant that intervened, I felt a cartridge thrust into my hand by +Spooner's plucky servant, Imam Din, who had carried the 12-bore all day +and who had stuck to me gallantly throughout the charge; and shoving it +in, I rushed as quickly as I could to Bhoota's rescue. Meanwhile, +Spooner had got there before me and when I came up actually had his +left hand on the lion's flank, in a vain attempt to push him off +Bhoota's prostrate body and so get at the heavy rifle which the poor +fellow still stoutly clutched. The lion, however, was so busily engaged +mauling Bhoota's arm that he paid not the slightest attention to +Spooner's efforts. Unfortunately, as he was facing straight in my +direction, I had to move up in full view of him, and the moment I +reached his head, he stopped chewing the arm, though still holding it +in his mouth, and threw himself back on his haunches, preparing for a +spring, at the same time curling back his lips and exposing his long +tusks in a savage snarl. I knew then that I had not a moment to spare, +so I threw the rifle up to my shoulder and pulled the trigger. Imagine +my utter despair and horror when it did not go off! "Misfire again," I +thought, and my heart almost stopped beating. As took a step backwards, +I felt it was all over no for he would never give me time to extract +the cartridge and load again. Still I took another step backwards, +keeping my eyes fixed on the lion's, which were blazing with rage; and +in the middle of my third step, just as the brute was gathering himself +for his spring, it suddenly struck me that in my haste and excitement, +I had forgotten that I was using a borrowed rifle and had not pulled +back the hammer (my own was hammerless). To do this and put a bullet +through the lion's brain was then the work of a moment; and he fell +dead instantly right on the top of Bhoota. +</P> + +<P> +We did not lose a moment in rolling his great carcase off Bhoota's body +and quickly forced opening the jaws so as to disengage the mangled arm +which still remained in his mouth. By this time the poor shikari was in +a fainting condition, and we flew to the tonga for the brandy flask +which we had so providentially brought with us. On making a rough +examination of the wounded man, we found that his left arm and right +leg were both frightfully mauled, the latter being broken as well. He +was lifted tenderly into the tonga—how thankful we now were to have it +with us!—and Spooner at once set off with him to camp and the doctor. +</P> + +<P> +Before following them home I made a hasty examination of the dead lion +and found him to be a very good specimen in every way. I was +particularly satisfied to see that one of the two shots I had fired as +he charged down upon me had taken effect. The bullet had entered below +the right eye, and only just missed the brain. Unfortunately it was a +steel one which Spooner had unluckily brought in his ammunition bag by +mistake; still one would have thought that a shot of this kind, even +with a hard bullet, would at least have checked the lion for the +moment. As a matter of fact, however, it went clean through him without +having the slightest stopping effect. My last bullet, which was of soft +lead, had entered close to the right eye and embedded itself in the +brain. By this time it had grown almost dark, so I left the two dead +lions where they lay and rode for camp, which I was lucky enough to +reach without further adventure or mishap. I may mention here that +early next morning two other lions were found devouring the one we had +first shot; but they had not had time to do much damage, and the head, +which I have had mounted, makes a very fine trophy indeed. The lion +that mauled Bhoota was untouched. +</P> + +<P> +On my arrival in camp I found that everything that was possible was +being done for poor Bhoota by Dr. McCulloch, the same who had travelled +up with me to Tsavo and shot the ostrich from the train on my first +arrival in the country, and who was luckily on the spot. His wounds had +been skilfully dressed, the broken leg put in splints, and under the +influence of a soothing draught the poor fellow was soon sleeping +peacefully. At first we had great hope of saving both life and limb, +and certainly for some days he seemed to be getting on as well as could +be expected. The wounds, however, were very bad ones, especially those +on the leg where the long tusks had met through and through the flesh, +leaving over a dozen deep tooth marks; the arm, though dreadfully +mauled, soon healed. It was wonderful to notice how cheerfully the old +shikari, bore it all, and a pleasure to listen to his tale of how he +would have his revenge on the whole tribe of lions as soon as he was +able to get about again. But alas, his shikar was over. The leg got +rapidly worse, and mortification setting in, it had to be amputated +half way up the thigh. +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Winston Waters performed the operation most skilfully, and +curiously enough the operating table was canopied with the skin of the +lion which had been responsible for the injury. Bhoota made a good +recovery from the operation, but seemed to lose heart when he found +that he had only one leg left, as according to his ideas he had now but +a poor chance of being allowed to enter Heaven. We did all that was +possible for him, and Spooner especially could not have looked after a +brother more tenderly; but to our great sorrow he sank gradually, and +died on July 19. +</P> + +<P> +The hunt which had such a disastrous sequel proved to be the last +occasion on which I met a lion in the open, as we got out of the +hunting country shortly afterwards and for the rest of my stay in East +Africa I had too much work to do to be able to go any distance in +search of big game. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap25"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE +</H3> + +<P> +Towards the end of my stay in British East Africa, I dined one evening +with Mr. Ryall, the Superintendent of the Police, in his inspection +carriage on the railway. Poor Ryall! I little thought then what a +terrible fate was to overtake him only a few months later in that very +carriage in which we dined. +</P> + +<P> +A man-eating lion had taken up his quarters at a little roadside +station called Kimaa, and had developed an extraordinary taste for the +members of the railway staff. He was a most daring brute, quite +indifferent as to whether he carried off the station-master, the +signalman, or the pointsman; and one night, in his efforts to obtain a +meal, he actually climbed up on to the roof of the station buildings +and tried to tear off the corrugated-iron sheets. At this the terrified +baboo in charge of the telegraph instrument below sent the following +laconic message to the Traffic Manager: "Lion fighting with station. +Send urgent succour." Fortunately he was not victorious in his "fight +with the station"; but he tried so hard to get in that he cut his feet +badly on the iron sheeting, leaving large blood-stains on the roof. +Another night, however, he succeeded in carrying off the native driver +of the pumping-engine, and soon afterwards added several other victims +to his list. On one occasion an engine-driver arranged to sit up all +night in a large iron water-tank in the hope of getting a shot at him, +and had a loop-hole cut in the side of the tank from which to fire. But +as so often happens, the hunter became the hunted; the lion turned up +in the middle of the night, overthrew the tank and actually tried to +drag the driver out through the narrow circular hole in the top through +which he had squeezed in. Fortunately the tank was just too deep for +the brute to be able to reach the man at the bottom; but the latter was +naturally half paralysed with fear and had to crouch so low down as to +be unable to take anything like proper aim. He fired, however, and +succeeded in frightening the lion away for the time being. +</P> + +<P> +It was in a vain attempt to destroy this pest that poor Ryall met his +tragic and untimely end. On June 6, 1900, he was travelling up in his +inspection carriage from Makindu to Nairobi, accompanied by two +friends, Mr. Huebner and Mr. Parenti. When they reached Kimaa, which is +about two hundred and fifty miles from Mombasa, they were told that the +man-eater had been seen close to the station only a short time before +their train arrived, so they at once made up their minds to remain +there for the night and endeavour to shoot him. Ryall's carriage was +accordingly detached from the train and shunted into a siding close to +the station, where, owing to the unfinished state of the line, it did +not stand perfectly level, but had a pronounced list to one side. In +the afternoon the three friends went out to look for the lion, but, +finding no traces of him whatever, they returned to the carriage for +dinner. Afterwards they all sat up on guard for some time; but the only +noticeable thing they saw was what they took to be two very bright and +steady glow-worms. After-events proved that these could have been +nothing else than the eyes of the man-eater steadily watching them all +the time and studying their every movement. The hour now growing late, +and there being apparently no sign of the lion, Ryall persuaded his two +friends to lie down, while he kept the first watch. Huebner occupied +the high berth over the table on the one side of the carriage, the only +other berth being on the opposite side of the compartment and lower +down. This Ryall offered to Parenti, who declined it, saying that he +would be quite comfortable on the floor and he accordingly lay down to +sleep, with his feet towards the sliding door which gave admission the +carriage. +</P> + +<P> +It is supposed that Ryall, after watching for some considerable time, +must have come to the conclusion that the lion was not going to make +its appearance that night, for he lay down on the lower berth and dozed +off. No sooner had he done so, doubtless, than the cunning man-eater +began cautiously to stalk the three sleepers. In order to reach the +little platform at the end of the carriage, he had to mount two very +high steps from the railway line, but these he managed to negotiate +successfully and in silence. The door from this platform into the +carriage was a sliding one on wheels, which ran very easily on a brass +runner; and as it was probably not quite shut, or at any rate not +secured in any way, it was an easy matter for the lion to thrust in a +paw and shove it open. But owing to the tilt of the carriage and to his +great extra weight on the one side, the door slid to and snapped into +the lock the moment he got his body right in, thus leaving him shut up +with the three sleeping me in the compartment. +</P> + +<P> +He sprang at once at Ryall, but in order to reach him had actually to +plant his feet on Parenti, who, it will be remembered, was sleeping on +the floor. At this moment Huebner was suddenly awakened by a loud cry, +and on looking down from his berth was horrified to see an enormous +lion standing with his hind feet on Parenti's body, while his forepaws +rested on poor Ryall. Small wonder that he was panic-stricken at the +sight. There was only one possible way of escape, and that was through +the second sliding door communicating with the servants' quarters, +which was opposite to that by which the lion had entered. But in order +to reach this door Huebner had literally to jump on to the man-eater's +back, for its great bulk filled up all the space beneath his berth. It +sounds scarcely credible, but it appears that in the excitement and +horror of the moment he actually did this, and fortunately the lion was +too busily engaged with his victim to pay any attention to him. So he +managed to reach the door in safety; but there, to his dismay, he found +that it was held fast on the other side by the terrified coolies, who +had been aroused by the disturbance caused by the lion's entrance. In +utter desperation he made frantic efforts to open it, and exerting all +his strength at last managed to pull it back sufficiently far to allow +him to squeeze through, when the trembling coolies instantly tied it up +again with their turbans. A moment afterwards a great crash was heard, +and the whole carriage lurched violently to one side; the lion had +broken through one of the windows, carrying off poor Ryall with him. +Being now released, Parenti lost no time in jumping through the window +on the opposite side of the carriage, and fled for refuge to one of the +station buildings; his escape was little short of miraculous, as the +lion had been actually standing on him as he lay on the floor. The +carriage itself was badly shattered, and the wood-work of the window +had been broken to pieces by the passage of the lion as he sprang +through with his victim in his mouth. +</P> + +<P> +All that can be hoped is that poor Ryall's death was instantaneous. His +remains were found next morning about a quarter of a mile away in the +bush, and were taken to Nairobi for burial. I am glad to be able to add +that very shortly afterwards the terrible brute who was responsible for +this awful tragedy was caught in an ingenious trap constructed by one +of the railway staff. He was kept on view for several days, and then +shot. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap26"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXVI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WORK AT NAIROBI +</H3> + +<P> +Although the lion which caused poor Bhoota's death was the last I +managed to shoot in East Africa, I saw several others afterwards while +travelling up and down the line at different times on construction +work. In particular, I remember one very curious incident which +happened early on the morning of June 2, when I was travelling towards +Nairobi, accompanied by Dr. McCulloch. The Doctor was going home on +leave in the course of a few days, and was bemoaning to me his bad luck +in never having shot or even seen a lion all the time he had been in +the country. We were standing on the engine at the time, facing each +other, he with his back to the north. +</P> + +<P> +"My dear Mac," I said, "it is because you don't look out for them." +</P> + +<P> +"Rubbish," he retorted; "I do nothing else when I am out hunting." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," I replied, "are you really very anxious to shoot one before you +go home?" +</P> + +<P> +"I would rather get a lion than anything else in the world," was the +emphatic reply. +</P> + +<P> +"Very good, then. Sultan," I called to the driver, "stop the engine." +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Mac," I continued, as the train was quickly brought to a +standstill, "here's a chance for you. Just jump off and bag those two +over there." +</P> + +<P> +He turned round in blank astonishment and could hardly believe his eyes +when he saw two fine lions only about two hundred yards off, busily +engaged in devouring a wildebeeste which they had evidently just +killed. I had spotted them almost as soon as Mac had begun to talk of +his bad luck, and had only waited to tell him until we got nearer, so +as to give him a greater surprise. He was off the engine in a second +and made directly for the two beasts. Just as he was about to fire one +of them bolted, so I called out to him to shoot the other quickly +before he too made good his escape. This one was looking at us over his +shoulder with one paw on the dead wildebeeste, and while he stood in +this attitude Mac dropped him with a bullet through the heart. Needless +to say he was tremendously delighted with his success, and after the +dead lion had been carried to the train and propped up against a +carriage, I took a photograph of him standing beside his fine trophy. +</P> + +<P> +Three days after this incident railhead reached Nairobi, and I was +given charge of the new division of the line. Nairobi was to be the +headquarters of the Railway Administration, so there was an immense +amount of work to be done in converting an absolutely bare plain, three +hundred and twenty-seven miles from the nearest place where even a nail +could be purchased, into a busy railway centre. Roads and bridges had +to be constructed, houses and work-shops built, turntables and station +quarters erected, a water supply laid on, and a hundred and one other +things done which go to the making of a railway township. Wonderfully +soon, however, the nucleus of the present town began to take shape, and +a thriving "bazaar" sprang into existence with a mushroom-like growth. +In this, however, a case or two of plague broke out before very long, +so I gave the natives and Indians who inhabited it an hour's notice to +clear out, and on my own responsibility promptly burned the whole place +to the ground. For this somewhat arbitrary proceeding I was mildly +called over the coals, as I expected; but all the same it effectually +stamped out the plague, which did not reappear during the time I was in +the country. +</P> + +<P> +With a little persuasion I managed to induce several hundred of the Wa +Kikuyu, in whose country we now were, to come and work at Nairobi, and +very useful and capable they proved themselves after a little training. +They frequently brought me in word that the shambas (plantations, +gardens) at the back of the hill on which my camp was pitched were +being destroyed by elephants, but unfortunately I could never spare +time to go out in quest of them. On one occasion, however, I passed the +news on to my friend, Dr. Winston Waters, with the result that he had a +most exciting adventure with a big bull elephant. He set out in quest +of the depredator, and, guided by a few of the Wa Kikuyu, soon came +upon him hidden among some shady trees. Waters was a great believer in +a close shot, so he stalked up to within a few yards of the animal and +then fired his .577, aiming for the heart. The elephant responded by a +prompt and determined charge, and although Waters quickly let him have +the left barrel as well, it proved of no effect; and on he came, +screaming and trumpeting with rage. There was nothing for it, +therefore, but to fly for dear life; so down a path raced Waters for +all he was worth, the elephant giving vigorous chase and gaining +rapidly. In a few seconds matters began to look very serious for the +sportsman, for the huge monster was almost on him; but at the critical +moment he stepped on to the false cover of a carefully-concealed game +pit and disappeared from view as if by magic. This sudden descent of +his enemy apparently into the bowels of the earth so startled the +elephant that he stopped short in his career and made off into the +jungle. As for Waters, he was luckily none the worse for his fall, as +the pit was neither staked at the bottom nor very deep; he soon +scrambled out, and, following up the wounded elephant, succeeded in +finishing him off without further trouble. +</P> + +<P> +Towards the end of 1899 I left for England. A few days before I started +all my Wa Kikuyu "children", as they called themselves, came in a body +and begged to be taken with me. I pictured to them the cold, wet +climate of England and its great distance from their native land; but +they assured me that these were nothing to them, as they only wished to +continue my "children" and to go wherever I went. I could hardly +imagine myself arriving in London with a body-guard of four hundred +more or less naked savages, but it was only with difficulty that I +persuaded them that they had better remain in their own country. The +ever-faithful Mahina, my "boy" Roshan Khan, my honest chaukidar, +Meeanh, and a few other coolies who had been a long time with me, +accompanied me to the coast, where they bade me a sorrowful farewell +and left for India the day before I sailed on my homeward journey. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap27"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XXVII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND +</H3> + +<P> +During the early part of last year (1906) I revisited the scene of my +former labours and adventures on a shooting trip. Unfortunately the +train by which I travelled up from Mombasa reached Tsavo at midnight, +but all the same I got out and prowled about as long as time would +permit, half wondering every moment if the ghosts of the two man-eaters +would spring at me out of the bushes. I wanted very much to spend a day +or two in the old place, but my companions were anxious to push on as +quickly as possible to better hunting-grounds. I took the trouble, +however, to wake them out of their peaceful slumbers in order to point +out to them, by the pale moonlight, the strength and beauty of the +Tsavo bridge; but I fear this delicate little attention was scarcely +appreciated as it deserved. Naturally I could not expect them, or +anyone else, to view the bridge quite from my point of view; I looked +on it as a child of mine, brought up through stress and danger and +troubles of all kinds, but the ordinary traveller of course knows +nothing of this and doubtless thinks it only a very commonplace and +insignificant structure indeed. +</P> + +<P> +We spent a few days at Nairobi, now a flourishing town of some 6,000 +inhabitants, supplied with every modern comfort and luxury, including a +well laid-out race course; and after a short trip to Lake Victoria +Nyanza and Uganda, we made our way back to the Eldama Ravine, which +lies some twenty miles north of Landiani Station in the province of +Naivasha. Here we started in earnest on our big game expedition, which +I am glad to say proved to be a most delightful and interesting one in +every way. The country was lovely, and the climate cool and bracing. We +all got a fair amount of sport, our bag including rhino, hippo, +waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeeste, wildebeeste, ostrich, impala, oryx, +roan antelope, etc.; but for the present I must confine myself to a +short account of how I was lucky enough to shoot a specimen of an +entirely new race of eland. +</P> + +<P> +Our party of five, including one lady who rode and shot equally +straight, left the Eldama Ravine on January 22, and trekked off in an +easterly direction across the Laikipia Plateau. As the trail which we +were to take was very little known and almost impossible to follow +without a guide, Mr. Foaker, the District Officer at the Ravine, very +kindly procured us a reliable man—a young Uashin Gishu Masai named +Uliagurma. But as he could not speak a word of Swahili, we had also to +engage an interpreter, an excellent, cheery fellow of the same tribe +named Landaalu; and he in his turn possessed a kinsman who insisted on +coming too, although he was no earthly use to us. Our route took us +through the Solai Swamp, over the Multilo and Subu Ko Lultian ranges, +and across many unexpected rivers and streamlets. On our first march I +noticed that Uliagurma, our kirongozi (guide), was suffering extremely, +though uncomplainingly, from earache, so I told him to come to me when +we got to camp and I would see what I could do for him. Strange to say, +my doctoring proved most successful, and Uliagurma was so grateful that +he spread my fame as a "medicine-man" far and wide among the natives +wherever we trekked. The consequence was that men, women and children +in every state of disease and crippledom came and besieged our camps, +begging for some of the magical dawa (medicine). I used to do what I +could, and only hope I did not injure many of them; but it was +heartrending to see some of the quite hopeless cases I was expected to +cure. +</P> + +<P> +After we had climbed the Subu Ko Lultian and got a footing on the +plateau, we pitched our camp on the banks of the Angarua river, where +we found a big Masai kraal, the inhabitants of which seemed much +astonished at our sudden appearance in their neighbourhood. They were +very friendly, however, and visited our camp in swarms an hour or so +after our arrival. Riding my pony and accompanied by Landaalu as +interpreter, and my gun-bearer Juma, I returned their call in the +afternoon, when the elmorani (warriors) gave for my entertainment an +exhibition of the gymnastic exercises which they practise regularly in +order more particularly to strengthen their legs and render them +supple. After the performance I asked if there was any game about and +was told that some might be found a few miles to the north of the +kraal; so I set out at once with Landaalu and Juma to try my luck. It +was a perfect afternoon, and no sooner had I cleared the belt of scrub +which grew round the kraal, when by the aid of my glasses I saw a herd +of zebra and other game away in the distance, feeding peacefully on the +rolling prairie. I made my way steadily towards them, and noticed as I +went that a couple of eland were gradually drawing away from the rest +of the herd. I marked these for my own, and carefully noting the +direction they were taking, I dismounted and made a detour round a rise +so as to lie in wait for them and cut them off. My plan succeeded +admirably, for the two fine animals continued to come straight towards +me without suspicion, feeding quietly by the way. When they got to +within eighty yards or so, I picked out the bigger head and was only +waiting for him to make a slight turn before pulling the trigger, when +bang went the heavy rifle of one of my companions about half a mile +away. In an instant the two eland had bounded off, and I decided not to +risk a shot, in the hope that they would soon settle down again and +give me another chance. +</P> + +<P> +Mentally blessing my friend for firing at this untimely moment, I +watched them make for a belt of wood about a mile further on, hoping +against hope that they would remain on the near side of it. No such +luck, however, for they plunged into it and were quickly swallowed up +out of my sight. Running to my pony, which Landaalu had dexterously +brought up, I galloped in the direction of the spot in the trees where +the eland had disappeared; but imagine my vexation when I found that I +had to pull up sharp on the edge of a nasty-looking swamp, which at +first sight appeared too boggy and treacherous to attempt to cross. I +rode up and down it without being able to find anything like a really +safe crossing place, so in desperation I at last determined to take the +risk of crossing it along an old rhino path where the reeds were +flattened down. My pony floundered bravely through, and eventually +succeeded in getting safely to the other side. I then made my way +cautiously through the belt of trees, and was relieved to find that it +was only half a mile or so broad. I dismounted as I neared the further +side, and, tying my pony to a tree, crept quietly forward, expecting to +see the eland not far off; but to my disappointment there was no trace +of game of any kind on the whole wide stretch of country that met my +view. I therefore tried another direction, and, taking a half turn to +my left, made my way carefully through some open glades to the top of a +little rise not far off. +</P> + +<P> +The sight that now met my eyes fairly took my breath away; for there, +not three hundred yards off and stalking placidly along at a slow walk, +was a herd of fully a hundred eland of all ages and sizes. The rear of +the column was brought up by a magnificent old bull, and my heart +jumped for joy as I watched him from the shelter of the bushes behind +which I lay concealed. The next thing to be done was to decide on a +plan of attack, and this had to be thought of without loss of time, for +the wind was blowing from me almost in the direction of the eland, who +would certainly scent me very soon if I did not get away. Quickly +noting the direction in which they were moving, I saw that if all went +well they ought to pass close to a little hillock about a mile or so +off; and if I were very sharp about it, I thought I could make a +circuit through the wood and be on this rise, in a good position for +both wind and cover, before the herd could reach it. Accordingly I +crept away with the object of finding my mount, but to my delight—just +behind me and well hidden—stood the undefeated Landaalu, who in some +mysterious way had followed me up, found the pony where I had left it +tied to a tree, and brought it on to me. With a bright grin on his face +he thrust the reins into my hand, and I was up and galloping off in an +instant. +</P> + +<P> +I soon discovered that I had further to go than I expected, for I was +forced to make a big detour in order to keep out of sight of the herd; +but on halting once or twice and peeping through the trees I saw that +all was going well and that they were still calmly moving on in the +right direction. The last quarter of a mile had to be negotiated in the +open, but I found that by lying flat down on my pony's back I was +completely hidden from the advancing herd by an intervening swell in +the ground. In this manner I managed to get unobserved to the lee of my +hillock, where I dismounted, threw the reins over a stump, and crawled +stealthily but as quickly as I could to the top. I was in great doubt +as to whether I should be in time or not, but on peering, hatless, over +the crest, I was overjoyed to find the whole herd just below me. One of +the eland, not twenty yards off, saw me at once, and stood still to +gaze at me in astonishment. It was a female, however, so I took no +notice of her, but looked round to see if my great bull were anywhere +near. Yes, there he was; he had passed the spot where I lay, but was +not more than forty yards off, moving in the same leisurely fashion as +when I first saw him. An instant later, he noticed the general alarm +caused by my appearance, and stopped and turned half round to see what +was the matter. This gave me my opportunity, so I fired, aiming behind +the shoulder. The way in which he jumped and kicked on feeling the lead +told me I had hit him hard, and I got two more bullets into him from +the magazine of my .303 before he managed to gain the shelter of a +neighbouring thicket and was lost to sight. In the meantime the whole +herd had thundered off at full gallop, disappearing in a few minutes in +a cloud of dust. +</P> + +<P> +I was confident that there would be little difficulty in finding the +wounded eland, and on Landaalu coming up—which, by the way, he did +almost immediately, for he was a wonderful goer—we started to make a +rough search through the thicket. Owing to the growing darkness, +however, we met with no success, so I decided to return to camp, which +was many miles away, and to resume the quest at daybreak the following +morning. It turned out that we were even further from home than I +thought, and black night came upon us before we had covered a quarter +of the distance. Fortunately the invaluable Landaalu had discovered a +good crossing over the swamp, so we were able to press on at a good +pace without losing any time in overcoming the obstacle. After an hour +or so of hard travelling, we were delighted to see a rocket go up, +fired by my friends to guide us on our way. Such a sight is wonderfully +cheering when one is far away from camp, trudging along in the inky +darkness and none too certain of one's direction; and a rocket +equipment should invariably be carried by the traveller in the wilds. +Several more were sent up before we got anywhere near camp, and I +remarked to Landaalu that we must have gone a very long way after the +eland. "Long way," he replied; "why, Master, we have been to Baringo!" +This lake as a matter of fact was fully fifty miles away. When finally +we arrived I fired the ardour of my companions by relating the +adventures of the afternoon and telling them of the wonderful herd I +had seen; and it was at once agreed that we should stay where we were +for a day or two in the hope of good sport being obtained. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as it was daylight the next morning I sent out a party of our +porters with full instructions where to find my eland, which I was sure +must be lying somewhere in the thicket close to the hill from where I +had shot him; and very shortly afterwards we ourselves made a start. +After a couple of hours' travelling we were lucky enough to catch sight +of a portion of the herd of eland, when we dismounted and stalked them +carefully through the long grass. All of a sudden one popped up its +head unexpectedly about fifty yards away. One of my companions +immediately levelled his rifle at it, but from where I was I could see +better than he that the head was a poor one, and so called out to him +not to fire. The warning came too late, however, for at that moment he +pulled the trigger. It was rather a difficult shot, too, as the body of +the animal could not be seen very well owing to the height of the +grass; still, as the head instantly disappeared we hoped for the best +and ran up to the place, but no trace of the eland could be found. +Accordingly we pushed on again and after a little rested for a short +time under the shade of some trees. We had gone about three miles after +resuming our search for game, when one of the porters remembered that +he had left the water-bottle he was carrying at the trees where we had +halted, so he was sent back for it with strict injunctions to make +haste and to rejoin us as quickly as possible. Curiously enough, this +trifling incident proved quite providential; for the porter (whose name +was Sabaki), after recovering the water-bottle, found himself unable to +trace us through the jungle and accordingly struck home for camp. On +his way back he actually stumbled over the dead body of the eland which +I had shot the previous day and which the search party I had sent out +in the morning had failed to find. They were still looking for it close +at hand, however, so Sabaki hailed them and they at once set to work to +skin and cut up the animal, and then carried it to the camp. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile, of course, we knew nothing of all this, and continued our +hunt for game. Shortly after noon we had a light lunch, and while we +were eating it our guides, Uliagurma and Landaalu, discovered a bees' +nest in a fallen tree and proceeded to try to extract the honey, of +which the Masai are very fond. This interference was naturally strongly +resented by the bees, and soon the semi-naked youths ran flying past us +with the angry swarm in full pursuit. I laughed heartily at Landaalu, +and chaffed him unmercifully for allowing himself, a Masai, to be put +to flight by a few bees. This the jolly fellow took very +good-humouredly, saying that if he only had a jacket like mine he would +soon go and get the honey. I gave him my jacket at once, and a most +comical figure he cut in it, as it was very short and he had +practically nothing else on. When the nest was properly examined, +however, it was found that the bees had eaten all the honey; so after +taking some photographs of our guides at work among the bees we all +proceeded homewards, reaching camp about dusk, with nothing to show for +our long day's hunt. +</P> + +<P> +We were met by Sabaki, who was in a great state of excitement, and who +started to explain in very bad Swahili how he had come across the dead +eland. Misunderstanding what he said, I told my friend that Sabaki had +found the eland which he had shot in the morning, and rejoiced heartily +with him at this piece of good luck. On viewing the head, however, we +could not understand it, as it was very much bigger than the one he had +fired at; and it was not till later in the evening when I visited +Landaalu, curled up at the camp fire, that the mystery was explained. +He greeted me by saying that after all we had not gone to Baringo for +nothing the previous day, and on my asking him what he meant he told me +about the finding of the eland, taking, it for granted that I knew it +was mine. I quickly called up Sabaki and after some trouble got from +him the whole story of how he had found the body close to my little +hillock and near where my men were searching for it. So I broke the +truth gently to my friend, who at once acknowledged my claim and +congratulated me on my good fortune. +</P> + +<P> +How great this good fortune was I did not know till long after; but +even then, when I came to examine the head and skin carefully, I found +that they both differed materially from those of any other eland that I +had ever seen. For one thing, there was no long tuft of hair on the +forehead, while from the lower corner of each eye ran an incomplete +white stripe similar to, though smaller than, those found in the giant +eland. The sides of the forehead were of a reddish colour, and on the +lower part of the face there was a much larger brown patch than is to +be seen on the ordinary eland. The striping on the body was very +slight, the chief markings being three lines across the withers. On my +return to England in April. I sent the head to Rowland Ward's to be set +up, and while there it was seen by Mr. R. Lydekker, F.R.S., of the +British Museum, the well-known naturalist and specialist in big game, +who wrote to tell me that it possessed great zoological interest, as +showing the existence of a hitherto unknown race of eland. Mr. Lydekker +also contributed the following notice describing the animal to The +Field of September 29, 1906: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Considerable interest attaches to the head of an eland, killed by +Colonel J.H. Patterson in Portuguese[1] East Africa, and set up by Mr. +Rowland Ward, on account of certain peculiarities in colouring and +markings, which indicate a transition from the ordinary South African +animal in the direction of the giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus) of +the Bahr-el-Ghazal district and West Africa. In the striped variety +(Taurotragus oryx livingstonianus) of the ordinary South African eland, +the whole middle line of the face of the adult bull is uniformly dark, +or even blackish-brown, with a tuft of long bushy hair on the forehead, +and no white stripe from the lower angle of the eye. On the other hand, +in the Sudani form of the giant eland (T. derbianus gigas), as +represented by a bull figured by Mr. Rothschild in Novitates Zoologicae +for 1905, the upper part of the face has the hair rufous and shorter +than in the ordinary eland, while from the lower angle of each eye a +white stripe runs inwards and downwards, recalling the white chevron of +the kudu, although the two stripes do not meet in the middle line. +</P> + +<P> +"In Colonel Patterson's eland (which may well be designated T. oryx +pattersonianus) there is an incomplete white chevron similar to, +although rather smaller than, the one found in the giant eland, while +only a narrow stripe in the middle line of the face, above and between +the eyes, is dark-brown, the sides of the forehead being rufous. On the +lower part of the face there is a larger dark-brown area than in the +ordinary eland, although there is a rufous fawn-coloured patch on each +side above the nostril. In both the latter respects Colonel Patterson's +specimen recalls the giant eland, although it apparently lacks the dark +white-bordered band on the side of the neck, characteristic of the +latter. If all the elands from that part of Portuguese East Africa +where Colonel Patterson's specimen was obtained turn out to be of the +same type, there will be a strong presumption that the true and the +giant eland, like the various local forms of giraffe and bonte-quagga, +are only races of one and the same species. While, even if the present +specimen be only a 'sport' (which I consider unlikely), it will serve +to show that the southern and northern elands are more nearly related +than has hitherto been supposed." +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[1] In error for "British." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +As my eland thus proved to be of some considerable scientific value, +and as the authorities of the British Museum expressed a desire to +possess its head, I gladly presented it to the Trustees, so that all +sportsmen and naturalists might have an opportunity of seeing it at the +Natural History Museum at South Kensington, where it now is. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="appendix"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +APPENDIX +</H3> + +<H4> +I. +</H4> + +<P> +SPORTSMEN who think of visiting British East Africa on a shooting trip +may be glad of a few general hints on points of interest and importance. +</P> + +<P> +The battery, to be sufficient for all needs, should consist of a .450 +express, a .303 sporting rifle, and a 12-bore shot gun; and I should +consider 250 rounds of .450 (50 hard and 200 soft), 300 rounds of .303 +(100 hard and 200 soft), and 500 12-bore shot cartridges of say, the 6 +and 8 sizes, sufficient for a three months' trip. Leather bandoliers to +carry 50 each of these different cartridges would also prove very +useful. +</P> + +<P> +A couple of hundred rockets of various colours should certainly be +taken, as they are invaluable for signalling to and from camp after +dark. These can be obtained so as to fire from a 12-bore shot gun or +from a short pistol, and some should always be left with the camp +neopara (Headman) for use as occasion requires. +</P> + +<P> +The rifles, cartridges, and rockets should be consigned to an agent in +Mombasa, and sent off from London in tin-lined cases at least a month +before the sportsman himself intends to start. It must be remembered +that the Customs House at Mombasa charges a 10 per cent duty on the +value of all articles imported, so that the invoices should be +preserved and produced for inspection. +</P> + +<P> +The hunter's kit should include a good pith sunhat, a couple of suits +of khaki, leather gaiters or a couple of pairs of puttees, wash-leather +gloves to protect the hands from the sun, and two pairs of boots with +hemp soles; long Norwegian boots will also be found very useful. The +usual underclothing worn in England is all that is required if the +shooting is to be done in the highlands. A good warm overcoat will be +much appreciated up-country in the cool of the evenings, and a light +mackintosh for wet weather ought also to be included. For use in rocky +or thorny country, a pair of knee and elbow pads will be found +invaluable, and those who feel the sun should also provide themselves +with a spine-protector. The latter is a most useful article of kit, for +although the air may be pretty cool, the sun strikes down very fiercely +towards midday. A well-filled medicine chest should of course not be +forgotten. +</P> + +<P> +A good field glass, a hunting and skinning knife or two, and a Kodak +with about 200 films should also be carried. With regard to the last +item, I should strongly advise all who intend to take photographs on +their trip to pay a visit to Mr. W.D. Young on arriving at Nairobi. He +is an enthusiastic photographer, and will gladly give advice to all as +to light and time of exposure; and as these are the two points which +require most attention, hints from some one of experience in the +country are most useful. I myself am much indebted to Mr. Young's +kindly advice, and I am sure I should not have achieved much success in +my pictures without it. I made it a practice on my last visit to the +country to send him the exposed films for development whenever I +reached a postal station, and I should recommend others to do the same, +as films deteriorate rapidly on the voyage home; indeed I had nearly +four hundred spoiled in this way, taken when I was in the country in +1898-99. +</P> + +<P> +As regards camp equipment, all that need be taken out from England are +a small double-fly tent, three Jaeger blankets, a collapsible bath, a +Wolseley valise, and a good filter; and even these can be obtained just +as good locally. Chop boxes (food) and other necessary camp gear should +be obtained at Mombasa or Nairobi, where the agents will put up just +what is necessary. About a month before sailing from England a letter +should be sent to the agents, stating the date of arrival and what +porters, etc., will be required. The sportsman will then find +everything ready for him, so that an immediate start may be made. +</P> + +<P> +Unless money is no object, I should not advise anyone to engage porters +at Mombasa, as equally good men can be obtained at Nairobi, thus saving +20 rupees per head in return railway fares. It must be remembered that +for transport work men are infinitely preferable to donkeys, as the +latter are exasperatingly slow and troublesome, especially on rough +ground or on crossing streams, where every load has to be unpacked, +carried over, and then reloaded on the animal's back. The caravan for +one sportsman—if he intends going far from the railway—is usually +made up as follows, though the exact numbers depend upon many +considerations: +</P> + +<BR> + +<PRE> + 1 Headman ................ 50 rupees[1] per month. + 1 Cook ................... 35 " " + 1 Gun-bearer ............. 20 " " + 1 "Boy" (personal servant) 20 " " + 2 Askaris (armed porters). 12 " " each. + 30 Porters ................ 10 " " each. +</PRE> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[1] The rupee in British East Africa is on the basis of 15 to the pound +sterling. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +The porters are all registered, the Government taking a small fee for +the registration; and according to custom half the wages due for the +whole trip are advanced to the men before a start is made. The +sportsman is obliged to provide each porter with a jersey, blanket and +water-bottle, while the gun-bearer and "boy" get a pair of boots in +addition. A cotton shelter-tent and a cooking pot must also be +furnished for every five men. +</P> + +<P> +The food for the caravan is mostly rice, of which the Headman gets two +kibabas (a kibaba is about 1-1/2 lb.) per day; the cook, gun-bearer, +"boy" and askaris one and a half kibabas, and the ordinary porters, one +kibaba, each per day. +</P> + +<P> +It is the duty of the Headman to keep discipline on the safari (caravan +journey), both in camp and on the march, and to see to the distribution +and safety of the loads, the pitching and striking of camp, the issue +of posho (food) to the porters, etc. He always brings up the rear of +the caravan, and on him depends greatly the general comfort of the +sportsman. For our trip at the beginning of 1906, we managed to secure +a splendid neapara, and never had the least trouble with the porters +all the time. His only drawback was that he could not speak English, +but he told me when he left us that he was going to learn. Anybody +securing him as Headman will be lucky; his name is Munyaki bin Dewani, +and he can easily be found at Mombasa. +</P> + +<P> +The cook is also an important member of the caravan, and a good one +should be procured if possible. It is wonderful what an experienced +native mpishi (cook) can turn out in the way of a meal in a few minutes +after camp is pitched. +</P> + +<P> +As gun-bearer, most hunters prefer a Somali. I have never tried one, +but am told that they are inclined to be troublesome; they certainly +rate themselves very highly, and demand about four times as much wages +as an equally good Swahili. +</P> + +<P> +In camp, the duties of the askaris are to keep up the fire and watch at +night, and to pitch and strike the Bwana's (Master's) tent. On the +march one leads the caravan, the other brings up the rear; they give +assistance in the event of any trouble with the loads, see that no +desertions take place, allow no straggling and generally do what they +can to protect the caravan. They are each armed with an old snider +rifle and 10 rounds of ball cartridge, and are generally very dangerous +men to their friends when they take it into their heads to fire their +weapons. +</P> + +<P> +The ordinary porters will carry their 60-lb. loads day in and day out +without complaint, so long as they are, well fed; but stint them of +their rice, and they at once become sulky mutineers. In addition to +carrying the loads, they pitch and strike camp, procure firewood and +water, and build grass huts if a stay of more than a day is intended to +be made at one place. On the whole, the Swahili porter is one of the +jolliest and most willing fellows in the world, and I have nothing but +praise for him. +</P> + +<P> +It may be that our sportsman intends to confine his shooting trip to +the neighbourhood of the railway; in this case, the best plan is to +hire one of the special carriages from the Traffic Manager of the +Uganda Railway. These carriages, which have good sleeping, cooking, and +bath accommodation, can be attached to almost any train, and moved from +station to station or left standing in a siding at the directions of +the hunter. This is the cheapest and most comfortable way of spending a +short time in the country, as no tent, camp equipment, or regular +porters are required; and some quite good sport can be obtained into +the bargain. +</P> + +<P> +Again, if the hunter intends shooting, say, in the Kenya Province, as +many porters as he requires may be obtained from the official in charge +at Fort Hall. The pay of the Kikuyu porter in such circumstances is +only two annas a day, while he provides his own food; neither is the +sportsman asked to furnish him with a blanket, jersey, and water-bottle +so long as he is not taken out of his own Province. Each Province is, +in fact, governed as regards porters by its own special conditions, +which can easily be ascertained on arrival in the country. +</P> + +<P> +There are three lines of steamers which have direct sailings to Mombasa +about once a month. Two of these (the Union-Castle and the German East +African Lines) sail from Southampton, calling at Marseilles, while the +third (the Messageries-Maritimes) starts from the latter port. As a +rule travellers to East Africa journey by the overland route to +Marseilles and thence on by steamer to Mombasa—the whole journey from +London averaging about eighteen days. +</P> + +<P> +The present fares for the best accommodation from London to Mombasa by +the Union-Castle Line (including railway ticket to Marseilles) are as +follows First-Class Single, about 48 pounds; Return (available for one +year) about 93 pounds. +</P> + +<P> +The fares by the German East African Line (including railway ticket to +Marseilles) are:—First-Class; Single, about 48 pounds. The Return fare +(available for one; year) is double the Single fare, less 10 per cent, +of ocean part of journey. +</P> + +<P> +By the Messageries-Maritimes Line the through First-Class Single fare +from London to Mombasa (including railway ticket to Marseilles) is +about 48 pounds. The Return fare (available for two years) is about 72 +pounds. +</P> + +<P> +Fairly good hotel accommodation can be had at both Mombasa and Nairobi. +</P> + +<P> +Before any shooting can be done it is necessary to take out a Game +License, which may be obtained without difficulty at either of these +two centres. This license (which costs 50 pounds) imposes an obligation +on the sportsman to make a return before he leaves the country of every +animal shot by him. By obtaining a special license two elephants, a +giraffe, greater kudu, buffalo and eland may be shot; but there are +various stipulations and fees attaching to this license which alter +from time to time. +</P> + +<P> +Fairly good maps of the country may be obtained at Stanford's, Long +Acre, W.C., while the Game Laws and Regulations can be procured from +the Colonial Office in Downing Street. +</P> + +<P> +Passenger trains leave Mombasa at 11 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, +Fridays, and Saturdays, and are timed to arrive at Nairobi at 11:15 +next morning and at Kisumu (the railway terminus on Lake Victoria +Nyanza) at 9 o'clock on the morning following. The First-Class Return +fares from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kisumu, and Entebbe are 5 pounds 17s. +9d., 10 pounds 10s. 3d., and 13 pounds 13s. 3d. respectively. +</P> + +<P> +It is unnecessary to specify district by district when particular +species of game are to be found, for the sportsman can easily learn +this for himself and get the latest news of game movements on his +arrival at Mombasa. As a matter of fact, the whole country abounds in +game, and there cannot be lack of sport and trophies for the keen +shikari. The heads and skins should be very carefully sun-dried and +packed in tin-lined cases with plenty of moth-killer for shipment home. +For mounting his trophies the sportsman cannot do better, I think, than +go to Rowland Ward of Piccadilly. I have had mine set up by this firm +for years past, and have always found their work excellent. +</P> + +<P> +I consider that 400 pounds should cover the entire cost of a three +months' shooting trip to East Africa, including passage both ways. The +frugal sportsman will doubtless do it on less, while the extravagant +man will probably spend very much more. +</P> + +<P> +Should time be available, a trip to the Victoria Nyanza should +certainly be made. The voyage round the Lake in one of the comfortable +railway steamers takes about eight days, but the crossing to Entebbe, +the official capital of Uganda, can be done in seventeen hours, though +it usually takes twenty-seven, as at night the boats anchor for shelter +under the lee of an island. The steamer remains long enough in Entebbe +harbour to enable the energetic traveller to pay a flying visit in a +rickshaw to Kampala, the native capital, some twenty-one miles off. I +spent a most interesting day last year in this way, and had a chat with +the boy King of Uganda, Daudi Chwa, at Mengo. He was then about nine +years old, and very bright and intelligent. He made no objection to my +taking his photograph, but it unfortunately turned out a failure. +</P> + +<P> +It is curious to find the Baganda (i.e., people of Uganda) highly +civilised—the majority are Christians—surrounded as they are on all +sides by nations of practically naked savages; and it is a very +interesting, sight to watch them in the "bazaar" at Kampala, clad in +long flowing cotton garments, and busily engaged in bartering the +products of the country under the shade of tattered umbrellas. +Unfortunately the great scourge of the district round the shores of the +Lake is the sleeping sickness, which in the past few years has carried +off thousands of the natives, and has quite depopulated the islands, +which were once densely inhabited. The disease is communicated by the +bite of an infected fly, but happily this pest is only found in certain +well-defined regions, so that if the traveller avoids these he is quite +as safe, as regards sleeping sickness, as if he had remained in England. +</P> + +<P> +On the return journey from Entebbe, Jinja, a port on the north side of +the Victoria Nyanza, is usually called at. This place is of great +interest, as it is here that the Lake narrows into a breadth of only a +few hundred yards, and, rushing over the Ripon Falls, forms the +long-sought-for source of the Nile. The magnificent view of the mighty +river stretching away to the north amid enchanting scenery is most +inspiring and one can well imagine how elated Speke must have felt when +after enduring countless hardships, he at last looked upon it and thus +solved one of the great problems the ancients. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4> +II. +</H4> + +<P> +The following, is a literal translation of the Hindustani poem referred +to on p. 104:— +</P> + +<P> +IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE: +</P> + +<P> +First must I speak to the praise and glory of God, who is infinite and +incomprehensible, +</P> + +<P> +Who is without fault or error, who is the Life, though without body or +breath. +</P> + +<P> +He has no relatives, nor father nor son, being himself incomparable and +passionless. +</P> + +<P> +His is the knowledge of the known and of the unknown, and although +without a tongue, yet does he speak in mighty tones. +</P> + +<P> +I, Roshan, came to this country of Africa, and did find it indeed a +strange land; +</P> + +<P> +Many rocks, mountains, and dense forests abounding in lions and +leopards; +</P> + +<P> +Also buffaloes, wolves, deer, rhinoceroses, elephants, camels, and all +enemies of man; +</P> + +<P> +Gorillas, ferocious monkeys that attack men, black baboons of giant +size, spirits, and thousands of varieties of birds; +</P> + +<P> +Wild horses, wild dogs, black snakes, and all animals that a hunter or +sportsman could desire. +</P> + +<P> +The forests are so dark and dreadful that even the boldest warriors +shrink from their awful depths. +</P> + +<P> +Now from the town of Mombasa, a railway line extends unto Uganda; +</P> + +<P> +In the forests bordering on this line, there are found those lions +called "man-eaters," and moreover these forests are full of thorns and +prickly shrubs. +</P> + +<P> +Portions of this railway from Mombasa to Uganda are still being made, +and here these lions fell on the workmen and destroyed them. +</P> + +<P> +Such was their habit, day and night, and hundreds of men fell victims +to these savage creatures, whose very jaws were steeped in blood. +</P> + +<P> +Bones, flesh, skin and blood, they devoured all, and left not a trace +behind them. +</P> + +<P> +Because of the fear of these demons some seven or eight hundred of the +labourers deserted, and remained idle; +</P> + +<P> +Some two or three hundred still remained, but they were haunted by this +terrible dread, +</P> + +<P> +And because of fear for their lives, would sit in their huts, their +hearts full of foreboding and terror. +</P> + +<P> +Every one of them kept a fire burning at night, and none dared to close +his eyes in sleep; yet would some of them be carried away to +destruction. +</P> + +<P> +The lion's roar was such that the very earth would tremble at the +sound, and where was the man who did not feel afraid? +</P> + +<P> +On all sides arose weeping and wailing, and the people would sit and +cry like cranes, complaining of the deeds of the lions. +</P> + +<P> +I, Roshan, chief of my people, also complained and prayed to God, the +Prophet, and to our spiritual adviser. +</P> + +<P> +And now will I relate the story of the Engineer in charge of the line. +</P> + +<P> +He kept some ten or twenty goats, for the sake of their milk; +</P> + +<P> +But one night a wild beast came, and destroyed them all, not one being +left. +</P> + +<P> +And in the morning it was reported by the watchman, who also stated +that the man-eater was daily destroying the labourers and workmen, and +doing great injury; +</P> + +<P> +And they took the Engineer with them and showed him the footprints of +the animal. +</P> + +<P> +And after seeing what the animal had done, the Englishman spoke, and +said, +</P> + +<P> +"For this damage the lion shall pay his life." And when night came he +took his gun and in very truth destroyed the beast. +</P> + +<P> +Patterson Sahib is indeed a brave and valiant man, like unto those +Persian heroes of old—Rustem, Zal, Sohrab and Berzoor; +</P> + +<P> +So brave is he, that the greatest warriors stood aghast at his action; +</P> + +<P> +Tall in stature, young, most brave and of great strength is he. +</P> + +<P> +From the other side of the line came the noise and cries of those who +complained that these savage beasts were eating and destroying men, +</P> + +<P> +For such has been the habit of lions from time immemorial, and groups +of people have fallen victims to their fury. +</P> + +<P> +Those who were proud or boastful, have but sacrificed their lives +uselessly; +</P> + +<P> +But to-day Patterson Sahib will watch for the lion himself! +</P> + +<P> +For the people have complained loudly, and the valiant one has gone +forth with his gun into the forest. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after the people had retired at night to their tents, the fearless +lion made his appearance; +</P> + +<P> +Patterson Sahib loaded both barrels of his gun and went forth against +him. +</P> + +<P> +He fired many times in succession and totally paralysed the animal. +</P> + +<P> +The lion roared like thunder as the bullets found their way to his +heart. +</P> + +<P> +This Englishman, Patterson, is most brave, and is indeed the very +essence of valour; +</P> + +<P> +Lions do not fear lions, yet one glance from Patterson Sahib cowed the +bravest of them. +</P> + +<P> +He fled, making for the forest, while the bullets followed hard after +him; +</P> + +<P> +So was this man-eater rendered helpless; he lay down in despair, +</P> + +<P> +And after he had covered a chain's distance, the savage beast fell +down, a corpse. +</P> + +<P> +Now the people, bearing lights in their hands, all ran to look at their +dead enemy. +</P> + +<P> +But the Sahib said "Return, my children; the night is dark, do not rush +into danger." +</P> + +<P> +And in the morning all the people saw the lion lying dead. +</P> + +<P> +And then the Sahib said, "Do not think of work to-day—make holiday, +enjoy and be merry." +</P> + +<P> +So the people had holiday and made merry with friends from whom they +had been long parted, on account of the lion: +</P> + +<P> +And the absence of those who had run away was forgiven, and their money +allowed them—A generous action, comparable to the forgiveness of God +and the Prophet to sinners and criminals on the day of judgment. +</P> + +<P> +Oh! poet, leave this kind of simile, it is too deep for thee; +</P> + +<P> +We mortals have the Devil, like unto a fierce lion, ever after us; +</P> + +<P> +Oh! Roshan, may God, the Prophet, and your spiritual adviser, safeguard +you day and night! +</P> + +<P> +One lion, however, remained, and for fear of him all went in dread; +</P> + +<P> +Sixteen days passed, all being well, and everyone enjoyed a peaceful +mind; +</P> + +<P> +But again, on the seventeenth day, the lion appeared and remained from +sunset to sunrise. +</P> + +<P> +He kept on roaming about in the neighbourhood like a general +reconnoitring the enemy's position. +</P> + +<P> +On the following day the Sahib sent for the people and warned them all +to be careful of their lives; +</P> + +<P> +"Do not go out from the afternoon even until the following morning," he +said. +</P> + +<P> +Now this was the night of Shab-i-Kadr, a Muslim festival: +</P> + +<P> +And at night when all had retired to rest, the lion came in a rage, +</P> + +<P> +And Patterson Sahib went forth into the field to meet him. +</P> + +<P> +And when he saw the beast, he fired quickly, bullet after bullet. +</P> + +<P> +The lion made a great uproar, and fled for his life, but the bullets +nevertheless found a resting-place in his heart. +</P> + +<P> +And everyone began to shriek and groan in their uneasy sleep, jumping +up in fear, when unexpectedly the roaring of the lion was heard. +</P> + +<P> +All thought of sleep was banished, and fear came in its place: +</P> + +<P> +And the Sahib gave emphatic orders that no one should go out, or roam +about. +</P> + +<P> +And in the morning we followed the marks of blood that had flowed from +the wounded animal, +</P> + +<P> +And some five or seven chains away, we found the lion, lying wounded +and in great pain. +</P> + +<P> +And when the Sahib saw the animal he fired bullets incessantly; +</P> + +<P> +But when the lion saw the Sahib, the savage animal, burning with rage, +and pain, +</P> + +<P> +Came by leaps and bounds close to the Sahib; But here he was to meet +his match in a brave Sahib who loaded his gun calmly, and fired again +and again, killing the beast. +</P> + +<P> +All the Punjaubis assembled together and agreed that the Sahib was a +man who appreciated and cared for others, so much so that he roamed +about in the forests for our sake, in order to protect us. +</P> + +<P> +Previously, many Englishmen had come here to shoot but had been +disappointed, +</P> + +<P> +Because the lion was very courageous and ferocious, and the Sahibs were +afraid; +</P> + +<P> +But for the sake of our lives, Patterson Sahib took all this trouble, +risking his own life in the forest. +</P> + +<P> +So they collected many hundreds of rupees, and offered it as a present +to the Sahib, because he had undergone such peril, in order to save our +lives. +</P> + +<P> +Oh! Roshan, all the people appeared before the Sahib saying, "You are +our benefactor"; +</P> + +<P> +But the Sahib declined to accept the present, not taking a pice of it. +</P> + +<P> +So then again the Punjaubis assembled, and consulted as to how the +service that the Sahib had done them could most suitably he rewarded. +</P> + +<P> +And it was agreed to send all the money to England, in order that it +might be converted into some suitable present, +</P> + +<P> +Which should bear an engraving of the two lions, and the name of the +mistari[1], head of the workmen. +</P> + +<P> +The present should be such, and so suitably decorated, as to be +acceptable to Patterson Sahib; +</P> + +<P> +In colour it should resemble moon and sun; and that would indeed be a +fit present, so that the Sahib would be pleased to accept it. +</P> + +<P> +Oh! Roshan, I hope that he will accept this present for shooting the +lions, as some small reward for his action. +</P> + +<P> +My native home is at Chajanlat, in the thana of Domli, which is in the +district of Jhelum, and I have related this story as it actually +occurred. +</P> + +<P> +Patterson Sahib has left me, and I shall miss him as long as I live, +and now +</P> + +<P> +Roshan must roam about in Africa, sad and regretful. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[1] Foreman-mason. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Composed by Roshan mistari, son of Kadur mistari Bakhsh, native of the +village of Chajanlat, Dakhli, Post Office Domli, district of Jhelum. +Dated 29th January, 1899. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man-eaters of Tsavo and Other East +African Adventures, by J. H. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Man-eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures + +Author: J. H. Patterson + +Posting Date: May 28, 2009 [EBook #3810] +Release Date: March, 2003 +First Posted: September 19, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Hall. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +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 + + + + + +PREFACE + + +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 + CHAPTER XV UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS 168 + CHAPTER XVI A WIDOW'S STORY 176 + CHAPTER XVII AN INFURIATED RHINO 182 + CHAPTER XVIII LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS 193 + CHAPTER XIX THE STRICKEN CARAVAN 210 + CHAPTER XX A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER 221 + CHAPTER XXI THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES 231 + CHAPTER XXII HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE 247 + CHAPTER XXIII A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT 264 + CHAPTER XXIV BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR 273 + CHAPTER XXV A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE 286 + CHAPTER XXVI WORK AT NAIROBI 293 + CHAPTER XXVII THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND 300 + APPENDIX 323 + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Heads of Eight Lions shot by the Author + in British East Africa Frontispiece + Mombasa, from the Harbour 1 + The Native Quarter, Mombasa 2 + "Well-wooded hills and slopes on the mainland" 3 + Vasco da Gama Street and Pillar 5 + "The best way to get three ... was by gharri 6 + "I pitched my tent under some shady palms" 7 + "Kilindini is on the opposite side of the island" 10 + "The Place of Deep Waters" 11 + "A lucky shot brought down the huge bird" 14 + "I slept that night in a little palm hut" 15 + "This interminable nyika" 17 + "The river crossed by means of a temporary bridge" 18 + Women of Uganda 19 + The tent from which jemadar Ungan Singh was carried off 23 + "My own tent was pitched in an open clearing" 29 + "We shared a hut of palm leaves and boughs" 30 + "The camps of the workmen had also been surrounded + by thorn fences" 31 + "Railhead Camp, with its two or three thousand workmen" 33 + "The two wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece of + torn tent having fallen over them" 35 + "A luncheon served in the wilds, with occasionally a friend + to share it" 43 + "It very soon became a great pet" 46 + "Heera Singh made a wild spring into the water to get clear + of the falling stone" 47 + "The door which was to admit the lion" 62 + "When the trap was ready, I pitched a tent over it" 64 + "They found him stuck fast in the bushes of the boma" 70 + "Perched on the top of water-tanks" 73 + "I took up my position in a crib made of sleepers" 77 + Whitehead on a Trolley at the exact spot where the Lion + jumped upon him 79 + Abdullah and his two Wives 80 + A party of Wa Jamousi 83 + "His length from tip of nose to tip of tail was nine feet + eight inches" 92 + Head of the first Man-Eater 93 + "The following evening I took up my position in this same tree" 100 + "He measured nine feet six inches from tip of nose to + tip of tail, and stood three feet eleven and + a half inches high" 103 + "The bridge over the Tsavo rapidly neared completion" 108 + "The heavy stones were swung into position" 109 + "The girder was run over its exact place" 110 + "And finally lowered gently into position" 111 + "Very soon I had the satisfaction of seeing the first train + cross the finished work" 112 + The completed Tsavo bridge 113 + One of the Trolley Lines after the Flood 114 + Swahili Caravan Porters 120 + "Such was my cook, Mabruki" 122 + The women ... wear a long, brightly-coloured cloth" 123 + "The women attire themselves only in a short kilt" 125 + "We arrived at M'Gogo's capital" 126 + "Making pombe in the hollowed-out stump of a tree" 127 + Wa Taita Men 129 + M'Kamba Woman 131 + "Until it joins the Athi River" 136 + "The banks of the Sabaki are lined with trees" 138 + "I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and successfully + bowled him over" 146 + "A young one was lying down in the grass quite close to me" 147 + A crocodile on the Sabaki 153 + "Beyond all doubt, the man-eaters' den!" 158 + "Watch the animals come down to drink" 161 + "The antelope swinging by his feet" 165 + Hippo Head 167 + "Slaves chained neck to neck as was the custom" 174 + Hospital Tent at Voi where Mrs. O'Hara rested 178 + In the Bazaar at Kampala 181 + "The great Athi Plains" 182 + "First the earth surface has to be prepared" 184 + "Cuttings have to be made and hollows banked up" 185 + "Another gang drops the rails in their places" 187 + "It never moved again" 190 + "The trophy was well worth the pains I had taken to add it to + my collection" 191 + Jackson's Hartebeeste, and Zebra 194 + Waterbuck 195 + "Fortunately the brute fell dead after this final effort" 201 + "We managed to bring them in triumph to the camp" 214 + "I got near enough for a safe shot, which bowled the + antelope over stone-dead" 218 + Wart-hog 220 + "A successful snapshot of an impala just after it had been shot" 228 + A Masai Chief 232 + Masai Warriors 233 + Masai Woman 234 + Masai Girls 235 + Masai Women 237 + N'derobbo Boy 239 + N'derobbo Boy, with Collabus Monkey 240 + N'derobbo Girl 241 + Wa Kikuyu 244 + "The women of the Wa Kikuyu carry the heavy loads" 245 + "Spooner's plucky servant, Imam Din" 281 + A Collection of Trophies 285 + He was kept on view for several days, and then shot 291 + Impala 292 + "I took a photograph of him standing reside his fine trophy" 295 + "Succeeded in finishing him off without further trouble" 297 + Steamer unloading at Kisumu, on Lake Victoria Nyanza 299 + The Grand Falls, Tana River 300 + Shimone, "The Place of Falling Water" (Eldama Ravine) 301 + Oryx 302 + Roan Antelope 303 + "An excellent, cheery fellow ... named Landaalu" 304 + Crossing a Stream on the Cook's Box 305 + Crossing the Angarua River 307 + Reedbuck 309 + The New Eland--T. oryx pattersonianus 316 + Thomson's Gazelle 321 + War Canoe on Lake Victoria Nyanza, near the Ripon Falls 325 + Preparing Breakfast in Camp 326 + View in the Kenya Province 331 + "A flying visit in a rickshaw to Kampala" 332 + "Clad in long flowing cotton garments" 333 + Jinja 334 + "Rushing over the Ripon Falls" 335 + "The mighty river stretching away to the north amid + enchanting scenery" 337 + Wa Kikuyu Warriors 346 + Map of British East Africa 347 + Facsimile of address presented to the author on his departure + from East Africa in 1899 348-351 + + + + +THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO + + + + +CHAPTER I + +MY ARRIVAL AT TSAVO + + +It was towards noon on March 1, 1898, that I first found myself +entering the narrow and somewhat dangerous harbour of Mombasa, on the +east coast of Africa. The town lies on an island of the same name, +separated from the mainland only by a very narrow channel, which forms +the harbour; and as our vessel steamed slowly in, close under the +quaint old Portuguese fortress built over three hundred years ago, I +was much struck with the strange beauty of the view which gradually +opened out before me. Contrary to my anticipation, everything looked +fresh and green, and an oriental glamour of enchantment seemed to hang +over the island. The old town was bathed in brilliant sunshine and +reflected itself lazily on the motionless sea; its flat roofs and +dazzlingly white walls peeped out dreamily between waving palms and +lofty cocoanuts, huge baobabs and spreading mango trees; and the darker +background of well-wooded hills and slopes on the mainland formed a +very effective setting to a beautiful and, to me, unexpected picture. + +The harbour was plentifully sprinkled with Arab dhows, in some of +which, I believe, even at the present day, a few slaves are +occasionally smuggled off to Persia and Arabia. It has always been a +matter of great wonder to me how the navigators of little vessels find +their way from port to port, as they do, without the aid of either +compass or sextant, and how they manage to weather the terrible storms +that at certain seasons of the year suddenly visit eastern seas. I +remember once coming across a dhow becalmed in the middle of the Indian +Ocean, and its crew making signals of distress, our captain slowed down +to investigate. There were four men on board, all nearly dead from +thirst; they had been without drink of any kind for several days and +had completely lost their bearings. After giving them some casks of +water, we directed them to Muscat (the port they wished to make), and +our vessel resumed its journey, leaving them still becalmed in the +midst of that glassy sea. Whether they managed to reach their +destination I never knew. + +As our steamer made its way to its anchorage, the romantic surroundings +of the harbour of Mombasa conjured up, visions of stirring adventures +of the past, and recalled to my mind the many tales of reckless doings +of pirates and slavers, which as a boy it had been my delight to read. +I remembered that it was at this very place that in 1498 the great +Vasco da Gama nearly lost his ship and life through the treachery of +his Arab pilot, who plotted to wreck the vessel on the reef which bars +more than half the entrance to the harbour. Luckily, this nefarious +design was discovered in time, and the bold navigator promptly hanged +the pilot, and would also have sacked the town but for the timely +submission and apologies of the Sultan. In the principal street of +Mombasa--appropriately called Vasco da Gama Street--there still stands +a curiously shaped pillar which is said to have been erected by this +great seaman in commemoration of his visit. + +Scarcely had the anchor been dropped, when, as if by magic, our vessel +was surrounded by a fleet of small boats and "dug-outs" manned by +crowds of shouting and gesticulating natives. After a short fight +between some rival Swahili boatmen for my baggage and person, I found +myself being vigorously rowed to the foot of the landing steps by the +bahareen (sailors) who had been successful in the encounter. Now, my +object in coming out to East Africa at this time was to take up a +position to which I had been appointed by the Foreign Office on the +construction staff of the Uganda Railway. As soon as I landed, +therefore, I enquired from one of the Customs officials where the +headquarters of the railway were to be found, and was told that they +were at a place called Kilindini, some three miles away, on the other +side of the island. The best way to get there, I was further informed, +was by gharri, which I found to be a small trolley, having two seats +placed back to back under a little canopy and running on narrow rails +which are laid through the principal street of the town. Accordingly, I +secured one of these vehicles, which are pushed by two strapping +Swahili boys, and was soon flying down the track, which once outside +the town lay for the most part through dense groves of mango, baobab, +banana and palm trees, with here and there brilliantly coloured +creepers hanging in luxuriant festoons from the branches. + +On arrival at Kilindini, I made my way to the railway Offices and was +informed that I should be stationed inland and should receive further +instructions in the course of a day or two. Meanwhile I pitched my tent +under some shady palms near the gharri line, and busied myself in +exploring the island and in procuring the stores and the outfit +necessary for a lengthy sojourn up-country. The town of Mombasa itself +naturally occupied most of my attention. It is supposed to have been +founded about A.D. 1000, but the discovery of ancient Egyptian idols, +and of coins of the early Persian and Chinese dynasties, goes to show +that it must at different ages have been settled by people of the very +earliest civilisations. Coming to more modern times, it was held on and +off from 1505 to 1729 by the Portuguese, a permanent memorial of whose +occupation remains in the shape of the grim old fortress, built about +1593--on the site, it is believed, of a still older stronghold. These +enterprising sea-rovers piously named it "Jesus Fort," and an +inscription recording this is still to be seen over the main entrance. +The Portuguese occupation of Mombasa was, however, not without its +vicissitudes. From March 15, 1696, for example, the town was besieged +for thirty-three consecutive months by a large fleet of Arab dhows, +which completely surrounded the island. In spite of plague, treachery +and famine, the little garrison held out valiantly in Jesus Fort, to +which they had been forced to retire, until December 12, 1698, when the +Arabs made a last determined attack and captured the citadel, putting +the remnant of the defenders, both men and women, to the sword. It is +pathetic to read that only two days later a large Portuguese fleet +appeared off the harbour, bringing the long-looked-for reinforcements. +After this the Portuguese made several attempts to reconquer Mombasa, +but were unsuccessful until 1728, when the town was stormed and +captured by General Sampayo. The Arabs, however, returned the next year +in overwhelming numbers, and again drove the Portuguese out; and +although the latter made one more attempt in 1769 to regain their +supremacy, they did not succeed. + +The Arabs, as represented by the Sultan of Zanzibar, remain in nominal +possession of Mombasa to the present day; but in 1887 Seyid Bargash, +the then Sultan of Zanzibar, gave for an annual rental a concession of +his mainland territories to the British East Africa Association, which +in 1888 was formed into the Imperial British East Africa Company. In +1895 the Foreign Office took over control of the Company's possessions, +and a Protectorate was proclaimed; and ten years later the +administration of the country was transferred to the Colonial Office. + +The last serious fighting on the island took place so recently as +1895-6, when a Swahili chief named M'baruk bin Rashed, who had three +times previously risen in rebellion against the Sultan of Zanzibar, +attempted to defy the British and to throw off their yoke. He was +defeated on several occasions, however, and was finally forced to flee +southwards into German territory. Altogether, Mombasa has in the past +well deserved its native name of Kisiwa M'vitaa, or "Isle of War"; but +under the settled rule now obtaining, it is rapidly becoming a thriving +and prosperous town, and as the port of entry for Uganda, it does a +large forwarding trade with the interior and has several excellent +stores where almost anything, from a needle to an anchor, may readily +be obtained. + +Kilindini is, as I have said, on the opposite side of the island, and +as its name--"the place of deep waters"--implies, has a much finer +harbour than that possessed by Mombasa. The channel between the island +and the mainland is here capable of giving commodious and safe +anchorage to the very largest vessels, and as the jetty is directly +connected with the Uganda Railway, Kilindini has now really become the +principal port, being always used by the liners and heavier vessels. + +I had spent nearly a week in Mombasa, and was becoming very anxious to +get my marching orders, when one morning I was delighted to receive an +official letter instructing me to proceed to Tsavo, about one hundred +and thirty-two miles from the coast, and to take charge of the +construction of the section of the line at that place, which had just +then been reached by railhead. I accordingly started at daylight next +morning in a special train with Mr. Anderson, the Superintendent of +Works, and Dr. McCulloch, the principal Medical Officer; and as the +country was in every way new to me, I found the journey a most +interesting one. + +The island of Mombasa is separated from the mainland by the Strait of +Macupa, and the railway crosses this by a bridge about three-quarters +of a mile long, called the Salisbury Bridge, in honour of the great +Minister for Foreign Affairs under whose direction the Uganda Railway +scheme was undertaken. For twenty miles after reaching the mainland, +our train wound steadily upwards through beautifully wooded, park-like +country, and on looking back out of the carriage windows we could every +now and again obtain lovely views of Mombasa and Kilindini, while +beyond these the Indian Ocean sparkled in the glorious sunshine as far +as the eye could see. The summit of the Rabai Hills having been +reached, we entered on the expanse of the Taru Desert, a wilderness +covered with poor scrub and stunted trees, and carpeted in the dry +season with a layer of fine red dust. This dust is of a most +penetrating character, and finds its way into everything in the +carriage as the train passes along. From here onward game is more or +less plentiful, but the animals are very difficult to see owing to the +thick undergrowth in which they hide themselves. We managed, however, +to catch sight of a few from the carriage windows, and also noticed +some of the natives, the Wa Nyika, or "children of the wilderness." + +At Maungu, some eighty miles from the coast, we came to the end of this +"desert," but almost the only difference to be noticed in the character +of the country was that the colour of the dust had changed. As our +train sped onwards through the level uplands we saw a fine ostrich +striding along parallel with the line, as if having a race with us. Dr. +McCulloch at once seized his rifle and by a lucky shot brought down the +huge bird; the next and greater difficulty, however, was to secure the +prize. For a time the engine-driver took no notice of our signals and +shouts, but at last we succeeded in attracting his attention, and the +train was shunted back to where the ostrich had fallen. We found it to +be an exceptionally fine specimen, and had to exert all our strength to +drag it on board the train. + +Soon after this we reached Voi, about a hundred miles from the coast, +and as this was the most important station on the line that we had yet +come to, we made a short halt in order to inspect some construction +work which was going on. On resuming our journey, we soon discovered +that a pleasant change had occurred in the character of the landscape. +From a place called N'dii, the railway runs for some miles through a +beautifully wooded country, which looked all the more inviting after +the deadly monotony of the wilderness through which we had just passed. +To the south of us could be seen the N'dii range of mountains, the +dwelling-place of the Wa Taita people, while on our right rose the +rigid brow of the N'dungu Escarpment, which stretches away westwards +for scores of miles. Here our journey was slow, as every now and again +we stopped to inspect the permanent works in progress; but eventually, +towards dusk, we arrived at our destination, Tsavo. I slept that night +in a little palm hut which had been built by some previous traveller, +and which was fortunately unoccupied for the time being. It was rather +broken-down and dilapidated, not even possessing a door, and as I lay +on my narrow camp bed I could see the stars twinkling through the roof. +I little knew then what adventures awaited me in this neighbourhood; +and if I had realised that at that very time two savage brutes were +prowling round, seeking whom they might devour, I hardly think I should +have slept so peacefully in my rickety shelter. + +Next morning I was up betimes, eager to make acquaintance with my new +surroundings. My first impression on coming out of my hut was that I +was hemmed in on all sides by a dense growth of impenetrable jungle: +and on scrambling to the top of a little hill close at hand, I found +that the whole country as far as I could see was covered with low, +stunted trees, thick undergrowth and "wait-a-bit" thorns. The only +clearing, indeed, appeared to be where the narrow track for the railway +had been cut. This interminable nyika, or wilderness of whitish and +leafless dwarf trees, presented a ghastly and sun-stricken appearance; +and here and there a ridge of dark-red heat-blistered rock jutted out +above the jungle, and added by its rugged barrenness to the dreariness +of the picture. Away to the north-east stretched the unbroken line of +the N'dungu Escarpment, while far off to the south I could just catch a +glimpse of the snow-capped top of towering Kilima N'jaro. The one +redeeming feature of the neighbourhood was the river from which Tsavo +takes its name. This is a swiftly-flowing stream, always cool and +always running, the latter being an exceptional attribute in this part +of East Africa; and the fringe of lofty green trees along its banks +formed a welcome relief to the general monotony of the landscape. + +When I had thus obtained a rough idea of the neighbourhood, I returned +to my hut, and began in earnest to make preparations for my stay in +this out-of-the-way place. The stores were unpacked, and my "boys" +pitched my tent in a little clearing close to where I had slept the +night before and not far from the main camp of the workmen. Railhead +had at this time just reached the western side of the river, and some +thousands of Indian coolies and other workmen were encamped there. As +the line had to be pushed on with all speed, a diversion had been made +and the river crossed by means of a temporary bridge. My principal work +was to erect the permanent structure, and to complete all the other +works for a distance of thirty miles on each side of Tsavo. I +accordingly made a survey of what had to be done, and sent my +requisition for labour, tools and material to the head-quarters at +Kilindini. In a short time workmen and supplies came pouring in, and +the noise of hammers and sledges, drilling and blasting echoed merrily +through the district. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS + + +Unfortunately this happy state of affairs did not continue for long, +and our work was soon interrupted in a rude and startling manner. Two +most voracious and insatiable man-eating lions appeared upon the scene, +and for over nine months waged an intermittent warfare against the +railway and all those connected with it in the vicinity of Tsavo. This +culminated in a perfect reign of terror in December, 1898, when they +actually succeeded in bringing the railway works to a complete +standstill for about three weeks. At first they were not always +successful in their efforts to carry off a victim, but as time went on +they stopped at nothing and indeed braved any danger in order to obtain +their favourite food. Their methods then became so uncanny, and their +man-stalking so well-timed and so certain of success, that the workmen +firmly believed that they were not real animals at all, but devils in +lions' shape. Many a time the coolies solemnly assured me that it was +absolutely useless to attempt to shoot them. They were quite convinced +that the angry spirits of two departed native chiefs had taken this +form in order to protest against a railway being made through their +country, and by stopping its progress to avenge the insult thus shown +to them. + +I had only been a few days at Tsavo when I first heard that these +brutes had been seen in the neighbourhood. Shortly afterwards one or +two coolies mysteriously disappeared, and I was told that they had been +carried off by night from their tents and devoured by lions. At the +time I did not credit this story, and was more inclined to believe that +the unfortunate men had been the victims of foul play at the hands of +some of their comrades. They were, as it happened, very good workmen, +and had each saved a fair number of rupees, so I thought it quite +likely that some scoundrels from the gangs had murdered them for the +sake of their money. This suspicion, however, was very soon dispelled. +About three weeks after my arrival, I was roused one morning about +daybreak and told that one of my jemadars, a fine powerful Sikh named +Ungan Singh, had been seized in his tent during the night, and dragged +off and eaten. + +Naturally I lost no time in making an examination of the place, and was +soon convinced that the man had indeed been carried off by a lion, as +its "pug" marks were plainly visible in the sand, while the furrows +made by the heels of the victim showed the direction in which he had +been dragged away. Moreover, the jemadar shared his tent with half a +dozen other workmen, and one of his bedfellows had actually witnessed +the occurrence. He graphically described how, at about midnight, the +lion suddenly put its head in at the open tent door and seized Ungan +Singh--who happened to be nearest the opening--by the throat. The +unfortunate fellow cried out "Choro" ("Let go"), and threw his arms up +round the lion's neck. The next moment he was gone, and his +panic-stricken companions lay helpless, forced to listen to the +terrible struggle which took place outside. Poor Ungan Singh must have +died hard; but what chance had he? As a coolie gravely remarked, "Was +he not fighting with a lion?" + +On hearing this dreadful story I at once set out to try to track the +animal, and was accompanied by Captain Haslem, who happened to be +staying at Tsavo at the time, and who, poor fellow, himself met with a +tragic fate very shortly afterwards. We found it an easy matter to +follow the route taken by the lion, as he appeared to have stopped +several times before beginning his meal. Pools of blood marked these +halting-places, where he doubtless indulged in the man-eaters' habit of +licking the skin off so as to get at the fresh blood. (I have been led +to believe that this is their custom from the appearance of two +half-eaten bodies which I subsequently rescued: the skin was gone in +places, and the flesh looked dry, as if it had been sucked.) On +reaching the spot where the body had been devoured, a dreadful +spectacle presented itself. The ground all round was covered with blood +and morsels of flesh and bones, but the unfortunate jemadar's head had +been left intact, save for the holes made by the lion's tusks on +seizing him, and lay a short distance away from the other remains, the +eyes staring wide open with a startled, horrified look in them. The +place was considerably cut up, and on closer examination we found that +two lions had been there and had probably struggled for possession of +the body. It was the most gruesome sight I had ever seen. We collected +the remains as well as we could and heaped stones on them, the head +with its fixed, terrified stare seeming to watch us all the time, for +it we did not bury, but took back to camp for identification before the +Medical Officer. + +Thus occurred my first experience of man-eating lions, and I vowed +there and then that I would spare no pains to rid the neighbourhood of +the brutes. I little knew the trouble that was in store for me, or how +narrow were to be my own escapes from sharing poor Ungan Singh's fate. + +That same night I sat up in a tree close to the late jemadar's tent, +hoping that the lions would return to it for another victim. I was +followed to my perch by a few of the more terrified coolies, who begged +to be allowed to sit up in the tree with me; all the other workmen +remained in their tents, but no more doors were left open. I had with +me my .303 and a 12-bore shot gun, one barrel loaded with ball and the +other with slug. Shortly after settling down to my vigil, my hopes of +bagging one of the brutes were raised by the sound of their ominous +roaring coming closer and closer. Presently this ceased, and quiet +reigned for an hour or two, as lions always stalk their prey in +complete silence. All at once, however, we heard a great uproar and +frenzied cries coming from another camp about half a mile away; we knew +then that the lions had seized a victim there, and that we should see +or hear nothing further of them that night. + +Next morning I found that one of the brutes had broken into a tent at +Railhead Camp--whence we had heard the commotion during the night--and +had made off with a poor wretch who was lying there asleep. After a +night's rest, therefore, I took up my position in a suitable tree near +this tent. I did not at all like the idea of walking the half-mile to +the place after dark, but all the same I felt fairly safe, as one of my +men carried a bright lamp close behind me. He in his turn was followed +by another leading a goat, which I tied under my tree in the hope that +the lion might be tempted to seize it instead of a coolie. A steady +drizzle commenced shortly after I had settled down to my night of +watching, and I was soon thoroughly chilled and wet. I stuck to my +uncomfortable post, however, hoping to get a shot, but I well remember +the feeling of impotent disappointment I experienced when about +midnight I heard screams and cries and a heart-rending shriek, which +told me that the man-eaters had again eluded me and had claimed another +victim elsewhere. + +At this time the various camps for the workmen were very scattered, so +that the lions had a range of some eight miles on either side of Tsavo +to work upon; and as their tactics seemed to be to break into a +different camp each night, it was most difficult to forestall them. +They almost appeared, too, to have an extraordinary and uncanny faculty +of finding out our plans beforehand, so that no matter in how likely or +how tempting a spot we lay in wait for them, they invariably avoided +that particular place and seized their victim for the night from some +other camp. Hunting them by day, moreover, in such a dense wilderness +as surrounded us, was an exceedingly tiring and really foolhardy +undertaking. In a thick jungle of the kind round Tsavo the hunted +animal has every chance against the hunter, as however careful the +latter may be, a dead twig or something of the sort is sure to crackle +just at the critical moment and so give the alarm. Still I never gave +up hope of some day finding their lair, and accordingly continued to +devote all my spare time to crawling about through the undergrowth. +Many a time when attempting to force my way through this bewildering +tangle I had to be released by my gun-bearer from the fast clutches of +the "wait-a-bit"; and often with immense pains I succeeded in tracing +the lions to the river after they had seized a victim, only to lose the +trail from there onwards, owing to the rocky nature of the ground which +they seemed to be careful to choose in retreating to their den. + +At this early stage of the struggle, I am glad to say, the lions were +not always successful in their efforts to capture a human being for +their nightly meal, and one or two amusing incidents occurred to +relieve the tension from which our nerves were beginning to suffer. On +one occasion an enterprising bunniah (Indian trader) was riding along +on his donkey late one night, when suddenly a lion sprang out on him +knocking over both man and beast. The donkey was badly wounded, and the +lion was just about to seize the trader, when in some way or other his +claws became entangled in a rope by which two empty oil tins were +strung across the donkey's neck. The rattle and clatter made by these +as he dragged them after him gave him such a fright that he turned tail +and bolted off into the jungle, to the intense relief of the terrified +bunniah, who quickly made his way up the nearest tree and remained +there, shivering with fear, for the rest of the night. + +Shortly after this episode, a Greek contractor named Themistocles +Pappadimitrini had an equally marvellous escape. He was sleeping +peacefully in his tent one night, when a lion broke in, and seized and +made off with the mattress on which he was lying. Though, rudely +awakened, the Greek was quite unhurt and suffered from nothing worse +than a bad fright. This same man, however, met with a melancholy fate +not long afterwards. He had been to the Kilima N'jaro district to buy +cattle, and on the return journey attempted to take a short cut across +country to the railway, but perished miserably of thirst on the way. + +On another occasion fourteen coolies who slept together in a large tent +were one night awakened by a lion suddenly jumping on to the tent and +breaking through it. The brute landed with one claw on a coolie's +shoulder, which was badly torn; but instead of seizing the man himself, +in his hurry he grabbed a large bag of rice which happened to be lying +in the tent, and made off with it, dropping it in disgust some little +distance away when he realised his mistake. + +These, however, were only the earlier efforts of the man-eaters. Later +on, as will be seen, nothing flurried or frightened them in the least, +and except as food they showed a complete contempt for human beings. +Having once marked down a victim, they would allow nothing to deter +them from securing him, whether he were protected by a thick fence, or +inside a closed tent, or sitting round a brightly burning fire. Shots, +shouting and firebrands they alike held in derision. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON + + +All this time my own tent was pitched in an open clearing, unprotected +by a fence of any kind round it. One night when the medical officer; +Dr. Rose, was staying with me, we were awakened about midnight by +hearing something tumbling about among the tent ropes, but on going out +with a lantern we could discover nothing. Daylight, however, plainly +revealed the "pug" marks of a lion, so that on that occasion I fancy +one or other of us had a narrow escape. Warned by this experience, I at +once arranged to move my quarters, and went to join forces with Dr. +Brock, who had just arrived at Tsavo to take medical charge of the +district. We shared a hut of palm leaves and boughs, which we had +constructed on the eastern side of the river, close to the old caravan +route leading to Uganda; and we had it surrounded by a circular boma, +or thorn fence, about seventy yards in diameter, well made and thick +and high. Our personal servants also lived within the enclosure, and a +bright fire was always kept up throughout the night. For the sake of +coolness, Brock and I used to sit out under the verandah of this hut in +the evenings; but it was rather trying to our nerves to attempt to read +or write there, as we never knew when a lion might spring over the +boma, and be on us before we were aware. We therefore kept our rifles +within easy reach, and cast many an anxious glance out into the inky +darkness beyond the circle of the firelight. On one or two occasions, +we found in the morning that the lions had come quite close to the +fence; but fortunately they never succeeded in getting through. + +By this time, too, the camps of the workmen had also been surrounded by +thorn fences; nevertheless the lions managed to jump over or to break +through some one or other of these, and regularly every few nights a +man was carried off, the reports of the disappearance of this or that +workman coming in to me with painful frequency. So long, however, as +Railhead Camp--with its two or three thousand men, scattered over a +wide area--remained at Tsavo, the coolies appeared not to take much +notice of the dreadful deaths of their comrades. Each man felt, I +suppose, that as the man-eaters had such a large number of victims to +choose from, the chances of their selecting him in particular were very +small. But when the large camp moved ahead with the railway, matters +altered considerably. I was then left with only some few hundred men to +complete the permanent works; and as all the remaining workmen were +naturally camped together, the attentions of the lions became more +apparent and made a deeper impression. A regular panic consequently +ensued, and it required all my powers of persuasion to induce the men +to stay on. In fact, I succeeded in doing so only by allowing them to +knock off all regular work until they had built exceptionally thick and +high bomas round each camp. Within these enclosures fires were kept +burning all night, and it was also the duty of the night-watchman to +keep clattering half a dozen empty oil tins suspended from a convenient +tree. These he manipulated by means of a long rope, while sitting in +safety within his tent; and the frightful noise thus produced was kept +up at frequent intervals during the night in the hopes of terrifying +away the man-eaters. In spite of all these precautions, however, the +lions would not be denied, and men continued to disappear. + +When the railhead workmen moved on, their hospital camp was left +behind. It stood rather apart from the other camps, in a clearing about +three-quarters of a mile from my hut, but was protected by a good thick +fence and to all appearance was quite secure. It seemed, however, as if +barriers were of no avail against the "demons", for before very long +one of them found a weak spot in the boma and broke through. On this +occasion the Hospital Assistant had a marvellous escape. Hearing a +noise outside, he opened the door of his tent and was horrified to see +a great lion standing a few yards away looking at him. The beast made a +spring towards him, which gave the Assistant such a fright that he +jumped backwards, and in doing so luckily upset a box containing +medical stores. This crashed down with such a loud clatter of breaking +glass that the lion was startled for the moment and made off to another +part of the enclosure. Here, unfortunately, he was more successful, as +he jumped on to and broke through a tent in which eight patients were +lying. Two of them were badly wounded by his spring, while a third poor +wretch was seized and dragged off bodily through the thorn fence. The +two wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece of torn tent +having fallen over them; and in this position the doctor and I found +them on our arrival soon after dawn next morning. We at once decided to +move the hospital closer to the main camp; a fresh site was prepared, a +stout hedge built round the enclosure, and all the patients were moved +in before nightfall. + +As I had heard that lions generally visit recently deserted camps, I +decided to sit up all night in the vacated boma in the hope of getting +an opportunity of bagging one of them; but in the middle of my lonely +vigil I had the mortification of hearing shrieks and cries coming from +the direction of the new hospital, telling me only too plainly that our +dreaded foes had once more eluded me. Hurrying to the place at daylight +I found that one of the lions had jumped over the newly erected fence +and had carried off the hospital bhisti (water-carrier), and that +several other coolies had been unwilling witnesses of the terrible +scene which took place within the circle of light given by the big camp +fire. The bhisti, it appears, had been lying on the floor, with his +head towards the centre of the tent and his feet neatly touching the +side. The lion managed to get its head in below the canvas, seized him +by the foot and pulled him out. In desperation the unfortunate +water-carrier clutched hold of a heavy box in a vain attempt to prevent +himself being carried off, and dragged it with him until he was forced +to let go by its being stopped by the side of the tent. He then caught +hold of a tent rope, and clung tightly to it until it broke. As soon as +the lion managed to get him clear of the tent, he sprang at his throat +and after a few vicious shakes the poor bhisti's agonising cries were +silenced for ever. The brute then seized him in his mouth, like a huge +cat with a mouse, and ran up and down the boma looking for a weak spot +to break through. This he presently found and plunged into, dragging +his victim with him and leaving shreds of torn cloth and flesh as +ghastly evidences of his passage through the thorns. Dr. Brock and I +were easily able to follow his track, and soon found the remains about +four hundred yards away in the bush. There was the usual horrible +sight. Very little was left of the unfortunate bhisti--only the skull, +the jaws, a few of the larger bones and a portion of the palm with one +or two fingers attached. On one of these was a silver ring, and this, +with the teeth (a relic much prized by certain castes), was sent to the +man's widow in India. + +Again it was decided to move the hospital; and again, before nightfall, +the work was completed, including a still stronger and thicker boma. +When the patients had been moved, I had a covered goods-wagon placed in +a favourable position on a siding which ran close to the site which had +just been abandoned, and in this Brock and I arranged to sit up that +night. We left a couple of tents still standing within the enclosure, +and also tied up a few cattle in it as bait for the lions, who had been +seen in no less than three different places in the neighbourhood during +the afternoon (April 23). Four miles from Tsavo they had attempted to +seize a coolie who was walking along the line. Fortunately, however, he +had just time to escape up a tree, where he remained, more dead than +alive, until he was rescued by the Traffic Manager, who caught sight of +him from a passing train. They next appeared close to Tsavo Station, +and a couple of hours later some workmen saw one of the lions stalking +Dr. Brock as he was returning about dusk from the hospital. + +In accordance with our plan, the doctor and I set out after dinner for +the goods-wagon, which was about a mile away from our hut. In the light +of subsequent events, we did a very foolish thing in taking up our +position so late; nevertheless, we reached our destination in safety, +and settled down to our watch about ten o'clock. We had the lower half +of the door of the wagon closed, while the upper half was left wide +open for observation: and we faced, of course, in the direction of the +abandoned boma, which, however, we were unable to see in the inky +darkness. For an hour or two everything was quiet, and the deadly +silence was becoming very monotonous and oppressive, when suddenly, to +our right, a dry twig snapped, and we knew that an animal of some sort +was about. Soon afterwards we heard a dull thud, as if some heavy body +had jumped over the boma. The cattle, too, became very uneasy, and we +could hear them moving about restlessly. Then again came dead silence. +At this juncture I proposed to my companion that I should get out of +the wagon and lie on the ground close to it, as I could see better in +that position should the lion come in our direction with his prey. +Brock, however, persuaded me to remain where I was; and a few seconds +afterwards I was heartily glad that I had taken his advice, for at that +very moment one of the man-eaters--although we did not know it--was +quietly stalking us, and was even then almost within springing +distance. Orders had been given for the entrance to the boma to be +blocked up, and accordingly we were listening in the expectation of +hearing the lion force his way out through the bushes with his prey. As +a matter of fact, however, the doorway had not been properly closed, +and while we were wondering what the lion could be doing inside the +boma for so long, he was outside all the time, silently reconnoitring +our position. + +Presently I fancied I saw something coming very stealthily towards us. +I feared, however, to trust to my eyes, which by that time were +strained by prolonged staring through the darkness, so under my breath +I asked Brock whether he saw anything, at the same time covering the +dark object as well as I could with my rifle. Brock did not answer; he +told me afterwards that he, too, thought he had seen something move, +but was afraid to say so lest I should fire and it turn out to be +nothing after all. After this there was intense silence again for a +second or two, then with a sudden bound a huge body sprang at us. "The +lion!" I shouted, and we both fired almost simultaneously--not a moment +too soon, for in another second the brute would assuredly have landed +inside the wagon. As it was, he must have swerved off in his spring, +probably blinded by the flash and frightened by the noise of the double +report which was increased a hundredfold by the reverberation of the +hollow iron roof of the truck. Had we not been very much on the alert, +he would undoubtedly have got one of us, and we realised that we had +had a very lucky and very narrow escape. The next morning we found +Brock's bullet embedded in the sand close to a footprint; it could not +have missed the lion by more than an inch or two. Mine was nowhere to +be found. + +Thus ended my first direct encounter with one of the man-eaters. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE BUILDING OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE + + +During all this troublesome period the construction of the railway had +been going steadily forward, and the first important piece of work +which I had commenced on arrival was completed. This was the widening +of a rock cutting through which the railway ran just before it, reached +the river. In the hurry of pushing on the laying of the line, just +enough of the rock had originally been cut away to allow room for an +engine to pass, and consequently any material which happened to, +project outside the wagons or trucks caught on the jagged faces of the +cutting. I myself saw the door of a guard's van, which had been left +ajar, smashed to atoms in this way; and accordingly I put a gang of +rock-drillers to work at once and soon had ample room made for all +traffic to pass unimpeded. While this was going on, another gang of men +were laying the foundations of a girder bridge which was to span a +gully between this cutting and Tsavo Station. This would have taken too +long to erect when railhead was at the place, so a diversion had been +made round it, the temporary track leading down almost to the bed of +the nullah and up again on the further side. When the foundations and +abutments were ready, the gully was spanned by an iron girder, the +slopes leading up to it banked up on either side, and the permanent way +laid on an easy grade. + +Then, also, a water supply had to be established; and this meant some +very pleasant work for me in taking levels up the banks of the river +under the cool shade of the palms. While doing this, I often took my +camp-kit with me, and a luncheon served in the wilds, with occasionally +a friend to share it--when a friend was available--was delightful. On +one occasion in particular, I went a long way up the river and was +accompanied by a young member of my staff. The day had been exceedingly +hot and we were both correspondingly tired when our work was finished, +so my companion suggested that we should build a raft and float +down-stream home. I was rather doubtful, of the feasibility of the +scheme, but nevertheless he decided to give it a trial. Setting to work +with our axes, we soon had a raft built, lashing the poles together +with the fibre which grows in abundance all over the district. When it +was finished, we pushed it out of the little backwater where it had +been constructed, and the young engineer jumped aboard. All went well +until it got out into midstream, when much to my amusement it promptly +toppled gracefully over. I helped my friend to scramble quickly up the +bank out of reach of possible crocodiles, when, none the worse for his +ducking, he laughed as heartily as I at the adventure. + +Except for an occasional relaxation of this sort, every moment of my +time was fully occupied. Superintending the various works and a hundred +other duties kept me busy all day long, while my evenings were given up +to settling disputes among the coolies, hearing reports and complaints +from the various jemadars and workpeople, and in studying the Swahili +language. Preparations, too, for the principal piece of work in the +district--the building of the railway bridge over the Tsavo river--were +going on apace. These involved, much personal work on my part; cross +and oblique sections of the river had to be taken, the rate of the +current and the volume of water at flood, mean, and low levels had to +be found, and all the necessary calculations made. These having at +length been completed, I marked out the positions for the abutments and +piers, and the work of sinking their foundations was begun. The two +centre piers in particular caused a great deal of trouble, as the river +broke in several times, and had to be dammed up and pumped dry again +before work could be resumed. Then we found we had to sink much deeper +than we expected in order to reach a solid foundation indeed, the +sinking went on and on, until I began to despair of finding one and was +about to resort to pile-driving, when at last, to my relief, we struck +solid rock on which the huge foundation-stones could be laid with +perfect safety. + +Another great difficulty with which we had to contend was the absence +of suitable stone in the neighbourhood. It was not that there was none +to be found, for the whole district abounds in rock, but that it was so +intensely hard as to be almost impossible to work, and a bridge built +of it would have been very costly. I spent many a weary day trudging +through the thorny wilderness vainly searching for suitable material, +and was beginning to think that we should be forced to use iron columns +for the piers, when one day I stumbled quite by accident on the very +thing. Brock and I were out "pot-hunting," and hearing some guinea-fowl +cackling among the bushes, I made a circuit half round them so that +Brock, on getting in his shot, should drive them over in my direction. +I eventually got into position on the edge of a deep ravine and knelt +on one knee, crouching down among the ferns. There I had scarcely time +to load when over flew a bird, which I missed badly; and I did not have +another chance, for Brock had got to work, and being a first-rate shot +had quickly bagged a brace. Meanwhile I felt the ground very hard under +my knee, and on examination found that the bank of the ravine was +formed of stone, which extended for some distance, and which was +exactly the kind of material for which I had long been fruitlessly +searching. I was greatly delighted with my unexpected discovery, though +at first I had grave misgivings about the distance to be traversed and +the difficulty of transporting the stone across the intervening +country. Indeed, I found in the end that the only way of getting the +material to the place where it was wanted was by laying down a tram +line right along the ravine, throwing a temporary bridge across the +Tsavo, following the stream down and re-crossing it again close to the +site of the permanent bridge. Accordingly, I set men to work at once to +cut down the jungle and prepare a road on which to lay the double +trolley line. One morning when they were thus engaged, a little paa--a +kind of very small antelope--sprang out and found itself suddenly in +the midst of a gang of coolies. Terrified and confused by the shouting +of the men, it ran straight at Shere Shah, the jemadar, who promptly +dropped a basket over it and held it fast. I happened to arrive just in +time to save the graceful little animal's life, and took it home to my +camp, where it very soon became a great pet. Indeed, it grew so tame +that it would jump upon my table at meal times and eat from my hand. + +When the road for the trolley line was cleared, the next piece of work +was the building of the two temporary bridges over the river. These we +made in the roughest fashion out of palm trees and logs felled at the +crossing places, and had a flood come down they would, of course, have +both been swept away; fortunately, however, this did not occur until +the permanent work was completed. The whole of this feeding line was +finished in a very short time, and trollies were soon plying backwards +and forwards with loads of stone and sand, as we also discovered the +latter in abundance and of good quality in the bed of the ravine. An +amusing incident occurred one day when I was taking a photograph of an +enormous block of stone which was being hauled across one of these +temporary bridges. As the trolley with its heavy load required very +careful manipulation, my head mason, Heera Singh, stood on the top of +the stone to direct operations, while the overseer, Purshotam Hurjee, +superintended the gangs of men who hauled the ropes at either end in +order to steady it up and down the inclines. But we did not know that +the stream had succeeded in washing away the foundations of one of the +log supports; and as the weight of the trolley with the stone came on +the undermined pier, the rails tilted up and over went the whole thing +into the river, just as I snapped the picture. Heera Singh made a wild +spring into the water to get clear of the falling stone, while +Purshotam and the rest fled as if for their lives to the bank. It was +altogether a most comical sight, and an extraordinary chance that at +the very moment of the accident I should be taking a photograph of the +operation. Fortunately, no one was injured in the slightest, and the +stone was recovered undamaged with but little trouble. + +Not long after this occurrence my own labours were one day nearly +brought to a sudden and unpleasant end. I was travelling along in an +empty trolley which, pushed by two sturdy Pathans, was returning to the +quarry for sand. Presently we came to the sharp incline which led to +the log bridge over the river. Here it was the custom of the men, +instead of running beside the trolley, to step on to it and to let its +own momentum take it down the slope, moderating its speed when +necessary by a brake in the shape of a pole, which one of them carried +and by which the wheels could be locked. On this occasion, however, the +pole was by some accident dropped overboard, and down the hill we flew +without brake of any kind. Near the bridge there was a sharp curve in +the line, where I was afraid the trolley would jump the rails; still, I +thought it was better to stick to it than to risk leaping off. A moment +afterwards I felt myself flying head first over the edge of the bridge, +just missing by a hair's breadth a projecting beam; but luckily I +landed on a sand bank at the side of the river, the heavy trolley +falling clear of me with a dull thud close by. This accident, also, was +happily unattended by injury to anyone. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN + + +It seemed fated that the building of the Tsavo Bridge should never be +allowed to proceed in peace for any length of time. I have already +described our troubles with the lions; and no sooner did the beasts of +prey appear to have deserted us, for the time being at any rate, than +other troubles, no less serious, arose with the workmen themselves. +After I had discovered the stone for the bridge, I sent down to the +coast for gangs of masons to work and dress it. The men who were sent +me for this purpose were mostly Pathans and were supposed to be expert +workmen; but I soon found that many of them had not the faintest notion +of stone-cutting, and were simply ordinary coolies who had posed as +masons in order to draw forty-five instead of twelve rupees a month. On +discovering this fact, I immediately instituted a system of piecework, +and drew up a scale of pay which would enable the genuine mason to earn +his forty-five rupees a month--and a little more if he felt +inclined--and would cut down the impostors to about their proper pay as +coolies. Now, as is often the case in this world, the impostors were +greatly in the majority; and accordingly they attempted to intimidate +the remainder into coming down to their own standard as regards output +of work, in the hope of thereby inducing me to abandon the piece-work +system of payment. This, however, I had no intention of doing, as I +knew that I had demanded only a perfectly fair amount of work from each +man. + +These masons were continually having quarrels and fights amongst +themselves, and I had frequently to go down to their camp to quell +disturbances and to separate the Hindus from the Mohammedans. One +particularly serious disturbance of this sort had a rather amusing +sequel. I was sitting after dusk one evening at the door of my hut, +when I heard a great commotion in the masons' camp, which lay only a +few hundred yards away. Presently a jemadar came rushing up to me to +say that the men were all fighting and murdering each other with sticks +and stones. I ran back with him at once and succeeded in restoring +order, but found seven badly injured men lying stretched out on the +ground. These I had carried up to my own boma on charpoys (native +beds); and Brock being away, I had to play the doctor myself as best I +could, stitching one and bandaging another and generally doing what was +possible. There was one man, however, who groaned loudly and held a +cloth over his face as if he were dying. On lifting this covering, I +found him to be a certain mason called Karim Bux, who was well known to +me as a prime mischief-maker among the men. I examined him carefully, +but as I could discover nothing amiss, I concluded that he must have +received some internal injury, and accordingly told him that I would +send him to the hospital at Voi (about thirty miles down the line) to +be attended to properly. He was then carried back to his camp, groaning +grievously all the time. + +Scarcely had he been removed, when the head jemadar came and informed +me that the man was not hurt at all, and that as a matter of fact he +was the sole cause of the disturbance. He was now pretending to be +badly injured, in order to escape the punishment which he knew he would +receive if I discovered that he was the instigator of the trouble. On +hearing this, I gave instructions that he was not to go to Voi in the +special train with the others; but I had not heard the last of him yet. +About eleven o'clock that night I was called up and asked to go down to +the masons' camp to see a man who was supposed to be dying. I at once +pulled on my boots, got some brandy and ran down to the camp, where to +my surprise and amusement I found that it was my friend Karim Bux who +was at death's door. It was perfectly evident to me that he was only +"foxing," but when he asked for dawa (medicine), I told him gravely +that I would give him some very good dawa in the morning. + +Next day at noon--when it was my custom to have evil-doers brought up +for judgment--I asked for Karim Bux, but was told that he was too ill +to walk. I accordingly ordered him to be carried to my boma, and in a +few moments he arrived in his charpoy, which was shouldered by four +coolies who, I could see, knew quite well that he was only shamming. +There were also a score or so of his friends hanging around, doubtless +waiting in the expectation of seeing the "Sahib" hoodwinked. When the +bed was placed on the ground near me, I lifted the blanket with which +he had covered himself and thoroughly examined him, at the same time +feeling him to make sure that he had no fever. He pretended to be +desperately ill and again asked for dawa; but having finally satisfied +myself that it was as the jemadar had said--pure budmashi +(devilment)--I told him that I was going to give him some very +effective dawa, and carefully covered him up again, pulling the blanket +over his head. I then got a big armful of shavings from a carpenter's +bench which was close by, put them under the bed and set fire to them. +As soon as the sham invalid felt the heat, he peeped over the edge of +the blanket; and when he saw the smoke and flame leaping up round him, +he threw the blanket from him, sprang from the bed exclaiming "Beiman +shaitan!" ("Unbelieving devil!"), and fled like a deer to the entrance +of my boma, pursued by a Sikh sepoy, who got in a couple of good whacks +on his shoulders with a stout stick before he effected his escape. His +amused comrades greeted me with shouts of "Shabash, Sahib!" ("Well +done, sir"), and I never had any further trouble with Karim Bux. He +came back later in the day, with clasped hands imploring forgiveness, +which I readily granted, as he was a clever workman. + +A few days after this incident I was returning home one morning from a +tree in which I had been keeping watch for the man-eaters during the +previous night. Coming unexpectedly on the quarry, I was amazed to find +dead silence reigning and my rascals of workmen all stretched out in +the shade under the trees taking it very easy--some sleeping, some +playing cards. I watched their proceedings through the bushes for a +little while, and then it occurred to me to give them a fright by +firing my rifle over their heads. On the report being heard, the scene +changed like magic: each man simply flew to his particular work, and +hammers and chisels resounded merrily and energetically, where all had +been silence a moment before. They thought, of course, that I was still +some distance off and had not seen them, but to their consternation I +shouted to them that they were too late, as I had been watching them +for some time. I fined every man present heavily, besides summarily +degrading the Headman, who had thus shown himself utterly unfit for his +position. I then proceeded to my hut, but had scarcely arrived there +when two of the scoundrels tottered up after me, bent almost double and +calling Heaven to witness that I had shot them both in the back. In +order to give a semblance of truth to an otherwise bald and +unconvincing narrative, they had actually induced one of their fellow +workmen to make a few holes like shot holes in their backs, and these +were bleeding profusely. Unfortunately for them, however, I had been +carrying a rifle and not a shot gun, and they had also forgotten to +make corresponding holes in their clothing, so that all they achieved +by this elaborate tissue of falsehood was to bring on themselves the +derision of their comrades and the imposition of an extra fine. + +Shortly after this, when the masons realised that I intended to make +each man do a fair day's work for his money, and would allow nothing to +prevent this intention from being carried out, they came to the +conclusion that the best thing to do would be to put me quietly out of +the way. Accordingly they held a meeting one night, all being sworn to +secrecy, and after a long palaver it was arranged that I was to be +murdered next day when I made my usual visit to the quarry. My body was +to be thrown into the jungle, where of course it would soon be devoured +by wild beasts, and then they were to say that I had been killed and +eaten by a lion. To this cheerful proposal every man present at the +meeting agreed, and affixed his finger-mark to a long strip of paper as +a binding token. Within an hour after the meeting had dispersed, +however, I was aroused by one of the conspirators, who had crept into +my camp to give me warning. I thanked him for his information, but +determined to go to the quarry in the morning all the same, as at this +stage of affairs I really did not believe that they were capable of +carrying out such a diabolical scheme, and was rather inclined to think +that the informant had been sent merely to frighten me. + +Accordingly the next morning (September 6) I started off as usual along +the trolley line to the lonely quarry. As I reached a bend in the line, +my head mason, Heera Singh, a very good man, crept cautiously out of +the bushes and warned me not to proceed. On my asking him the reason, +he said that he dared not tell, but that he and twenty other masons +were not going to work that day, as they were afraid of trouble at the +quarry. At this I began to think that there was something in the story +I had heard overnight, but I laughingly assured him there would be no +trouble and continued on my way. On my arrival at the quarry, +everything seemed perfectly peaceful. All the men were working away +busily, but after a moment or two I noticed stealthy side glances, and +felt that there was something in the wind. As soon as I came up to the +first gang of workmen, the jemadar, a treacherous-looking villain, +informed me that the men working further up the ravine had refused to +obey his orders, and asked me if I would go and see them. I felt at +once that this was a device to lure me into the narrow part of the +ravine, where, with gangs in front of me and behind me, there would be +no escape; still I thought I would see the adventure through, whatever +came of it, so I accompanied the jemadar up the gully. When we got to +the further gang, he went so far as to point out the two men who, he +said, had refused to do what he told them--I suppose he thought that as +I was never to leave the place alive, it did not matter whom he +complained of. I noted their names in my pocket-book in my usual +manner, and turned to retrace my steps. Immediately a yell of rage was +raised by the whole body of some sixty men, answered by a similar shout +from those I had first passed, and who numbered about a hundred. Both +groups of men, carrying crowbars and flourishing their heavy hammers, +then closed in on me in the narrow part of the ravine. I stood still, +waiting for them to act, and one man rushed at me, seizing both my +wrists and shouting out that he was going to "be hung and shot for +me"--rather a curious way of putting it, but that was his exact +expression. I easily wrenched my arms free, and threw him from me; but +by this time I was closely hemmed in, and everywhere I looked I could +see nothing but evil and murderous-looking faces. One burly brute, +afraid to be the first to deal a blow, hurled the man next him at me; +and if he had succeeded in knocking me down, I am certain that I should +never have got up again alive. As it was, however, I stepped quickly +aside, and the man intended to knock me down was himself thrown +violently against a rock, over which he fell heavily. + +This occasioned a moment's confusion, of which I quickly took +advantage. I sprang on to the top of the rock, and before they had time +to recover themselves I had started haranguing them in Hindustani. The +habit of obedience still held them, and fortunately they listened to +what I had to say. I told them that I knew all about their plot to +murder me, and that they could certainly do so if they wished; but that +if they did, many of them would assuredly be hanged for it, as the +Sirkar (Government) would soon find out the truth and would disbelieve +their story that I had been carried off by a lion. I said that I knew +quite well that it was only one or two scoundrels among them who had +induced them to behave so stupidly, and urged them not to allow +themselves to be made fools of in this way. Even supposing they were to +carry out their plan of killing me, would not another "Sahib" at once +be set over them, and might he not be an even harder task-master? They +all knew that I was just and fair to the real worker; it was only the +scoundrels and shirkers who had anything to fear from me, and were +upright, self-respecting. Pathans going to allow themselves to be led +away by men of that kind? Once having got them to listen to me, I felt +a little more secure, and I accordingly went on to say that the +discontented among them would be allowed to return at once to Mombasa, +while if the others resumed work and I heard of no further plotting, I +would take no notice of their foolish conduct. Finally I called upon +those who were willing to return to work to hold up their hands, and +instantly every hand in the crowd was raised. I then felt that for the +moment the victory was mine, and after dismissing them, I jumped down +from the rock and continued my rounds as if nothing had happened, +measuring a stone here and there and commenting on the work done. They +were still in a very uncertain and sullen mood, however, and not at all +to be relied upon, so it was with feelings of great relief that an hour +later I made my way back, safe and sound, to Tsavo. + +The danger was not yet past, unfortunately, for scarcely had I turned +my back to go home when the mutiny broke out again, another meeting +being held, and a fresh plot made to murder me during the night. Of +this I was soon informed by my time-keeper, who also told me that he +was afraid to go out and call the roll, as they had threatened to kill +him also. At this further outrage I lost no time in telegraphing for +the Railway Police, and also to the District Officer, Mr. Whitehead, +who immediately marched his men twenty-five miles by road to my +assistance. I have no doubt, indeed, that his prompt action alone saved +me from being attacked that very night. Two or three days afterwards +the Railway Police arrived and arrested the ringleaders in the mutiny, +who were taken to Mombasa and tried before Mr. Crawford, the British +Consul, when the full details of the plots to murder me were unfolded +by one of them who turned Queen's evidence. All the scoundrels were +found guilty and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment in the +chain-gangs, and I was never again troubled with mutinous workmen. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE REIGN OF TERROR + + +The lions seemed to have got a bad fright the night Brock and I sat up +in wait for them in the goods-wagon, for they kept away from Tsavo and +did not molest us in any way for some considerable time--not, in fact, +until long after Brock had left me and gone on safari (a caravan +journey) to Uganda. In this breathing space which they vouchsafed us, +it occurred to me that should they renew their attacks, a trap would +perhaps offer the best chance of getting at them, and that if I could +construct one in which a couple of coolies might be used as bait +without being subjected to any danger, the lions would be quite daring +enough to enter it in search of them and thus be caught. I accordingly +set to work at once, and in a short time managed to make a sufficiently +strong trap out of wooden sleepers, tram-rails, pieces of telegraph +wire, and a length of heavy chain. It was divided into two +compartments--one for the men and one for the lion. A sliding door at +one end admitted the former, and once inside this compartment they were +perfectly safe, as between them and the lion, if he entered the other, +ran a cross wall of iron rails only three inches apart, and embedded +both top and bottom in heavy wooden sleepers. The door which was to +admit the lion was, of course, at the opposite end of the structure, +but otherwise the whole thing was very much on the principle of the +ordinary rat-trap, except that it was not necessary for the lion to +seize the bait in order to send the door clattering down. This part of +the contrivance was arranged in the following manner. A heavy chain was +secured along the top part of the lion's doorway, the ends hanging down +to the ground on either side of the opening; and to these were +fastened, strongly secured by stout wire, short lengths of rails placed +about six inches apart. This made a sort of flexible door which could +be packed into a small space when not in use, and which abutted against +the top of the doorway when lifted up. The door was held in this +position by a lever made of a piece of rail, which in turn was kept in +its place by a wire fastened to one end and passing down to a spring +concealed in the ground inside the cage. As soon as the lion entered +sufficiently far into the trap, he would be bound to tread on the +spring; his weight on this would release the wire, and in an instant +down would come the door behind him; and he could not push it out in +any way, as it fell into a groove between two rails firmly embedded in +the ground. + +In making this trap, which cost us a lot of work, we were rather at a +loss for want of tools to bore holes in the rails for the doorway, so +as to enable them to be fastened by the wire to the chain. It occurred +to me, however, that a hard-nosed bullet from my .303 would penetrate +the iron, and on making the experiment I was glad to find that a hole +was made as cleanly as if it had been punched out. + +When the trap was ready I pitched a tent over it in order further to +deceive the lions, and built an exceedingly strong boma round it. One +small entrance was made at the back of the enclosure for the men, which +they were to close on going in by pulling a bush after them; and +another entrance just in front of the door of the cage was left open +for the lions. The wiseacres to whom I showed my invention were +generally of the opinion that the man-eaters would be too cunning to +walk into my parlour; but, as will be seen later, their predictions +proved false. For the first few nights I baited the trap myself, but +nothing happened except that I had a very sleepless and uncomfortable +time, and was badly bitten by mosquitoes. + +As a matter of fact, it was some months before the lions attacked us +again, though from time to time we heard of their depredations in other +quarters. Not long after our night in the goods-wagon, two men were +carried off from railhead, while another was taken from a place called +Engomani, about ten miles away. Within a very short time, this latter +place was again visited by the brutes, two more men being seized, one +of whom was killed and eaten, and the other so badly mauled that he +died within few days. As I have said, however, we at Tsavo enjoyed +complete immunity from attack, and the coolies, believing that their +dreaded foes had permanently deserted the district, resumed all their +usual habits and occupations, and life in the camps returned to its +normal routine. + +At last we were suddenly startled out of this feeling of security. One +dark night the familiar terror-stricken cries and screams awoke the +camps, and we knew that the "demons" had returned and had commenced a +new list of victims. On this occasion a number of men had been sleeping +outside their tents for the sake of coolness, thinking, of course, that +the lions had gone for good, when suddenly in the middle of the night +one of the brutes was discovered forcing its way through the boma. The +alarm was at once given, and sticks, stones and firebrands were hurled +in the direction of the intruder. All was of no avail, however, for the +lion burst into the midst of the terrified group, seized an unfortunate +wretch amid the cries and shrieks of his companions, and dragged him +off through the thick thorn fence. He was joined outside by the second +lion, and so daring had the two brutes become that they did not trouble +to carry their victim any further away, but devoured him within thirty +yards of the tent where he had been seized. Although several shots were +fired in their direction by the jemadar of the gang to which the coolie +belonged, they took no notice of these and did not attempt to move +until their horrible meal was finished. The few scattered fragments +that remained of the body I would not allow to be buried at once, +hoping that the lions would return to the spot the following night; and +on the chance of this I took up my station at nightfall in a convenient +tree. Nothing occurred to break the monotony of my watch, however, +except that I had a visit from a hyena, and the next morning I learned +that the lions had attacked another camp about two miles from +Tsavo--for by this time the camps were again scattered, as I had works +in progress all up and down the line. There the man-eaters had been +successful in obtaining a victim, whom, as in the previous instance, +they devoured quite close to the camp. How they forced their way +through the bomas without making a noise was, and still is, a mystery +to me; I should have thought that it was next to impossible for an +animal to get through at all. Yet they continually did so, and without +a sound being heard. + +After this occurrence, I sat up every night for over a week near likely +camps, but all in vain. Either the lions saw me and then went +elsewhere, or else I was unlucky, for they took man after man from +different places without ever once giving me a chance of a shot at +them. This constant night watching was most dreary and fatiguing work, +but I felt that it was a duty that had to be undertaken, as the men +naturally looked to me for protection. In the whole of my life I have +never experienced anything more nerve-shaking than to hear the deep +roars of these dreadful monsters growing gradually nearer and nearer, +and to know that some one or other of us was doomed to be their victim +before morning dawned. Once they reached the vicinity of the camps, the +roars completely ceased, and we knew that they were stalking for their +prey. Shouts would then pass from camp to camp, "Khabar dar, bhaieon, +shaitan ata" ("Beware, brothers, the devil is coming"), but the warning +cries would prove of no avail, and sooner or later agonising shrieks +would break the silence, and another man would be missing from +roll-call next morning. + +I was naturally very disheartened at being foiled in this way night +after night, and was soon at my wits' end to know what to do; it seemed +as if the lions were really "devils" after all and bore a charmed life. +As I have said before, tracking them through the jungle was a hopeless +task; but as something had to be done to keep up the men's spirits, I +spent many a weary day crawling on my hands and knees through the dense +undergrowth of the exasperating wilderness around us. As a matter of +fact, if I had come up with the lions on any of these expeditions, it +was much more likely that they would have added me to their list of +victims than that I should have succeeded in killing either of them, as +everything would have been in their favour. About this time, too, I had +many helpers, and several officers--civil, naval and military--came to +Tsavo from the coast and sat up night after night in order to get a +shot at our daring foes. All of us, however, met with the same lack of +success, and the lions always seemed capable of avoiding the watchers, +while succeeding, at the same time in obtaining a victim. + +I have a very vivid recollection of one particular night when the +brutes seized a man from the railway station and brought him close to +my camp to devour. I could plainly hear them crunching the bones, and +the sound of their dreadful purring filled the air and rang in my ears +for days afterwards. The terrible thing was to feel so helpless; it was +useless to attempt to go out, as of course the poor fellow was dead, +and in addition it was so pitch dark as to make it impossible to see +anything. Some half a dozen workmen, who lived in a small enclosure +close to mine, became so terrified on hearing the lions at their meal +that they shouted and implored me to allow them to come inside my boma. +This I willingly did, but soon afterwards I remembered that one man had +been lying ill in their camp, and on making enquiry I found that they +had callously left him behind alone. I immediately took some men with +me to bring him to my boma, but on entering his tent I saw by the light +of the lantern that the poor fellow was beyond need of safety. He had +died of shock at being deserted by his companions. + +From this time matters gradually became worse and worse. Hitherto, as a +rule, only one of the man-eaters had made the attack and had done the +foraging, while the other waited outside in the bush; but now they +began to change their tactics, entering the bomas together and each +seizing a victim. In this way two Swahili porters were killed during +the last week of November, one being immediately carried off and +devoured. The other was heard moaning for a long time, and when his +terrified companions at last summoned up sufficient courage to go to +his assistance, they found him stuck fast in the bushes of the boma, +through which for once the lion had apparently been unable to drag him. +He was still alive when I saw him next morning, but so terribly mauled +that he died before he could be got to the hospital. + +Within a few days of this the two brutes made a most ferocious attack +on the largest camp in the section, which for safety's sake was +situated within a stone's throw of Tsavo Station and close to a +Permanent Way Inspector's iron hut. Suddenly in the dead of night the +two man-eaters burst in among the terrified workmen, and even from my +boma, some distance away, I could plainly hear the panic-stricken +shrieking of the coolies. Then followed cries of "They've taken him; +they've taken him," as the brutes carried off their unfortunate victim +and began their horrible feast close beside the camp. The Inspector, +Mr. Dalgairns, fired over fifty shots in the direction in which he +heard the lions, but they were not to be frightened and calmly lay +there until their meal was finished. After examining the spot in the +morning, we at once set out to follow the brutes, Mr. Dalgairns feeling +confident that he had wounded one of them, as there was a trail on the +sand like that of the toes of a broken limb. After some careful +stalking, we suddenly found ourselves in the vicinity of the lions, and +were greeted with ominous growlings. Cautiously advancing and pushing +the bushes aside, we saw in the gloom what we at first took to be a +lion cub; closer inspection, however, showed it to be the remains of +the unfortunate coolie, which the man-eaters had evidently abandoned at +our approach. The legs, one arm and half the body had been eaten, and +it was the stiff fingers of the other arm trailing along the sand which +had left the marks we had taken to be the trail of a wounded lion. By +this time the beasts had retired far into the thick jungle where it was +impossible to follow them, so we had the remains of the coolie buried +and once more returned home disappointed. + +Now the bravest men in the world, much less the ordinary Indian coolie, +will not stand constant terrors of this sort indefinitely. The whole +district was by this time thoroughly panic-stricken, and I was not at +all surprised, therefore, to find on my return to camp that same +afternoon (December 1) that the men had all struck work and were +waiting to speak to me. When I sent for them, they flocked to my boma +in a body and stated that they would not remain at Tsavo any longer for +anything or anybody; they had come from India on an agreement to work +for the Government, not to supply food for either lions or "devils." No +sooner had they delivered this ultimatum than a regular stampede took +place. Some hundreds of them stopped the first passing train by +throwing themselves on the rails in front of the engine, and then, +swarming on to the trucks and throwing in their possessions anyhow, +they fled from the accursed spot. + +After this the railway works were completely stopped; and for the next +three weeks practically nothing was done but build "lion-proof" huts +for those workmen who had had sufficient courage to remain. It was a +strange and amusing sight to see these shelters perched on the top of +water-tanks, roofs and girders--anywhere for safety--while some even +went so far as to dig pits inside their tents, into which they +descended at night, covering the top over with heavy logs of wood. +Every good-sized tree in the camp had as many beds lashed on to it as +its branches would bear--and sometimes more. I remember that one night +when the camp was attacked, so many men swarmed on to one particular +tree that down it came with a crash, hurling its terror-stricken load +of shrieking coolies close to the very lions they were trying to avoid. +Fortunately for them, a victim had already been secured, and the brutes +were too busy devouring him to pay attention to anything else. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE DISTRICT OFFICER'S NARROW ESCAPE + + +Some little time before the flight of the workmen, I had written to Mr. +Whitehead, the District Officer, asking him to come up and assist me in +my campaign against the lions, and to bring with him any of his askaris +(native soldiers) that he could spare. He replied accepting the +invitation, and told me to expect him about dinner-time on December 2, +which turned out to be the day after the exodus. His train was due at +Tsavo about six o'clock in the evening, so I sent my "boy" up to the +station to meet him and to help in carrying his baggage to the camp. In +a very short time, however, the "boy" rushed back trembling with +terror, and informed me that there was no sign of the train or of the +railway staff, but that an enormous lion was standing on the station +platform. This extraordinary story I did not believe in the least, as +by this time the coolies--never remarkable for bravery--were in such a +state of fright that if they caught sight of a hyena or a baboon, or +even a dog, in the bush, they were sure to imagine it was a lion; but I +found out next day that it was an actual fact, and that both +stationmaster and signalman had been obliged to take refuge from one of +the man-eaters by locking themselves in the station building. + +I waited some little time for Mr. Whitehead, but eventually, as he did +not put in an appearance, I concluded that he must have postponed his +journey until the next day, and so had my dinner in my customary +solitary state. During the meal I heard a couple of shots, but paid no +attention to them, as rifles were constantly being fired off in the +neighbourhood of the camp. Later in the evening, I went out as usual to +watch for our elusive foes, and took up my position in a crib made of +sleepers which I had built on a big girder close to a camp which I +thought was likely to be attacked. Soon after settling down at my post, +I was surprised to hear the man-eaters growling and purring and +crunching up bones about seventy yards from the crib. I could not +understand what they had found to eat, as I had heard no commotion in +the camps, and I knew by bitter experience that every meal the brutes +obtained from us was announced by shrieks and uproar. The only +conclusion I could come to was that they had pounced upon some poor +unsuspecting native traveller. After a time I was able to make out +their eyes glowing in the darkness, and I took as careful aim as was +possible in the circumstances and fired; but the only notice they paid +to the shot was to carry off whatever they were devouring and to retire +quietly over a slight rise, which prevented me from seeing them. There +they finished their meal at their ease. + +As soon as it was daylight, I got out of my crib and went towards the +place where I had last heard them. On the way, whom should I meet but +my missing guest, Mr. Whitehead, looking very pale and ill, and +generally dishevelled. + +"Where on earth have you come from?" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you turn +up to dinner last night?" + +"A nice reception you give a fellow when you invite him to dinner," was +his only reply. + +"Why, what's up?" I asked. + +"That infernal lion of yours nearly did for me last night," said +Whitehead. + +"Nonsense, you must have dreamed it!" I cried in astonishment. + +For answer he turned round and showed me his back. "That's not much of +a dream, is it?" he asked. + +His clothing was rent by one huge tear from the nape of the neck +downwards, and on the flesh there were four great claw marks, showing +red and angry through the torn cloth. Without further parley, I hurried +him off to my tent, and bathed and dressed his wounds; and when I had +made him considerably more comfortable, I got from him the whole story +of the events of the night. + +It appeared that his train was very late, so that it was quite dark +when he arrived at Tsavo Station, from which the track to my camp lay +through a small cutting. He was accompanied by Abdullah, his sergeant +of askaris, who walked close behind him carrying a lighted lamp. All +went well until they were about half-way through the gloomy cutting, +when one of the lions suddenly jumped down upon them from the high +bank, knocking Whitehead over like a ninepin, and tearing his back in +the manner I had seen. Fortunately, however, he had his carbine with +him, and instantly fired. The flash and the loud report must have dazed +the lion for a second or two, enabling Whitehead to disengage himself; +but the next instant the brute pounced like lightning on the +unfortunate Abdullah, with whom he at once made off. All that the poor +fellow could say was: "Eh, Bwana, simba" ("Oh, Master, a lion"). As the +lion was dragging him over the bank, Whitehead fired again, but without +effect, and the brute quickly disappeared into the darkness with his +prey. It was of course, this unfortunate man whom I had heard the lions +devouring during the night. Whitehead himself had a marvellous escape; +his wounds were happily not very deep, and caused him little or no +inconvenience afterwards. + +On the same day, December 3, the forces arrayed against the lions were +further strengthened. Mr. Farquhar, the Superintendent of Police, +arrived from the coast with a score of sepoys to assist in hunting down +the man-eaters, whose fame had by this time spread far and wide, and +the most elaborate precautions were taken, his men being posted on the +most convenient trees near every camp. Several other officials had also +come up on leave to join in the chase, and each of these guarded a +likely spot in the same way, Mr. Whitehead sharing my post inside the +crib on the girder. Further, in spite of some chaff, my lion trap was +put in thorough working order, and two of the sepoys were installed as +bait. + +Our preparations were quite complete by nightfall, and we all took up +our appointed positions. Nothing happened until about nine o'clock, +when to my great satisfaction the intense stillness was suddenly broken +by the noise of the door of the trap clattering down. "At last," I +thought, "one at least of the brutes is done for." But the sequel was +an ignominious one. + +The bait-sepoys had a lamp burning inside their part of the cage, and +were each armed with a Martini rifle, with plenty of ammunition. They +had also been given strict orders to shoot at once if a lion should +enter the trap. Instead of doing so, however, they were so terrified +when he rushed in and began to lash himself madly against the bars of +the cage, that they completely lost their heads and were actually too +unnerved to fire. Not for some minutes--not, indeed, until Mr. +Farquhar, whose post was close by, shouted at them and cheered them +on--did they at all recover themselves. Then when at last they did +begin to fire, they fired with a vengeance--anywhere, anyhow. Whitehead +and I were at right angles to the direction in which they should have +shot, and yet their bullets came whizzing all round us. Altogether they +fired over a score of shots, and in the end succeeded only in blowing +away one of the bars of the door, thus allowing our prize to make good +his escape. How they failed to kill him several times over is, and +always will be, a complete mystery to me, as they could have put the +muzzles of their rifles absolutely touching his body. There was, +indeed, some blood scattered about the trap, but it was small +consolation to know that the brute, whose capture and death seemed so +certain, had only been slightly wounded. + +Still we were not unduly dejected, and when morning came, a hunt was at +once arranged. Accordingly we spent the greater part of the day on our +hands and knees following the lions through the dense thickets of +thorny jungle, but though we heard their growls from time to time, we +never succeeded in actually coming up with them. Of the whole party, +only Farquhar managed to catch a momentary glimpse of one as it bounded +over a bush. Two days more were spent in the same manner, and with +equal unsuccess; and then Farquhar and his sepoys were obliged to +return to the coast. Mr. Whitehead also departed for his district, and +once again I was left alone with the man-eaters. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER + + +A day or two after the departure of my allies, as I was leaving my boma +soon after dawn on December 9, I saw a Swahili running excitedly +towards me, shouting out "Simba! Simba!" ("Lion! Lion!"), and every now +and again looking behind him as he ran. On questioning him I found that +the lions had tried to snatch a man from the camp by the river, but +being foiled in this had seized and killed one of the donkeys, and were +at that moment busy devouring it not far off. Now was my chance. + +I rushed for the heavy rifle which Farquhar had kindly left with me for +use in case an opportunity such as this should arise, and, led by the +Swahili, I started most carefully to stalk the lions, who, I devoutly +hoped, were confining their attention strictly to their meal. I was +getting on splendidly, and could just make out the outline of one of +them through the dense bush, when unfortunately my guide snapped a +rotten branch. The wily beast heard the noise, growled his defiance, +and disappeared in a moment into a patch of even thicker jungle close +by. In desperation at the thought of his escaping me once again, I +crept hurriedly back to the camp, summoned the available workmen and +told them to bring all the tom-toms, tin cans, and other noisy +instruments of any kind that could be found. As quickly as possible I +posted them in a half-circle round the thicket, and gave the head +jemadar instructions to start a simultaneous beating of the tom-toms +and cans as soon as he judged that I had had time to get round to the +other side. I then crept round by myself and soon found a good position +and one which the lion was most likely to retreat past, as it was in +the middle of a broad animal path leading straight from the place where +he was concealed. I lay down behind a small ant hill, and waited +expectantly. Very soon I heard a tremendous din being raised by the +advancing line of coolies, and almost immediately, to my intense joy, +out into the open path stepped a huge maneless lion. It was the first +occasion during all these trying months upon which I had had a fair +chance at one of these brutes, and my satisfaction at the prospect of +bagging him was unbounded. + +Slowly he advanced along the path, stopping every few seconds to look +round. I was only partially concealed from view, and if his attention +had not been so fully occupied by the noise behind him, he must have +observed me. As he was oblivious to my presence, however, I let him +approach to within about fifteen yards of me, and then covered him with +my rifle. The moment I moved to do this, he caught sight of me, and +seemed much astonished at my sudden appearance, for he stuck his +forefeet into the ground, threw himself back on his haunches and +growled savagely. As I covered his brain with my rifle, I felt that at +last I had him absolutely at my mercy, but .... never trust an +untried weapon! I pulled the trigger, and to my horror heard the dull +snap that tells of a misfire. + +Worse was to follow. I was so taken aback and disconcerted by this +untoward accident that I entirely forgot to fire the left barrel, and +lowered the rifle from my shoulder with the intention of reloading--if +I should be given time. Fortunately for me, the lion was so distracted +by the terrific din and uproar of the coolies behind him that instead +of springing on me, as might have been expected, he bounded aside into +the jungle again. By this time I had collected my wits, and just as he +jumped I let him have the left barrel. An answering angry growl told me +that he had been hit; but nevertheless he succeeded once more in +getting clear away, for although I tracked him for some little +distance, I eventually lost his trail in a rocky patch of ground. + +Bitterly did I anathematise the hour in which I had relied on a +borrowed weapon, and in my disappointment and vexation I abused owner, +maker, and rifle with fine impartiality. On extracting the unexploded +cartridge, I found that the needle had not struck home, the cap being +only slightly dented; so that the whole fault did indeed lie with the +rifle, which I later returned to Farquhar with polite compliments. +Seriously, however, my continued ill-luck was most exasperating; and +the result was that the Indians were more than ever confirmed in their +belief that the lions were really evil spirits, proof against mortal +weapons. Certainly, they did seem to bear charmed lives. + +After this dismal failure there was, of course, nothing to do but to +return to camp. Before doing so, however, I proceeded to view the dead +donkey, which I found to have been only slightly devoured it the +quarters. It is a curious fact that lions always begin at the tail of +their prey and eat upwards towards the head. As their meal had thus +been interrupted evidently at the very beginning, I felt pretty sure +that one or other of the brutes would return to the carcase at +nightfall. Accordingly, as there was no tree of any kind close at hand, +I had a staging erected some ten feet away from the body. This machan +was about twelve feet high and was composed of four poles stuck into +the ground and inclined towards each other at the top, where a plank +was lashed to serve as a seat. Further, as the nights were still pitch +dark, I had the donkey's carcase secured by strong wires to a +neighbouring stump, so that the lions might not be able to drag it away +before I could get a shot at them. + +At sundown, therefore, I took up my position on my airy perch, and much +to the disgust of my gun-bearer, Mahina, I decided to go alone. I would +gladly have taken him with me, indeed, but he had a bad cough, and I +was afraid lest he should make any involuntary noise or movement which +might spoil all. Darkness fell almost immediately, and everything +became extraordinarily still. The silence of an African jungle on a +dark night needs to be experienced to be realised; it is most +impressive, especially when one is absolutely alone and isolated from +one's fellow creatures, as I was then. The solitude and stillness, and +the purpose of my vigil, all had their effect on me, and from a +condition of strained expectancy I gradually fell into a dreamy mood +which harmonised well with my surroundings. Suddenly I was startled out +of my reverie by the snapping of a twig: and, straining my ears for a +further sound, I fancied I could hear the rustling of a large body +forcing its way through the bush. "The man-eater," I thought to myself; +"surely to-night my luck will change and I shall bag one of the +brutes." Profound silence again succeeded; I sat on my eyrie like a +statue, every nerve tense with excitement. Very soon, however, all +doubt as to the presence of the lion was dispelled. A deep long-drawn +sigh--sure sign of hunger--came up from the bushes, and the rustling +commenced again as he cautiously advanced. In a moment or two a sudden +stop, followed by an angry growl, told me that my presence had been +noticed; and I began to fear that disappointment awaited me once more. + +But no; matters quickly took an unexpected turn. The hunter became the +hunted; and instead of either making off or coming for the bait +prepared for him, the lion began stealthily to stalk me! For about two +hours he horrified me by slowly creeping round and round my crazy +structure, gradually edging his way nearer and nearer. Every moment I +expected him to rush it; and the staging had not been constructed with +an eye to such a possibility. If one of the rather flimsy poles should +break, or if the lion could spring the twelve feet which separated me +from the ground ... the thought was scarcely a pleasant one. I began +to feel distinctly "creepy," and heartily repented my folly in having +placed myself in such a dangerous position. I kept perfectly still, +however, hardly daring even to blink my eyes: but the long-continued +strain was telling on my nerves, and my feelings may be better imagined +than described when about midnight suddenly something came flop and +struck me on the back of the head. For a moment I was so terrified that +I nearly fell off the plank, as I thought that the lion had sprung on +me from behind. Regaining my senses in a second or two, I realised that +I had been hit by nothing more formidable than an owl, which had +doubtless mistaken me for the branch of a tree--not a very alarming +thing to happen in ordinary circumstances, I admit, but coming at the +time it did, it almost paralysed me. The involuntary start which I +could not help giving was immediately answered by a sinister growl from +below. + +After this I again kept as still as I could, though absolutely +trembling with excitement; and in a short while I heard the lion begin +to creep stealthily towards me. I could barely make out his form as he +crouched among the whitish undergrowth; but I saw enough for my +purpose, and before he could come any nearer, I took careful aim and +pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot was at once followed by a +most terrific roar, and then I could hear him leaping about in all +directions. I was no longer able to see him, however, as his first +bound had taken him into the thick bush; but to make assurance doubly +sure, I kept blazing away in the direction in which I heard him +plunging about. At length came a series of mighty groans, gradually +subsiding into deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether; and I felt +convinced that one of the "devils" who had so long harried us would +trouble us no more. + +As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring voices was borne +across the dark jungle from the men in camp about a quarter of a mile +away. I shouted back that I was safe and sound, and that one of the +lions was dead: whereupon such a mighty cheer went up from all the +camps as must have astonished the denizens of the jungle for miles +around. Shortly I saw scores of lights twinkling through the bushes: +every man in camp turned out, and with tom-toms beating and horns +blowing came running to the scene. They surrounded my eyrie, and to my +amazement prostrated themselves on the ground before me, saluting me +with cries of "Mabarak! Mabarak!" which I believe means "blessed one" +or "saviour." All the same, I refused to allow any search to be made +that night for the body of the lion, in case his companion might be +close by; besides, it was possible that he might be still alive, and +capable of making a last spring. Accordingly we all returned in triumph +to the camp, where great rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of +the night, the Swahili and other African natives celebrating the +occasion by an especially wild and savage dance. + +For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn; and even before it was +thoroughly light I was on my way to the eventful spot, as I could not +completely persuade myself that even yet the "devil" might not have +eluded me in some uncanny and mysterious way. Happily my fears proved +groundless, and I was relieved to find that my luck--after playing me +so many exasperating tricks--had really turned at last. I had scarcely +traced the blood for more than a few paces when, on rounding a bush, I +was startled to see a huge lion right in front of me, seemingly alive +and crouching for a spring. On looking closer, however, I satisfied +myself that he was really and truly stone-dead, whereupon my followers +crowded round, laughed and danced and shouted with joy like children, +and bore me in triumph shoulder-high round the dead body. These +thanksgiving ceremonies being over, I examined the body and found that +two bullets had taken effect--one close behind the left shoulder, +evidently penetrating the heart, and the other in the off hind leg. The +prize was indeed one to be proud of; his length from tip of nose to tip +of tail was nine feet eight inches, he stood three feet nine inches +high, and it took eight men to carry him back to camp. The only blemish +was that the skin was much scored by the boma thorns through which he +had so often forced his way in carrying off his victims. + +The news of the death of one of the notorious man-eaters soon spread +far and wide over the country: telegrams of congratulation came pouring +in, and scores of people flocked from up and down the railway to see +the skin for themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE DEATH OF THE SECOND MAN-EATER + + +It must not be imagined that with the death of this lion our troubles +at Tsavo were at an end; his companion was still at large, and very +soon began to make us unpleasantly aware of the fact. Only a few nights +elapsed before he made an attempt to get at the Permanent Way +Inspector, climbing up the steps of his bungalow and prowling round the +verandah. The Inspector, hearing the noise and thinking it was a +drunken coolie, shouted angrily "Go away!" but, fortunately for him, +did not attempt to come out or to open the door. Thus disappointed in +his attempt to obtain a meal of human flesh, the lion seized a couple +of the Inspector's goats and devoured them there and then. + +On hearing of this occurrence, I determined to sit up the next night +near the Inspector's bungalow. Fortunately there was a vacant iron +shanty close at hand, with a convenient loophole in it for firing from; +and outside this I placed three full-grown goats as bait, tying them to +a half-length of rail, weighing about 250 lbs. The night passed +uneventfully until just before daybreak, when at last the lion turned +up, pounced on one of the goats and made off with it, at the same time +dragging away the others, rail and all. I fired several shots in his +direction, but it was pitch dark and quite impossible to see anything, +so I only succeeded in hitting one of the goats. I often longed for a +flash-light on such occasions. + +Next morning I started off in pursuit and was joined by some others +from the camp. I found that the trail of the goats and rail was easily +followed, and we soon came up, about a quarter of a mile away, to where +the lion was still busy at his meal. He was concealed in some thick +bush and growled angrily on hearing our approach; finally, as we got +closer, he suddenly made a charge, rushing through the bushes at a +great pace. In an instant, every man of the party scrambled hastily up +the nearest tree, with the exception of one of my assistants, Mr. +Winkler, who stood steadily by me throughout. The brute, however, did +not press his charge home: and on throwing stones into the bushes where +we had last seen him, we guessed by the silence that he had slunk off. +We therefore advanced cautiously, and on getting up to the place +discovered that he had indeed escaped us, leaving two off the goats +scarcely touched. + +Thinking that in all probability the lion would return as usual to +finish his meal, I had a very strong scaffolding put up a few feet away +from the dead goats, and took up my position on it before dark. On this +occasion I brought my gun-bearer, Mahina, to take a turn at watching, +as I was by this time worn out for want of sleep, having spent so many +nights on the look-out. I was just dozing off comfortably when suddenly +I felt my arm seized, and on looking up saw Mahina pointing in the +direction of the goats. "Sher!" ("Lion!") was all he whispered. I +grasped my double smooth-bore, which, I had charged with slug, and +waited patiently. In a few moments I was rewarded, for as I watched the +spot where I expected the lion to appear, there was a rustling among +the bushes and I saw him stealthily emerge into the open and pass +almost directly beneath us. I fired both barrels practically together +into his shoulder, and to my joy could see him go down under the force +of the blow. Quickly I reached for the magazine rifle, but before I +could use it, he was out of sight among the bushes, and I had to fire +after him quite at random. Nevertheless I was confident of getting him +in the morning, and accordingly set out as soon as it was light. For +over a mile there was no difficulty in following the blood-trail, and +as he had rested several times I felt sure that he had been badly +wounded. In the end, however, my hunt proved fruitless, for after a +time the traces of blood ceased and the surface of the ground became +rocky, so that I was no longer able to follow the spoor. + +About this time Sir Guilford Molesworth, K.C.I.E., late Consulting +Engineer to the Government of India for State Railways, passed through +Tsavo on a tour of inspection on behalf of the Foreign Office. After +examining the bridge and other works and expressing his satisfaction, +he took a number of photographs, one or two of which he has kindly +allowed me to reproduce in this book. He thoroughly sympathised with us +in all the trials we had endured from the man-eaters, and was delighted +that one at least was dead. When he asked me if I expected to get the +second lion soon, I well remember his half-doubting smile as I rather +too confidently asserted that I hoped to bag him also in the course of +a few days. + +As it happened, there was no sign of our enemy for about ten days after +this, and we began to hope that he had died of his wounds in the bush. +All the same we still took every precaution at night, and it was +fortunate that we did so, as otherwise at least one more victim would +have been added to the list. For on the night of December 27, I was +suddenly aroused by terrified shouts from my trolley men, who slept in +a tree close outside my boma, to the effect that a lion was trying to +get at them. It would have been madness to have gone out, as the moon +was hidden by dense clouds and it was absolutely impossible to see +anything more than a yard in front of one; so all I could do was to +fire off a few rounds just to frighten the brute away. This apparently +had the desired effect, for the men were not further molested that +night; but the man-eater had evidently prowled about for some time, for +we found in the morning that he had gone right into every one of their +tents, and round the tree was a regular ring of his footmarks. + +The following evening I took up my position in this same tree, in the +hope that he would make another attempt. The night began badly, as, +while climbing up to my perch I very nearly put my hand on a venomous +snake which was lying coiled round one of the branches. As may be +imagined, I came down again very quickly, but one of my men managed to +despatch it with a long pole. Fortunately the night was clear and +cloudless, and the moon made every thing almost as bright as day. I +kept watch until about 2 a.m., when I roused Mahina to take his turn. +For about an hour I slept peacefully with my back to the tree, and then +woke suddenly with an uncanny feeling that something was wrong. Mahina, +however, was on the alert, and had seen nothing; and although I looked +carefully round us on all sides, I too could discover nothing unusual. +Only half satisfied, I was about to lie back again, when I fancied I +saw something move a little way off among the low bushes. On gazing +intently at the spot for a few seconds, I found I was not mistaken. It +was the man-eater, cautiously stalking us. + +The ground was fairly open round our tree, with only a small bush every +here and there; and from our position it was a most fascinating sight +to watch this great brute stealing stealthily round us, taking +advantage of every bit of cover as he came. His skill showed that he +was an old hand at the terrible game of man-hunting: so I determined to +run no undue risk of losing him this time. I accordingly waited until +he got quite close--about twenty yards away--and then fired my .303 at +his chest. I heard the bullet strike him, but unfortunately it had no +knockdown effect, for with a fierce growl he turned and made off with +great long bounds. Before he disappeared from sight, however, I managed +to have three more shots at him from the magazine rifle, and another +growl told me that the last of these had also taken effect. + +We awaited daylight with impatience, and at the first glimmer of dawn +we set out to hunt him down. I took a native tracker with me, so that I +was free to keep a good look-out, while Mahina followed immediately +behind with a Martini carbine. Splashes of blood being plentiful, we +were able to get along quickly; and we had not proceeded more than a +quarter of a mile through the jungle when suddenly a fierce warning +growl was heard right in front of us. Looking cautiously through the +bushes, I could see the man-eater glaring out in our direction, and +showing his tusks in an angry snarl. I at once took careful aim and +fired. Instantly he sprang out and made a most determined charge down +on us. I fired again and knocked him over; but in a second he was up +once more and coming for me as fast as he could in his crippled +condition. A third shot had no apparent effect, so I put out my hand +for the Martini, hoping to stop him with it. To my dismay, however, it +was not there. The terror of the sudden charge had proved too much for +Mahina, and both he and the carbine were by this time well on their way +up a tree. In the circumstances there was nothing to do but follow +suit, which I did without loss of time: and but for the fact that one +of my shots had broken a hind leg, the brute would most certainly have +had me. Even as it was, I had barely time to swing myself up out of his +reach before he arrived at the foot of the tree. + +When the lion found he was too late, he started to limp back to the +thicket; but by this time I had seized the carbine from Mahina, and the +first shot I fired from it seemed to give him his quietus, for he fell +over and lay motionless. Rather foolishly, I at once scrambled down +from the tree and walked up towards him. To my surprise and no little +alarm he jumped up and attempted another charge. This time, however, a +Martini bullet in the chest and another in the head finished him for +good and all; he dropped in his tracks not five yards away from me, and +died gamely, biting savagely at a branch which had fallen to the ground. + +By this time all the workmen in camp, attracted by the sound of the +firing, had arrived on the scene, and so great was their resentment +against the brute who had killed such numbers of their comrades that it +was only with the greatest difficulty that I could restrain them from +tearing the dead body to pieces. Eventually, amid the wild rejoicings +of the natives and coolies, I had the lion carried to my boma, which +was close at hand. On examination we found no less than six bullet +holes in the body, and embedded only a little way in the flesh of the +back was the slug which I had fired into him from the scaffolding about +ten days previously. He measured nine feet six inches from tip of nose +to tip of tail, and stood three feet eleven and a half inches high; +but, as in the case of his companion, the skin was disfigured by being +deeply scored all over by the boma thorns. + +The news of the death of the second "devil" soon spread far and wide +over the country, and natives actually travelled from up and down the +line to have a look at my trophies and at the "devil-killer", as they +called me. Best of all, the coolies who had absconded came flocking +back to Tsavo, and much to my relief work was resumed and we were never +again troubled by man-eaters. It was amusing, indeed, to notice the +change which took place in the attitude of the workmen towards me after +I had killed the two lions. Instead of wishing to murder me, as they +once did, they could not now do enough for me, and as a token of their +gratitude they presented me with a beautiful silver bowl, as well as +with a long poem written in Hindustani describing all our trials and my +ultimate victory. As the poem relates our troubles in somewhat quaint +and biblical language, I have given a translation of it in the +appendix. The bowl I shall always consider my most highly prized and +hardest won trophy. The inscription on it reads as follows:-- + + +SIR,--We, your Overseer, Timekeepers, Mistaris and Workmen, present you +with this bowl as a token of our gratitude to you for your bravery in +killing two man-eating lions at great risk to your own life, thereby +saving us from the fate of being devoured by these terrible monsters +who nightly broke into our tents and took our fellow-workers from our +side. In presenting you with this bowl, we all add our prayers for your +long life, happiness and prosperity. We shall ever remain, Sir, Your +grateful servants, + +Baboo PURSHOTAM HURJEE PURMAR, + Overseer and Clerk of Works, + on behalf of your Workmen. + Dated at Tsavo, January 30, 1899. + + +Before I leave the subject of "the man-eaters of Tsavo," it may be of +interest to mention that these two lions possess the distinction, +probably unique among wild animals, of having been specifically +referred to in the House of Lords by the Prime Minister of the day. +Speaking of the difficulties which had been encountered in the +construction of the Uganda Railway, the late Lord Salisbury said:-- + +"The whole of the works were put a stop to for three weeks because a +party of man-eating lions appeared in the locality and conceived a most +unfortunate taste for our porters. At last the labourers entirely +declined to go on unless they were guarded by an iron entrenchment. Of +course it is difficult to work a railway under these conditions, and +until we found an enthusiastic sportsman to get rid of these lions, our +enterprise was seriously hindered." + +Also, The Spectator of March 3, 1900, had an article entitled "The +Lions that Stopped the Railway," from which the following extracts are +taken:-- + +"The parallel to the story of the lions which stopped the rebuilding of +Samaria must occur to everyone, and if the Samaritans had quarter as +good cause for their fears as had the railway coolies, their wish to +propitiate the local deities is easily understood. If the whole body of +lion anecdote, from the days of the Assyrian Kings till the last year +of the nineteenth century, were collated and brought together, it would +not equal in tragedy or atrocity, in savageness or in sheer insolent +contempt for man, armed or unarmed, white or black, the story of these +two beasts. + +"To what a distance the whole story carries us back, and how impossible +it becomes to account for the survival of primitive man against this +kind of foe! For fire--which has hitherto been regarded as his main +safeguard against the carnivora--these cared nothing. It is curious +that the Tsavo lions were not killed by poison, for strychnine is +easily used, and with effect. (I may mention that poison was tried, but +without effect. The poisoned carcases of transport animals which had +died from the bite of the tsetse fly were placed in likely spots, but +the wily man-eaters would not touch them, and much preferred live men +to dead donkeys.) Poison may have been used early in the history of +man, for its powers are employed with strange skill by the men in the +tropical forest, both in American and West Central Africa. But there is +no evidence that the old inhabitants of Europe, or of Assyria or Asia +Minor, ever killed lions or wolves by this means. They looked to the +King or chief, or some champion, to kill these monsters for them. It +was not the sport but the duty of. Kings, and was in itself a title to +be a ruler of men. Theseus, who cleared the roads of beasts and +robbers; Hercules, the lion killer; St. George, the dragon-slayer, and +all the rest of their class owed to this their everlasting fame. From +the story of the Tsavo River we can appreciate their services to man +even at this distance of time. When the jungle twinkled with hundreds +of lamps, as the shout went on from camp to camp that the first lion +was dead, as the hurrying crowds fell prostrate in the midnight forest, +laying their heads on his feet, and the Africans danced savage and +ceremonial dances of thanksgiving, Mr. Patterson must have realised in +no common way what it was to have been a hero and deliverer in the days +when man was not yet undisputed lord of the creation, and might pass at +any moment under the savage dominion of the beasts." + +Well had the two man-eaters earned all this fame; they had devoured +between them no less than twenty-eight Indian coolies, in addition to +scores of unfortunate African natives of whom no official record was +kept. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE + + +When all the excitement had died down and there was no longer any dread +of the man-eaters, work went on briskly, and the bridge over the Tsavo +rapidly neared completion. As the piers and abutments progressed in +height, the question of how to lift the large stones into their +positions had to be solved. We possessed no cranes for this purpose, so +I set to work and improvised a shears made of a couple of thirty-foot +rails. These were bolted together at the top, while the other ends were +fixed at a distance of about ten feet apart in a large block of wood. +This contrivance acted capitally, and by manipulation of ropes and +pulleys the heavy stones were swung into position quickly and without +difficulty, so that in a very short time the masonry of the bridge was +completed. + +The next business was to span the sixty-foot distance between the piers +with iron girders. As I had neither winches nor sufficient blocks and +tackle to haul these over into position, I was driven to erect +temporary piers in the middle of each span, built up crib-shape of +wooden sleepers. Great wooden beams were stretched across from the +stone piers to these cribs, and laid with rails; and the girder was run +over its exact place, while still on the trucks in which it had been +brought up from the coast. It was next "jacked" up from the trucks, +which were hauled away empty, the temporary bridge was dismantled, and +the girder finally lowered gently into position. When the last girder +was thus successfully placed, no time was lost in linking up the +permanent way, and very soon I had the satisfaction of seeing the first +train cross the finished work. + +Curiously enough, only a day or so after the bridge had been completed +and the intermediate cribs cleared away, a tremendous rain-storm broke +over the country. The river started to rise rapidly, soon flooding its +banks and becoming a raging murky torrent, tearing up trees by the +roots and whirling them along like straws. Steadily higher and higher +rose the flood, and standing on my bridge, I watched expectantly for +the two temporary trolley bridges--which, it will be remembered, we had +built across the stream in order to bring stone and sand to the main +work--to give way before the ever-rising volume of water. Nor had I +long to wait; for I soon caught sight of a solid mass of palm stems and +railway sleepers sweeping with almost irresistible force round the bend +of the river some little distance above the bridge. This I knew was the +debris of the trolley crossing furthest up the river. On it came, and +with it an additional bank of stormy-looking water. I held my breath +for the space of a moment as it actually leaped at the second frail +structure; there was a dull thud and a rending and riving of timbers, +and then the flood rolled on towards me, leaving not a vestige of the +two bridges behind it. The impact, indeed, was so great that the rails +were twisted round the broken tree-trunks as if they had been so much +ordinary wire. The double tier of wreckage now swept forward, and +hurled itself with a sullen plunge against the cutwaters of my stone +piers. The shock was great, but to my immense satisfaction the bridge +took it without a tremor, and I saw the remnant of the temporary +crossings swirl through the great spans and quickly disappear on its +journey to the ocean. I confess that I witnessed the whole occurrence +with a thrill of pride. + +We were never long without excitement of some kind or another at Tsavo. +When the camp was not being attacked by man-eating lions, it was +visited by leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, wild cats, and other +inhabitants of the jungle around us. These animals did a great deal of +damage to the herds of sheep and goats which were kept to supply the +commissariat, and there was always great rejoicing when a capture was +made in one of the many traps that were laid for them. + +Leopards especially are most destructive, often killing simply for +pleasure and not for food: and I have always harboured animosity +towards them since the night when one wantonly destroyed a whole herd +of mine. I happened at the time to have a flock of about thirty sheep +and goats which I kept for food and for milk, and which were secured at +sundown in a grass hut at one corner of my boma. One particularly dark +night we were startled by a tremendous commotion in this shed, but as +this was before the man-eaters were killed, no one dared stir out to +investigate the cause of the disturbance. I naturally thought that the +intruder was one of the "demons," but all I could do was to fire +several shots in the direction of the hut, hoping to frighten him away. +In spite of these, however, it was some time before the noise died down +and everything became still again. As soon as it was dawn I went to the +shed to see what had happened, and there, to my intense anger, I found +every one of my sheep and goats lying stretched dead, on the ground +with its throat bitten through. A hole had been made through the frail +wall of the shed, and I saw from this and from the tracks all round +that the author of the wholesale slaughter had been a leopard. He had +not eaten one of the flock, but had killed them all out of pure love of +destruction. + +I hoped that he would return the next night to make a meal; and should +he do so, I determined to have my revenge. I accordingly left the +carcases exactly as they lay, and having a very powerful steel +trap--like an enormous rat-trap, and quite strong enough to hold a +leopard if he should put his foot in it--I placed this in the opening +into the shed and secured it by a stout chain to a long stake driven +into the ground outside. Darkness found everyone in my boma on the +alert and listening anxiously to hear the noise the leopard would make +the moment he was caught in the trap. Nor were we disappointed, for +about midnight we heard the click of the powerful spring, followed +immediately by frantic roaring and plunging. I had been sitting all +evening with my rifle by my side and a lantern lighted, so I +immediately rushed out, followed by the chaukidar (watchman) carrying +the lamp. As we approached the shed, the leopard made a frantic spring +in our direction as far as the chain would allow him, and this so +frightened the chaukidar that he fled in terror, leaving me in utter +darkness. The night was as black as had been the previous one, and I +could see absolutely nothing; but I knew the general direction in which +to fire and accordingly emptied my magazine at the beast. As far as I +could make out, he kept dodging in and out through the broken wall of +the goat-house; but in a short time my shots evidently told, as his +struggles ceased and all was still. I called out that he was dead, and +at once everyone in the boma turned out, bringing all the lanterns in +the place. With the others came my Indian overseer, who shouted that he +too wanted revenge, as some of the goats had belonged to him. Whereupon +he levelled his revolver at the dead leopard, and shutting his eyes +tightly, fired four shots in rapid succession. Naturally not one of +these touched the beast, but they caused considerable consternation +amongst the onlookers, who scattered rapidly to right and left. Next +morning a party of starving Wa Kamba happened to be passing just as I +was about to skin the leopard, and asked by means of signs to be +allowed to do the job for me and then to take the meat. I of course +assented to this proposal, and in a very few minutes the skin had been +neatly taken off, and the famishing natives began a ravenous meal on +the raw flesh. + +Wild dogs are also very destructive, and often caused great losses +among our sheep and goats. Many a night have I listened to these +animals hunting and harrying some poor creature of the wilds round my +camp; they never relinquish a chase, and will attack anything, man or +beast, when really driven by hunger. I was at Tsavo Station one +day--unfortunately without my rifle--when one of these dogs came up and +stood within about thirty yards of me. He was a fine-looking beast, +bigger than a collie, with jet-black hair and a white-tipped bushy +tail. I was very sorry that I had not brought my rifle, as I badly +wanted a specimen and never had another chance of obtaining one. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE SWAHILI AND OTHER NATIVE TRIBES + + +I have always been very keenly interested in the different native races +of Africa, and consequently availed myself of every opportunity of +studying their manners and customs. I had little scope for this at +Tsavo, however, as the district around us was practically uninhabited. +Still there was of course a good number of Swahili among my workmen, +together with a few Wa Kamba, Wa N'yam Wezi, and others, so I soon +became more or less acquainted with the habits of these tribes. The +Swahili live principally along the coast of British East Africa and at +Zanzibar. They are a mixed race, being the descendants of Arab fathers +and negro mothers. Their name is derived from the Arabic word suahil, +coast; but it has also been said, by some who have found them scarcely +so guileless as might have been expected, to be really a corruption of +the words sawa hili, that is, "those who cheat all alike." However that +may be, the men are as a rule of splendid physique and well qualified +for the calling that the majority of them follow, that of caravan +porters. They are a careless, light-hearted, improvident people, and +are very fond of all the good things of this world, enjoying them +thoroughly whenever they get the chance. Their life is spent in +journeying to and from the interior, carrying heavy loads of provisions +and trade-goods on the one journey, and returning with similar loads of +ivory or other products of the country. They are away for many months +at a time on these expeditions, and consequently--as they cannot spend +money on the march--they have a goodly number of rupees to draw on +their return to Mombasa. These generally disappear with wonderful +rapidity, and when no more fun can be bought, they join another caravan +and begin a new safari to the Great Lakes, or even beyond. Many a time +have I watched them trudging along the old caravan road which crossed +the Tsavo at a ford about half a mile from the railway station: here a +halt was always called, so that they might wash and bathe in the cool +waters of the river. + +Nothing ever seems to damp the spirits of the Swahili porter. Be his +life ever so hard, his load ever so heavy, the moment it is off his +back and he has disposed of his posho (food), he straightway forgets +all his troubles, and begins to laugh and sing and joke with his +fellows as if he were the happiest and luckiest mortal alive. Such was +my cook, Mabruki, and his merry laugh was quite infectious. I remember +that one day he was opening a tin of biscuits for me, and not being +able to pull off the under-lid with his fingers, he seized the flap in +his magnificent teeth and tugged at it. I shouted to him to stop, +thinking that he might break a tooth; but he misunderstood my +solicitude and gravely assured me that he would not spoil the tin! + +The Swahili men wear a long white cotton garment, like a night-shirt, +called a kanzu; the women--who are too liberally endowed to be entirely +graceful--go about with bare arms and shoulders, and wear a long +brightly-coloured cloth which they wind tightly round their bosoms and +then allow to fall to the feet. All are followers of the Prophet, and +their social customs are consequently much the same as those of any +other Mohammedan race, though with a good admixture of savagedom. They +have a happy knack of giving a nickname to every European with whom +they have to do, such nickname generally making reference to something +peculiar or striking in his habits, temper, or appearance. On the +whole, they are a kindly, generous folk, whom one cannot help liking. + +Of the many tribes which are to be seen about the railway on the way up +from the coast, perhaps the most extraordinary-looking are the Wa +Nyika, the people who inhabit the thorny nyika (wilderness) which +borders on the Taru Desert. They are exceedingly ugly and of a low +type. The men wear nothing in the way of dress but a scanty and very +dirty cloth thrown over the shoulders, while the women attire +themselves only in a short kilt which is tied round them very low at +the waist. Both men and women adorn themselves with brass chains round +the neck and coils of copper and iron wire round the arms. + +The nearest native inhabitants to Tsavo are the Wa Taita, who dwell in +the mountains near N'dii, some thirty miles away. My work often took me +to this place, and on one of my visits, finding myself with some spare +time on my hands, I set out to pay a long promised visit to the +District Officer. A fairly good road ran from N'dii Station to his +house at the foot of the mountains, about four miles away, and on my +arrival I was not only most hospitably entertained but was also +introduced to M'gogo, the Head Chief of the Wa Taita, who had just come +in for a shauri (consultation) about some affair of State. The old +fellow appeared delighted to meet me, and promptly invited me to his +kraal, some way up the hills. I jumped at the prospect of seeing the Wa +Taita at home, so presently off we started on our heavy climb, my +Indian servant, Bhawal, coming with us. After a couple of hours' steady +scramble up a steep and slippery goatpath, we arrived at M'gogo's +capital, where I was at once introduced to his wives, who were busily +engaged in making pombe (a native fermented drink) in the hollowed-out +stump of a tree. I presented one of them with an orange for her child, +but she did not understand what it was for on tasting it she made a wry +face and would not eat it. Still she did not throw it away, but +carefully put it into a bag with her other treasures--doubtless for +future investigation. As soon as the women saw Bhawal, however, he +became the centre of attraction, and I was eclipsed. He happened to +have on a new puggaree, with lots of gold work on it, and this took +their fancy immensely; they examined every line most carefully and went +into ecstasies over it--just as their European sisters would have done +over the latest Parisian creation. + +We made a short halt for rest and refreshment, and then started again +on our journey to the top of the hills. After a stiff climb for another +two hours, part of it through a thick black forest, we emerged on the +summit, where I found I was well rewarded for my trouble by the +magnificent views we obtained on all sides. The great Kilima N'jaro +stood out particularly well, and made a very effective background to +the fine panorama. I was surprised to find a number of well-fed cattle +on the mountain top, but I fancy M'gogo thought I was casting an evil +spell over them when he saw me taking photographs of them as they +grazed peacefully on the sweet grass which covered the plateau. + +Like most other natives of Africa, the Wa Taita are exceedingly +superstitious, and this failing is turned to good account by the +all-powerful "witch-doctor" or "medicine-man." It is, for instance, an +extraordinary sight to see the absolute faith with which a Ki Taita +will blow the simba-dawa, or "lion medicine ", to the four points of +the compass before lying down to sleep in the open. This dawa--which +is, of course, obtainable only from the witch-doctor--consists simply +of a little black powder, usually carried in a tiny horn stuck through +a slit in the ear; but the Ki Taita firmly believes that a few grains +of this dust blown round him from the palm of the hand is a complete +safeguard against raging lions seeking whom they may devour; and after +the blowing ceremony he will lie down to sleep in perfect confidence, +even in the midst of a man-eater's district. In the nature of things, +moreover, he never loses this touching faith in the efficacy of the +witch-doctor's charm; for if he is attacked by a lion, the brute sees +to it that he does not live to become an unbeliever, while if he is not +attacked, it is of course quite clear that it is to the dawa that he +owes his immunity. + +For the rest, the Wa Taita are essentially a peace-loving and +industrious people; and, indeed, before the arrival of the British in +the country, they hardly ever ventured down from their mountain +fastnesses, owing to their dread of the warlike Masai. Each man has as +many wives as he can afford to pay for in sheep or cattle; he provides +each spouse with a separate establishment, but the family huts are +clustered together, and as a rule all live in perfect harmony. The most +curious custom of the tribe is the filing of the front teeth into sharp +points, which gives the whole face a most peculiar and rather +diabolical expression. As usual, their ideas of costume are rather +primitive; the men sometimes wear a scrap of cloth round the loins, +while the women content themselves with the same or with a short kilt. +Both sexes adorn themselves with a great quantity of copper or iron +wire coiled round their arms and legs, and smear their bodies all over +with grease, the men adding red clay to the mixture. Many of the women +also wear dozens of rows of beads, while their ears are hung with +pieces of chain and other fantastic ornaments. The men always carry +bows and poisoned arrows, as well as a seemie (a short, +roughly-fashioned sword) hung on a leathern thong round the waist. A +three-legged stool is also an important part of their equipment, and is +slung on the shoulder when on the march. + +The next people met with on the road to the Great Lakes are the Wa +Kamba, who inhabit the Ukambani province, and may be seen from M'toto +Andei to the Athi River. They are a very large tribe, but have little +cohesion, being split up, into many clans under chiefs who govern in a +patriarchal kind of way. In appearance and dress--or the want of +it--they are very like the Wa Taita, and they have the same custom of +filing the front teeth. As a rule, too, they are a peace-loving people, +though when driven to it by hunger they will commit very cruel and +treacherous acts of wholesale murder. While the railway was being +constructed, a severe famine occurred in their part of the country, +when hundreds of them died of starvation. During this period they +several times swooped down on isolated railway maintenance gangs and +utterly annihilated them, in order to obtain possession of the food +which they knew would be stored in the camps. These attacks were always +made by night. Like most other native races in East Africa, their only +arms are the bow and poisoned arrow, but in the use of these primitive +weapons they are specially expert. The arrow-head remains in the flesh +when the shaft is withdrawn, and if the poison is fresh, paralysis and +death very quickly follow, the skin round the wound turning yellow and +mortifying within an hour or two. This deadly poison is obtained, I +believe, by boiling down a particular root, the arrow-heads being +dipped in the black, pitchy-looking essence which remains. I am glad to +say, however, that owing to the establishment of several Mission +Stations amongst them, the Wa Kamba are quickly becoming the most +civilised natives in the country; and the missionaries have adopted the +sensible course of teaching the people husbandry and the practical arts +and crafts of everyday life, in addition to caring for their spiritual +needs. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO + + +During my stay at Tsavo I made many little excursions into the +surrounding country, and used to go off on a short shooting and +exploring expedition whenever I had the opportunity. I was especially +anxious to bag a hippopotamus, so I made up my mind to try my luck on +the banks of the Sabaki. Unfortunately, I possessed no heavy rifle, +which is almost a necessity for hippo shooting, but it occurred to me +to supply the deficiency by manufacturing a few cartridges for my +smoothbore. In these I had double charges of powder and a hardened +bullet made of lead mixed with about an eighth part of tin. I well +remember the anxiety with which I fired the first round of my home-made +ammunition. As I more than half expected that the barrel would burst, I +lashed the gun in the fork of a tree, tied a piece of string a hundred +feet long to the trigger, and then--taking shelter behind a friendly +stump--pulled off. To my great satisfaction the barrel stood the test +perfectly. More than that, on trying the penetrative effect of my +bullets, I found that they would smash through a steel plate an eighth +of an inch thick at thirty yards' range. This was quite good enough for +my purpose, and gave me great confidence in the weapon. All the same, I +had a very narrow escape one day while manufacturing some of this +ammunition. My plan was to remove the shot from the cartridge, put in +the additional powder, and ram this well in before replacing the wad +and putting in the bullet. I had clamped my refilling machine to my +rough-hewn table, and was stamping the double charge of powder well +down into the cartridge, when suddenly, for some unknown reason, the +whole charge exploded right into my face. Everything became pitch dark +to me, and I groped my way about the little hut in agony of mind as +well as of body, for I thought I had been blinded. I am thankful to +say, however, that gleams of light soon began to return to my eyes, and +in a few hours' time I was almost all right again and able to go on +with my cartridge making. + +All my preparations having been made, I set out for the Sabaki, taking +with me my Indian gun-bearer Mahina, my cook Mabruki, a bhisti +(water-carrier), and a couple of natives to carry our odds and ends. On +these occasions I usually took no tent, but bivouacked in the open. We +took some bread and a few tinned provisions with us, but I could always +depend upon getting a paa, guinea-fowl, partridge or rock-rabbit for +the larder on the march. These rock-rabbits are more like big rats than +rabbits, and are found in great numbers among the rocks along the banks +of the rivers. They are not at all bad eating, but the Swahili will not +touch them. They call them tupu (shameless, naked things), owing to +their lack of a tail, of which indeed they possess not even a vestige. + +Our route lay by the always interesting Tsavo River. Along the banks +everything within reach of its moisture is delightfully fresh and +green. Palms and other trees, festooned with brilliant flowering +creepers, flourish along its course; all kinds of monkeys chatter and +jabber in the shade overhead as they swing themselves from branch to +branch, while birds of the most gorgeous plumage flutter about, giving +a very tropical aspect to the scene. On the other hand, if one is +tempted to stray away from the river, be it only for a few yards, one +comes immediately into the parched, thorny wilderness of stunted, +leafless trees. Here the sun beats down pitilessly, and makes the nyika +of the Tsavo valley almost intolerable. The river has its source at the +foot of snow-crowned Kilima N'jaro, whence it flows for about eighty +miles in a northerly direction until it joins the Athi River, about +seven miles below Tsavo Station. From this point the united streams +take the name of Sabaki and flow more or less eastwards until they +reach the Indian Ocean at Malindi, some seventy miles north of Mombasa. + +A narrow and tortuous Masai warpath winds along its whole length, but +although we followed this trail our journey was nevertheless a very +slow one, owing to the overhanging branches and creepers, from which we +had constantly to be disengaged. The march was full of interest, +however, for it was not long before we came upon fresh tracks both of +hippo and rhino. Every now and again, also, we caught glimpses of +startled bush-buck and water-buck, while occasionally the sound of a +splash in the water told of a wary crocodile. We had gone about half +the distance to the Sabaki when we came upon an unexpected obstacle in +the shape of a great ridge of barren, rugged rock, about a hundred feet +high, which extended for about a mile or so on both banks of the river. +The sides of this gorge went sheer down into the water, and were quite +impossible to scale. I therefore determined to make a detour round it, +but Mahina was confident that he could walk along in the river itself. +I hinted mildly at the possibility of there being crocodiles under the +rocky ledges. Mahina declared, however, that there was no danger, and +making a bundle of his lower garments, he tied it to his back and +stepped into the water. For a few minutes all went well. Then, in an +instant, he was lifted right off his feet by the rush of the water and +whirled away. The river took a sharp bend in this gorge, and he was +round it and out of our sight in no time, the last glimpse we caught of +him showing him vainly trying to catch hold of an overhanging branch. +Although we at once made all the haste we could to get round the ridge +of rocks, it took us nearly half an hour to do it. I had almost given +up hope of ever seeing Mahina again, and was much relieved, therefore, +when we reached the river-side once more, to find him safe and sound, +and little the worse for his adventure. Luckily he had been dashed up +against a rushy bank, and had managed to scramble out with no more +serious damage than a bruised shin. + +Eventually we arrived at the junction of the rivers and proceeded some +way down the Sabaki, beside which the Tsavo looks very insignificant. +Several islands are dotted about in mid-stream and are overgrown with +tall reeds and rushes, in which hippo find capital covert all the year +round. As with the Tsavo, the banks of the Sabaki are lined with trees +of various kinds, affording most welcome shade from the heat of the +sun: and skirting the river is a caravan road from the interior--still +used, I believe, for smuggling slaves and ivory to the coast, where +dhows are in readiness to convey them to Persia or Arabia. + +After an early dinner, which Mabruki soon got ready, I left my +followers encamped in a safe boma a mile away from the river, and +started out with Mahina to find a suitable tree, near a hippo "run", in +which to spend the night. Having some difficulty in finding a likely +spot, we crossed to the other side of the river--rather a risky thing +to do on account of the number of crocodiles in it: we found a fairly +shallow ford, however, and managed to get safely over. Here, on what +was evidently an island during flood time, we found innumerable traces +of both hippo and rhino--in fact the difficulty was to decide which +track was the best and freshest. At length I picked out a tree close to +the river and commanding a stretch of sand which was all flattened down +and looked as if at least one hippo rolled there regularly every night. + +As there was still about an hour before sundown, we did not take up our +station at once, but proceeded along the bank to see if any other game +was about. We had not gone very far when Mahina, who was a little way +ahead, signalled to me, and on joining him I saw a splendid-looking +water-buck standing in a shallow pool of the river. It was the first +time I had seen one of these fine antelope, and I was delighted with +the sight. I might have got twenty yards or so nearer, but I thought I +had better not risk moving, so I aimed at the shoulder and fired. The +buck gave one leap into the air, and then turned and galloped quickly +behind an island which completely hid him from view. We waited for him +to clear the rushes at the other end of this island, but as he did not +appear I got impatient and plunged into the river, regardless of +crocodiles or anything else. On rounding the island, however, he was +nowhere to be seen, and had evidently turned off while in the shelter +of the reeds and so gained the opposite bank. I was keenly disappointed +at my failure, for it was impossible to follow him up: to do so we +should have had to make a long detour to get across the river, and by +that time darkness would have set in. This incident shows the great +drawback to the .303--namely, that it has very little knock-down effect +unless it strikes a vital part; and even then, in a bush country, an +animal may manage to go far enough to be lost. On the other hand, an +animal wounded with a hard bullet is likely to make a speedy recovery, +which is a great blessing. + +Mahina was even more upset at the escape of the buck than I was, and as +we trudged back through the sand to our tree, he was full of gloomy +forebodings of an unlucky night. By the light of a splendid full moon +we settled ourselves on a great outspreading branch, and commenced our +vigil. Soon the jungle around us began to be alive with its peculiar +sounds--a night bird would call, a crocodile shut his jaws with a snap, +or a rhino or hippo crash through the bushes on its way to the water: +now and again we could even hear the distant roar of the lion. Still +there was nothing to be seen. + +After waiting for some considerable time, a great hippo at last made +his appearance and came splashing along in our direction, but +unfortunately took up his position behind a tree which, in the most +tantalising way, completely hid him from view. Here he stood tooting +and snorting and splashing about to his heart's content. For what +seemed hours I watched for this ungainly creature to emerge from his +covert, but as he seemed determined not to show himself I lost patience +and made up my mind to go down after him. I therefore handed my rifle +to Mahina to lower to me on reaching the ground, and began to descend +carefully, holding on by the creepers which encircled the tree. To my +intense vexation and disappointment, just as I was in this helpless +condition, half-way to the ground, the great hippo suddenly came out +from his shelter and calmly lumbered along right underneath me. I +bitterly lamented my ill-luck and want of patience, for I could almost +have touched his broad back as he passed. It was under these +exasperating conditions that I saw a hippo for the first time, and +without doubt he is the ugliest and most forbidding looking brute I +have ever beheld. + +The moment the great beast had passed our tree, he scented us, snorted +loudly, and dived into the bushes close by, smashing through them like +a traction engine. In screwing myself round to watch him go, I broke +the creepers by which I was holding on and landed on my back in the +sand at the foot of the tree--none the worse for my short drop, but +considerably startled at the thought that the hippo might come back at +any moment. I climbed up to my perch again without loss of time, but he +was evidently as much frightened as I was, and returned no more. +Shortly after this we saw two rhino come down to the river to drink; +they were too far off for a shot, however, so I did not disturb them, +and they gradually waddled up-stream out of sight. Then we heard the +awe-inspiring roar of a hungry lion close by, and presently another +hippo gave forth his tooting challenge a little way down the river. As +there seemed no likelihood of getting a shot at him from our tree, I +made up my mind to stalk him on foot, so we both descended from our +perch and made our way slowly through the trees in the semi-darkness. +There were numbers of animals about, and I am sure that neither of us +felt very comfortable as we crept along in the direction of the +splashing hippo; for my own part I fancied every moment that I saw in +front of me the form of a rhino or a lion ready to charge down upon us +out of the shadow of the bush. + +In this manner, with nerves strung to the highest pitch, we reached the +edge of the river in safety, only to find that we were again baulked by +a small rush-covered island, on the other side of which our quarry +could be heard. There was a good breeze blowing directly from him, +however, so I thought the best thing to do was to attempt to get on to +the island and to have a shot at him from there. Mahina, too, was eager +for the fray, so we let ourselves quietly into the water, which here +was quite shallow and reached only to our knees, and waded slowly +across. On peering cautiously through the reeds at the corner of the +island, I was surprised to find that I could see nothing of the hippo; +but I soon realised that I was looking too far ahead, for on lowering +my eyes there he was, not twenty-five yards away, lying down in the +shallow water, only half covered and practically facing us. His +closeness to us made me rather anxious for our safety, more especially +as just then he rose to his feet and gave forth the peculiar challenge +or call which we had already heard so often during the night. All the +same, as he raised his head, I fired at it. He whirled round, made a +plunge forward, staggered and fell, and then lay quite still. To make +assurance doubly sure, I gave him a couple more bullets as he lay, but +we found afterwards that they were not needed, as my first shot had +been a very lucky one and had penetrated the brain. We left him where +he fell and got back to our perch, glad and relieved to be in safety +once more. + +As soon as it was daylight we were joined by my own men and by several +Wa Kamba, who had been hunting in the neighbourhood. The natives cut +out the tusks of the hippo, which were rather good ones, and feasted +ravenously on the flesh, while I turned my attention with gratitude to +the hot coffee and cakes which Mabruki had meanwhile prepared. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A DAY ON THE N'DUNGU ESCARPMENT + + +Immediately after breakfast camp was struck, and accompanied by a few +of the Wa Kamba, we started off for the N'dungu Escarpment--a frowning +ridge which runs for a great distance parallel to the Sabaki, some +three or four miles from its northern bank. We had not gone very far +before I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and successfully bowled him +over--a good omen for the day, which put us all in excellent spirits. +Mabruki cut off several strips of the tough meat and impaled them on a +sharp stick to dry in the sun as he went along. I warned him that he +had better be careful that a lion did not scent the meat, as if it did +it would be sure to follow up and kill him. Of course I did not mean +this seriously; but Mabruki was a great glutton, and by no means +courageous, so I wanted to frighten him. + +As we trudged along towards the hill, I heard a peculiar noise behind a +small rising on our right, and on looking over the crest, I was +delighted to see two beautiful giraffe feeding peacefully a little +distance away and straining their long necks to get at the tops of some +mimosa-like trees, while a young one was lying down in the grass quite +close to me. For some time I remained concealed, watching the +full-grown pair with great interest: they had evidently just come up +from the river, and were slowly making their way back to their home on +the escarpment. They seemed on the most affectionate terms, +occasionally entwining their great long necks and gently biting each +other on the shoulders. Much as I should have liked to have added a +giraffe to my collection of trophies, I left them undisturbed, as I +think it a pity to shoot these rather rare and very harmless creatures, +unless one is required for a special purpose. + +We pushed on, accordingly, towards the escarpment, for I was very +impatient to get to the top and explore a place where I felt convinced +no other white man had ever set foot. From the river the ground rose +gently upwards to the foot of the ridge, and was covered more or less +densely with stunted trees and bushes, and of course the inevitable +"wait-a-bit" thorns. I was fortunate enough, however, to find a rhino +path which afforded a fairly comfortable and open road, on which we +could walk upright the greater part of the way. The climb up the +escarpment itself was a stiff one, and had to be negotiated principally +on all-fours, but on the way up I discovered that there was an enormous +cleft some miles to the right which would probably have afforded an +easier ascent. I had not time to explore it on this particular day, but +I made a mental note to do so on some future occasion. + +After a two hours' journey from the river we sat panting on the summit +after our scramble and surveyed the valley of the Tsavo, which lay +spread out like a map about five hundred feet below us. Our home tents, +the bridge, Tsavo Station and other buildings were plainly visible, and +the railway itself, like a shining snake, could be seen for many miles +winding its way through the parched wilderness. Having taken a few +photographs of the scene, we turned and struck through the N'dungu +Plateau. Here I found the same kind of nyika as that round Tsavo, the +only difference being that there were more green trees about. The +country, moreover, was somewhat more open, and was intersected by +hundreds of broad and well-beaten animal paths, along which we could +walk upright in comfort. I was leading the way, followed closely by +Mahina and Mabruki, when suddenly we almost walked upon a lion which +was lying down at the side of the path and which had probably been +asleep. It gave a fierce growl and at once bounded off through the +bush; but to Mabruki--who doubtless recalled then the warning I had +given him in fun earlier in the day--the incident appeared so alarming +that he flung down his stick-load of meat and fled for his life, much +to the amusement of the others, even the usually silent Wa Kamba +joining in the general laughter as they scrambled for the discarded +meat. We saw nothing more of the lion, though a few steps further on +brought us to the remains of a zebra which he had recently killed and +feasted on; but after this Mabruki kept carefully in the rear. +Curiously enough, only a short while later we had an exactly similar +adventure with a rhino, as owing to the tortuous nature of the path, we +walked right into it before we were aware. Like the lion, however, it +was more frightened than we, and charged away from us through the +jungle. + +For about two hours we pursued our journey into the plateau, and saw +and heard a wonderful variety of game, including giraffe, rhino, +bush-buck, the lesser kudu, zebra, wart-hog, baboons and monkeys, and +any number of paa, the last being of a redder colour than those of the +Tsavo valley. Of natives or of human habitations, however, we saw no +signs, and indeed the whole region was so dry and waterless as to be +quite uninhabitable. The animals that require water have to make a +nightly journey to and from the Sabaki, which accounts for the +thousands of animal paths leading from the plateau to the river. + +By this time we were all beginning to feel very tired, and the bhisti's +stock of water was running low. I therefore climbed the highest tree I +could find in order to have a good look round, but absolutely nothing +could I see in any direction but the same flat thorny wilderness, +interspersed here and there with a few green trees; not a landmark of +any sort or kind as far as the eye could reach; a most hopeless, +terrible place should one be lost in it, with certain death either by +thirst or by savage beasts staring one in the face. Clearly, then, the +only thing to do was to return to the river; and in order to accomplish +this before dark it was necessary that no time should be lost. But we +had been winding in and out so much through the animal paths that it +was no easy matter to say in which direction the Sabaki lay. First I +consulted my Wa Kamba followers as to the route back, they simply shook +their heads. Then I asked Mahina, who pointed out a direction exactly +opposite to that which I felt confident was the right one. Mabruki, of +course, knew nothing, but volunteered the helpful and cheering +information that we were lost and would all be killed by lions. In +these circumstances, I confirmed my own idea as to our way by comparing +my watch and the sun, and gave the order to start at once. For two +solid hours, however, we trudged along in the fearful heat without +striking a single familiar object or landmark. Mabruki murmured loudly; +even Mahina expressed grave doubts as to whether the "Sahib" had taken +the right direction; only the Wa Kamba stalked along in reassuring +silence. For some time we had been following a broad white rhino path, +and the great footmarks, of one of these beasts were fresh and plainly +visible in the dust. He had been travelling in the opposite direction +to us, and I felt sure that he must have been returning from drinking +in the river. I accordingly insisted on our keeping to this path, and +very soon, to my great relief, we found that we were at the edge of the +escarpment, a couple of miles away from the place where we had made the +ascent. Here a halt was called; a sheet was spread over some of the +stunted trees, and under its shade we rested for half an hour, had some +food, and drank the last of our water. After this we pushed on with +renewed vigour, and arrived at the Sabaki in good time before sundown, +having bagged a couple of guinea-fowl and a paa on the way to serve for +dinner. After the long and fatiguing day my bathe in a clear shady pool +was a real delight, but I might not have enjoyed it quite so much if I +had known then of the terrible fate which awaited one of my followers +in the same river the next day. By the time I got back to camp supper +was ready and fully appreciated. The tireless Mahina had also collected +some dry grass for my bed, and I turned in at once, with my rifle +handy, and slept the sleep of the just, regardless of all the wild +beasts in Africa. + +At dawn Mabruki roused me with a cup of steaming hot coffee and some +biscuits, and a start was at once made on our return journey to Tsavo. +The place where we had struck the Sabaki the previous evening was some +miles further down the stream than I had ever been before, so I decided +to take advantage of the Masai trail along its bank until the Tsavo +River was reached. I did not think we should meet with any further +adventure on our way home, but in the wilds the unexpected is always +happening. Shortly after we started one of the Wa Kamba went down to +the river's edge to fill his calabash with water, when a crocodile +suddenly rose up out of the stream, seized the poor fellow and in a +moment had dragged him in. I was on ahead at the time and so did not +witness the occurrence, but on hearing the cries of the others I ran +back as quickly as possible--too late, however, to see any sign of +either crocodile or native. Mahina philosophically remarked that after +all it was only a washenzi (savage), whose loss did not much matter; +and the other three Wa Kamba certainly did not appear to be affected by +the incident, but calmly possessed themselves of their dead companion's +bow and quiver of poisoned arrows, and of the stock of meat which he +had left on the bank. + +I have since learned that accidents of this kind are of fairly frequent +occurrence along the banks of these rivers. On one occasion while I was +in the country a British officer had a very lucky escape. He was +filling his water bottle at the river, when one of these brutes caught +him by the hand and attempted to draw him in. Fortunately one of his +servants rushed to his assistance and managed to pull him out of the +crocodile's clutches with the loss only of two of his fingers. + +As we made our way up the Sabaki, we discovered a beautiful waterfall +about a hundred and fifty feet high--not a sheer drop, but a series of +cascades. At this time the river was in low water, and the falls +consequently did not look their best; but in flood time they form a +fine sight, and the thunder of the falling water can then be plainly +heard at Tsavo, over seven miles away, when the wind is in the right +direction. We crossed the river on the rocks at the head of these +falls, and after some hours' hard marching reached camp without further +incident. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE FINDING OF THE MAN-EATERS' DEN + + +There were some rocky-looking hills lying to the south-west of Tsavo +which I was particularly anxious to explore, so on one occasion when +work had been stopped for the day owing to lack of material, I set off +for them, accompanied by Mahina and a Punjaubi coolie, who was so stout +that he went by the name of Moota (i.e. "Fattie"). In the course of my +little excursions round Tsavo I gradually discovered that I was nearly +always able to make my way to any required point of the compass by +following certain well-defined animal paths, which I mapped out bit by +bit during my explorations. On this occasion, for instance, as soon as +we had crossed the river and had struck into the jungle, we were +fortunate enough to find a rhino path leading in the right direction, +which greatly facilitated our progress. As we were making our way along +this path through the dry bed of a nullah, I happened to notice that +the sandy bottom sparkled here and there where the sunbeams penetrated +the dense foliage. This at once filled my head with thoughts of +precious stones, and as the spot looked likely enough, I started to dig +vigorously at the gravel with my hunting knife. After a few minutes of +this work, I came across what I at first took to be a magnificent +diamond sparkling in the damp sand: it was about half an inch long, and +its facets looked as if they had been cut by an Amsterdam expert. I +tested the stone on my watch glass and found that it cut my initials +quite easily, and though I knew that quartz would do this as well, it +did not seem to me to have either the general appearance or angles of +any quartz I had ever seen. For a moment or two I was greatly delighted +with my discovery, and began to have rosy dreams of a diamond mine; but +I am sorry to say that on closer examination and testing I was forced +to the conclusion that my find was not a diamond, though unlike any +other mineral I had ever come across. + +My hopes of rapidly becoming a millionaire having thus been dashed to +the ground, we proceeded on our way, getting further and further into +the depths of a gloomy forest. A little distance on, I noticed through +a break in the trees a huge rhino standing in full view near the edge +of a ravine. Unfortunately he caught sight of us as well, and before I +could take aim, he snorted loudly and crashed off through the tangled +undergrowth. As I followed up this ravine, walking stealthily along in +the delightful shade of the overhanging palms, I observed on my left a +little nullah which opened out of the main channel through a confused +mass of jungle and creeper. Through this tangle there was a +well-defined archway, doubtless made by the regular passage of rhino +and hippo, so I decided to enter and explore what lay beyond. I had not +gone very far when I came upon a big bay scooped out of the bank by the +stream when in flood and carpeted with a deposit of fine, soft sand, in +which were the indistinct tracks of numberless animals. In one corner +of this bay, close under an overhanging tree, stood a little sandy +hillock, and on looking over the top of this I saw on the other side a +fearsome-looking cave which seemed to run back for a considerable +distance under the rocky bank. Round the entrance and inside the cavern +I was thunderstruck to find a number of human bones, with here and +there a copper bangle such as the natives wear. Beyond all doubt, the +man-eaters' den! In this manner, and quite by accident, I stumbled upon +the lair of these once-dreaded "demons", which I had spent so many days +searching for through the exasperating and interminable jungle during +the time when they terrorised Tsavo. I had no inclination to explore +the gloomy depths of the interior, but thinking that there might +possibly still be a lioness or cub inside, I fired a shot or two into +the cavern through a hole in the roof. Save for a swarm of bats, +nothing came out; and after taking a photograph of the cave, I gladly +left the horrible spot, thankful that the savage and insatiable brutes +which once inhabited it were no longer at large. + +Retracing my steps to the main ravine, I continued my journey along it. +After a little while I fancied I saw a hippo among some tall rushes +growing on the bank, and quickly signed to Mahina and Moota to stay +perfectly still. I then made a careful stalk, only to discover, after +all my trouble, that my eyes had deceived me and made me imagine a +black bank and a few rushes to be a living animal. We now left the bed +of the ravine, and advanced along the top. This turned out to be a good +move, for soon we heard the galloping of a herd of some animal or other +across our front. I rushed round a corner in the path a few yards +ahead, and crouching under the bushes saw a line of startled zebras +flying past. This was the first time I had seen these beautifully +marked animals in their wild state, so I selected the largest and +fired, and as I was quite close to them he dropped in his tracks +stone-dead. When I stood over the handsome creature I was positively +sorry for having killed him. Not so Moota, however, who rushed up in +ecstasy, and before I could stop him had cut his throat. This was done, +as he remarked, "to make the meat lawful," for Moota was a devout +follower of the Prophet, and no true Mohammedan will eat the flesh of +any animal unless the throat has been cut at the proper place and the +blood allowed to flow. This custom has often caused me great annoyance, +for Mohammedan followers rush in so quickly when an animal is shot and +cut the head off so short that it is afterwards quite useless as a +trophy. + +By the time the zebra was skinned, darkness was fast approaching, so we +selected a suitable tree in which to pass the night. Under it we built +a goodly fire, made some tea, and roasted a couple of quails which I +had shot early in the day and which proved simply delicious. We then +betook ourselves to the branches--at least, Mahina and I did; Moota was +afraid of nothing, and said he would sleep on the ground. He was not so +full of courage later on, however, for about midnight a great rhino +passed our way, winded us and snorted so loudly that Moota scrambled in +abject terror up our tree. He was as nimble as a monkey for all his +stoutness, and never ceased climbing until he was far above us. We both +laughed heartily at his extraordinary haste to get out of danger, and +Mahina chaffed him unmercifully. + +The rest of the night passed without incident, and in the early +morning, while the boys were preparing breakfast, I strolled off +towards the rocky hills which I had seen from Tsavo, and which were now +only about half a mile distant. I kept a sharp look-out for game, but +came across nothing save here and there a paa and a few guinea-fowl, +until, just as I was about half-way round the hill, I saw a fine +leopard lying on a rocky ledge basking in the morning sun. But he was +too quick for me, and made off before I could get a shot; I had not +approached noiselessly enough, and a leopard is too wary a beast to be +caught napping. Unfortunately I had no more time at my disposal in +which to explore these hills, as I was anxious to resume work at Tsavo +as soon as possible; so after breakfast we packed up the zebra skin and +began to retrace our steps through the jungle. It was an intensely hot +day, and we were all very glad when at length we reached the home camp. + +Most of my little trips of this sort, however, were made in a northerly +direction, towards the ever-interesting Athi or Sabaki rivers. After a +long and tiring walk through the jungle what a pleasure it was to lie +up in the friendly shelter of the rushes which line the banks, and +watch the animals come down to drink, all unconscious of my presence. I +took several photographs of scenes of this kind, but unfortunately many +of the negatives were spoiled. Often, too, on a brilliant moonlight +night have I sat on a rock out in the middle of the stream, near a +favourite drinking place, waiting for a shot at whatever fortune might +send my way. How exasperating it was, when the wind changed at the +critical moment, and gave me away to the rhino or other animal I had +sat there for hours patiently awaiting! Occasionally I would get +heartily tired of my weary vigil and would wade ashore through the warm +water, to make my bed in the soft sand regardless of the snap, snap of +the crocodiles which could plainly be heard from the deeper pools up +and down the river. At the time, being new to the country, I did not +realise the risks I ran; but later on--after my poor Wa Kamba follower +had been seized and dragged under, as I have already described--I +learned to be much more cautious. + +The shortest way of reaching the Athi river from Tsavo was to strike +through the jungle in a north-westerly direction, and here there was +luckily a particularly well-defined rhino path which I always made use +of. I discovered it quite by accident on one occasion when I had asked +some guests, who were staying with me at Tsavo, to spend a night on the +banks of the river. As we were making our way slowly and painfully +through the dense jungle, I came across this well-trodden path, which +appeared to lead in the direction in which I wished to go, and as I +felt convinced that at any rate it would bring us to the river +somewhere, I followed it with confidence. Our progress was now easy, +and the track led through fairly open glades where traces of bush-buck +and water-buck were numerous; indeed once or twice we caught glimpses +of these animals as they bounded away to the shelter of the thicket, +warned by the sound of our approach. In the end, as I anticipated, the +old rhino path proved a true guide, for it struck the Athi at an ideal +spot for a camping ground, where some lofty trees close to the bank of +the river gave a most grateful and refreshing shade. We had a +delightful picnic, and my guests greatly enjoyed their night in the +open, although one of them got rather a bad fright from a rhino which +suddenly snorted close to our camp, evidently very annoyed at our +intrusion on his domain. + +In the morning they went off as soon as it was light to try their luck +along the river, while I remained in camp to see to breakfast. After an +hour or more, however, they all returned, empty-handed but very hungry; +so when they had settled down to rest after a hearty meal, I thought I +would sally forth and see if I could not meet with better success. I +had gone only a short distance up the right bank of the river, when I +thought I observed a movement among the bushes ahead of me. On the +alert, I stopped instantly, and the next moment was rewarded by seeing +a splendid bush-buck advance from the water in a most stately manner. I +could only make out his head and neck above the undergrowth, but as he +was only some fifty yards off, I raised my rifle to my shoulder to +fire. This movement at once caught his eye, and for the fraction of a +second he stopped to gaze at me, thus giving me time to aim at where I +supposed his shoulder to be. When I fired, he disappeared so suddenly +and so completely that I felt sure that I had missed him, and that he +had made off through the bush. I therefore re-loaded, and advanced +carefully with the intention of following up his trail; but to my +unbounded delight I came upon the buck stretched out dead in his +tracks, with my bullet through his heart. I lost no time in getting +back to camp, the antelope swinging by his feet from a branch borne by +two sturdy coolies: and my unlucky friends were very much astonished +when they saw the fine bag I had secured in so short a time. The animal +was soon skinned and furnished us with a delicious roast for lunch; and +in the cool of the evening we made our way back to Tsavo without +further adventure. + +Some little time after this, while one of these same friends (Mr. C. +Rawson) happened to be again at Tsavo, we were sitting after dark under +the verandah of my hut. I wanted something from my tent, and sent +Meeanh, my Indian chaukidar, to fetch it. He was going off in the dark +to do so, when I called him back and told him to take a lantern for +fear of snakes. This he did, and as soon as he got to the door of the +tent, which was only a dozen yards off, he called out frantically, +"Are, Sahib, burra sanp hai!" ("Oh, Master, there is a big snake here!) + +"Where?" I shouted. + +"Here by the bed," he cried, "Bring the gun, quickly." + +I seized the shot-gun, which I always kept handy, and rushed to the +tent, where, by the light of the lantern, I saw a great red snake, +about seven feet long, gazing at me from the side of my camp-bed. I +instantly fired at him, cutting him clean in half with the shot; the +tail part remained where it was, but the head half quickly wriggled off +and disappeared in the gloom of the tent. The trail of blood, however, +enabled us to track it, and we eventually found the snake, still full +of fight, under the edge of the ground-sheet. He made a last vicious +dart at one of the men who had run up, but was quickly given the happy +despatch by a blow on the head. Rawson now picked it up and brought it +to the light. He then put his foot on the back of its head and with a +stick forced open the jaws, when suddenly we saw two perfectly clear +jets of poison spurt out from the fangs. An Indian baboo (clerk), who +happened to be standing near, got the full benefit of this, and the +poor man was so panic-stricken that in a second he had torn off every +atom of his clothing. We were very much amused at this, as of course we +knew that although the poison was exceedingly venomous, it could do no +harm unless it penetrated a cut or open wound in the flesh. I never +found out the name of this snake, which, as I have said, was of a dark +brick-red colour all over; and I only saw one other of the same kind +all the time I was in East Africa. I came upon it suddenly one day when +out shooting. It was evidently much startled, and stood erect, hissing +venomously; but I also was so much taken aback at its appearance that I +did not think about shooting it until it had glided off and disappeared +in the thick undergrowth. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS + + +Although the jungle round Tsavo was a network of rhino paths I had +never so far been successful in my efforts to obtain one of these +animals, nor was my ambition yet to be realised. One day I was out +exploring in the dense bush some six or seven miles away from camp, and +found my progress more than usually slow, owing to the fact that I had +to spend most of my time crawling on all-fours through the jungle. I +was very pleased, therefore, to emerge suddenly on a broad and +well-beaten track along which I could walk comfortably in an upright +position. In this were some fresh rhino footprints which seemed barely +an hour old, so I determined to follow them up. The roadway was beaten +in places into a fine white dust by the passage of many heavy animals; +and as I pushed cautiously forward I fully expected to come face to +face with a rhino at every corner I turned. After having gone a little +way I fancied that I really did see one lying at the foot of a tree +some distance ahead of me, but on approaching cautiously found that it +was nothing more than a great brown heap of loose earth which one of +the huge beasts had raised by rolling about on the soft ground. This, +however, was evidently a resting-place which was regularly used, so I +made up my mind to spend a night in the overhanging branches of the +tree. + +The next afternoon, accordingly, Mahina and I made our way back to the +place, and by dusk we were safely but uncomfortably perched among the +branches directly over the path. We had scarcely been there an hour +when to our delight we heard a great rhino plodding along the track in +our direction. Unfortunately the moon had not yet risen, so I was +unable to catch sight of the monster as he approached; I knew, however, +that there was light enough for me to see him when he emerged from the +bushes into the little clearing round the foot of our tree. Nearer and +nearer we heard him coming steadily on, and I had my rifle ready, +pointing it in the direction in which I expected his head to appear. +But, alas, just at that moment the wind veered round and blew straight +from us towards the rhino, who scented us immediately, gave a mighty +snort and then dived madly away through the jungle. For some +considerable time we could hear him crashing ponderously through +everything that came in his way, and he must have gone a long distance +before he recovered from his fright and slowed down to his usual pace. +At any rate we neither heard nor saw anything more of him, and spent a +wakeful and uncomfortable night for nothing. + +My next attempt to bag a rhino took place some months later, on the +banks of the Sabaki, and was scarcely more successful. I had come down +from Tsavo in the afternoon, accompanied by Mahina, and finding a +likely tree, within a few yards of the river and with fresh footprints +under it, I at once decided to take up my position for the night in its +branches. Mahina preferred to sit where he could take a comfortable +nap, and wedged himself in a fork of the tree some little way below me, +but still some eight or ten feet from the ground. It was a calm and +perfect night, such as can be seen only in the tropics; everything +looked mysteriously beautiful in the glorious moonlight, and stood out +like a picture looked at through a stereoscope. From my perch among the +branches I watched first a water-buck come to drink in the river; then +a bush-buck; later, a tiny paa emerged from the bushes and paused at +every step with one graceful forefoot poised in the air--thoroughly on +the alert and looking round carefully and nervously for any trace of a +possible enemy. At length it reached the brink of the river in safety, +and stooped to drink. Just then I saw a jackal come up on its trail and +begin carefully to stalk it, not even rustling a fallen leaf in its +stealthy advance on the poor little antelope. All of a sudden, however, +the jackal stopped dead for a second, and then made off out of sight as +fast as ever he could go. I looked round to discover the cause of this +hurried exit, and to my surprise saw a large and very beautiful leopard +crouching down and moving noiselessly in the direction of our tree. At +first I thought it must be stalking some animal on the ground below us, +but I soon realised that it was Mahina that the brute was intent on. +Whether, if left to himself, the leopard would actually have made a +spring at my sleeping gun-bearer, I do not know; but I had no intention +of letting him have a chance of even attempting this, so I cautiously +raised my rifle and levelled it at him. Absolutely noiseless as I was +in doing this, he noticed it--possibly a glint of moonlight on the +barrel caught his eye--and immediately disappeared into the bush before +I could get in a shot. I at once woke Mahina and made him come up to +more secure quarters beside me. + +For a long time after this nothing disturbed our peace, but at last the +quarry I had hoped for made his appearance on the scene. Just below us +there was an opening in the elephant grass which lined the river's +edge, and through this the broad stream shone like silver in the +moonlight. Without warning this gap was suddenly filled by a huge black +mass--a rhino making his way, very leisurely, out of the shallow water. +On he came with a slow, ponderous tread, combining a certain +stateliness with his awkward strides. Almost directly beneath us he +halted and stood for an instant clearly exposed to our view. This was +my opportunity; I took careful aim at his shoulder and fired. +Instantly, and with extraordinary rapidity, the huge beast whirled +round like a peg-top, whereupon I fired again. This time I expected him +to fall; but instead of that I had the mortification of seeing him rush +off into the jungle and of hearing him crash through it like a great +steam-roller for several minutes. I consoled myself by thinking that he +could not go far, as he was hard hit, and that I should easily find him +when daylight arrived. Mahina, who was in a wild state of excitement +over the burra janwar (great animal), was also of this opinion, and as +there was no longer any reason for silence, he chatted to me about many +strange and curious things until the grey dawn appeared. When we got +down from our perch, we found the track of the wounded rhino clearly +marked by great splashes of blood, and for a couple of miles the spoor +could thus be easily followed. At length, however, it got fainter and +fainter, and finally ceased altogether, so that we had to abandon the +search; the ground round about was rocky, and there was no possibility +of telling which way our quarry had gone. I was exceedingly sorry for +this, as I did not like to leave him wounded; but there was no help for +it, so we struck out for home and arrived at Tsavo in the afternoon +very tired, hungry and disappointed. + +Rhinos are extraordinary animals, and not in any way to be depended +upon. One day they will sheer off on meeting a human being and make no +attempt to attack; the next day, for no apparent reason, they may +execute a most determined charge. I was told for a fact by an official +who had been long in the country that on one occasion while a gang of +twenty-one slaves, chained neck to neck as was the custom, was being +smuggled down to the coast and was proceeding in Indian file along a +narrow path, a rhinoceros suddenly charged out at right angles to them, +impaled the centre man on its horns and broke the necks of the +remainder of the party by the suddenness of his rush. These huge beasts +have a very keen sense of smell, but equally indifferent eyesight, and +it is said that if a hunter will only stand perfectly still on meeting +a rhino, it will pass him by without attempting to molest him. I feel +bound to add, however, that I have so far failed to come across anybody +who has actually tried the experiment. On the other hand, I have met +one or two men who have been tossed on the horns of these animals, and +they described it as a very painful proceeding. It generally means +being a cripple for life, if one even succeeds in escaping death. Mr. +B. Eastwood, the chief accountant of the Uganda Railway, once gave me a +graphic description of his marvellous escape from an infuriated rhino. +He was on leave at the time on a hunting expedition in the +neighbourhood of Lake Baringo, about eighty miles north of the railway +from Nakuru, and had shot and apparently killed a rhino. On walking up +to it, however, the brute rose to its feet and literally fell on him, +breaking four ribs and his right arm. Not content with this, it then +stuck its horn through his thigh and tossed him over its back, +repeating this operation once or twice. Finally, it lumbered off, +leaving poor Eastwood helpless and fainting in the long grass where he +had fallen. He was alone at the time, and it was not for some hours +that he was found by his porters, who were only attracted to the spot +by the numbers of vultures hovering about, waiting in their ghoulish +manner for life to be extinct before beginning their meal. How he +managed to live for the eight days after this which elapsed before a +doctor could be got to him I cannot imagine; but in the end he +fortunately made a good recovery, the only sign of his terrible +experience being the absence of his right arm, which had to be +amputated. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A WIDOW'S STORY + + +Very shortly before I left Tsavo I went (on March 11, 1899) on +inspection duty to Voi, which, as I have already mentioned, is about +thirty miles on the Mombasa side of Tsavo. At this time it was a +miserable, swampy spot, where fever, guinea-worm, and all kinds of +horrible diseases were rampant; but this state of affairs has now been +completely altered by drainage and by clearing away the jungle. Dr. +Rose was in medical charge of the place at the time of my visit, and as +it was the good old custom to put up with any friend one came across +towards nightfall, I made him my host when my day's work was over. We +spent a very pleasant evening together, and naturally discussed all the +local news. Amongst other things we chatted about the new road which +was being constructed from Voi to a rather important missionary station +called Taveta, near Mount Kilima N'jaro, and Dr. Rose mentioned that +Mr. O'Hara (the engineer in charge of the road-making), with his wife +and children, was encamped in the Wa Taita country, about twelve miles +away from Voi. + +Early next morning I went out for a stroll with my shot-gun, but had +not gone far from the doctor's tent when I saw in the distance four +Swahili carrying something which looked like a stretcher along the +newly-made road. Fearing that some accident had happened, I went +quickly to meet them and called out to ask what they were carrying. +They shouted back "Bwana" ("The master"); and when I asked what bwana, +they replied "Bwana O'Hara." On enquiring what exactly had happened, +they told me that during the night their master had been killed by a +lion, and that his wife and children were following behind, along the +road. At this I directed the men to the hospital and told them where to +find Dr. Rose, and without waiting to hear any further particulars +hurried on as fast as possible to give what assistance I could to poor +Mrs. O'Hara. Some considerable way back I met her toiling along with an +infant in her arms, while a little child held on to her skirt, utterly +tired out with the long walk. I helped her to finish the distance to +the doctor's tent; she was so unstrung by her terrible night's +experience and so exhausted by her trying march carrying the baby that +she was scarcely able to speak. Dr. Rose at once did all he could both +for her and for the children, the mother being given a sleeping draught +and made comfortable in one of the tents. When she appeared again late +in the afternoon she was much refreshed, and was able to tell us the +following dreadful story, which I shall give as nearly as possible in +her own words. + +"We were all asleep in the tent, my husband and I in one bed and my two +children in another. The baby was feverish and restless, so I got up to +give her something to drink; and as I was doing so, I heard what I +thought was a lion walking round the tent. I at once woke my husband +and told him I felt sure there was a lion about. He jumped up and went +out, taking his gun with him. He looked round the outside of the tent, +and spoke to the Swahili askari who was on sentry by the camp fire a +little distance off. The askari said he had seen nothing about except a +donkey, so my husband came in again, telling me not to worry as it was +only a donkey that I had heard. + +"The night being very hot, my husband threw back the tent door and lay +down again beside me. After a while I dozed off, but was suddenly +roused by a feeling as if the pillow were being pulled away from under +my head. On looking round I found that my husband was gone. I jumped up +and called him loudly, but got no answer. Just then I heard a noise +among the boxes outside the door, so I rushed out and saw my poor +husband lying between the boxes. I ran up to him and tried to lift him, +but found I could not do so. I then called to the askari to come and +help me, but he refused, saying that there was a lion standing beside +me. I looked up and saw the huge beast glowering at me, not more than +two yards away. At this moment the askari fired his rifle, and this +fortunately frightened the lion, for it at once jumped off into the +bush. + +"All four askaris then came forward and lifted my husband back on to +the bed. He was quite dead. We had hardly got back into the tent before +the lion returned and prowled about in front of the door, showing every +intention of springing in to recover his prey. The askaris fired at +him, but did no damage beyond frightening him away again for a moment +or two. He soon came back and continued to walk round the tent until +daylight, growling and purring, and it was only by firing through the +tent every now and then that we kept him out. At daybreak he +disappeared and I had my husband's body carried here, while I followed +with the children until I met you." + +Such was Mrs. O'Hara's pitiful story. The only comfort we could give +her was to assure her that her husband had died instantly and without +pain; for while she had been resting Dr. Rose had made a post-mortem +examination of the body and had come to this conclusion. He found that +O'Hara had evidently been lying on his back at the time, and that the +lion, seizing his head in its mouth, had closed its long tusks through +his temples until they met again in the brain. We buried him before +nightfall in a peaceful spot close by, the doctor reading the funeral +service, while I assisted in lowering the rude coffin into the grave. +It was the saddest scene imaginable. The weeping widow, the wondering +faces of the children, the gathering gloom of the closing evening, the +dusky forms of a few natives who had gathered round--all combined to +make a most striking and solemn ending to a very terrible tragedy of +real life. + +I am glad to say that within a few weeks' time the lion that was +responsible for this tragedy was killed by a poisoned arrow, shot from +a tree top by one of the Wa Taita. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +AN INFURIATED RHINO + + +My work at Tsavo was finished in March, 1899, when I received +instructions to proceed to railhead and take charge of a section of the +work there. For many reasons I was sorry to say good-bye to Tsavo, +where I had spent an eventful year; but all the same I was very glad to +be given this new post, as I knew that there would be a great deal of +interesting work to be done and a constant change of camp and scene, as +the line progressed onward to the interior. In good spirits, therefore, +I set out for my new headquarters on March 28. By this time railhead +had reached a place called Machakos Road, some two hundred and +seventy-six miles from Mombasa and within a few miles of the great Athi +Plains, the latter being treeless and waterless expanses, bare of +everything except grass, which the great herds of game keep closely +cropped. After leaving Tsavo, the character of the country remains +unaltered for some considerable distance, the line continuing to run +through the thorny nyika, and it is not until Makindu is reached--about +two hundred miles from the coast--that a change is apparent. From this +place, however, the journey lies through a fairly open and interesting +tract of country, where game of all kinds abounds and can be seen +grazing peacefully within a few hundred yards of the railway. On the +way I was lucky enough to get some fine views of Kilima N'jaro, the +whole mountain from base to summit standing out clearly and grandly, +with the lofty peak of Kibo topping the fleecy clouds with its snowy +head. + +At Machakos Road I found the country and the climate very different +from that to which I had grown accustomed at Tsavo. Here I could see +for miles across stretches of beautiful, open downs, timbered here and +there like an English park; and it was a great relief to be able to +overlook a wide tract of country and to feel that I was no longer +hemmed in on all sides by the interminable and depressing thorny +wilderness. As Machakos Road is some four thousand feet higher above +the sea level than Tsavo, the difference in temperature was also very +marked, and the air felt fresh and cool compared with that of the +sun-baked valley in which I had spent the previous year. + +My instructions were to hurry on the construction of the line as fast +as possible to Nairobi, the proposed headquarters of the Railway +Administration, which lay about fifty miles further on across the Athi +Plains; and I soon began to find platelaying most interesting work. +Everything has to move as if by clockwork. First the earth surface has +to be prepared and rendered perfectly smooth and level; cuttings have +to be made and hollows banked up; tunnels have to be bored through +hills and bridges thrown across rivers. Then a line of coolies moves +along, placing sleepers at regular intervals; another gang drops the +rails in their places; yet another brings along the keys, fishplates, +bolts and nuts while following these are the men who actually fix the +rails on the sleepers and link up from one to another. Finally, the +packing gang finishes the work by filling in earth and ballast under +and around the steel sleepers to give them the necessary grip and +rigidity. Some days we were able to lay only a few yards, while on +other days we might do over a mile; all depended on the nature of the +country we had to cover. On one occasion we succeeded in breaking the +record for a day's platelaying, and were gratified at receiving a +telegram of congratulation from the Railway Committee at the Foreign +Office. + +I made it my custom to take a walk each morning for some distance ahead +of rails along the centre-line of the railway, in order to spy out the +land and to form a rough estimate of the material that would be +required in the way of sleepers, girders for temporary bridges, etc. It +was necessary to do this in order to avoid undue delay taking place +owing to shortage of material of any kind. About ten days after my +arrival at Machakos Road I walked in this way for five or six miles +ahead of the last-laid rail. It was rather unusual for me to go so far, +and, as it happened, I was alone on this occasion, Mahina having been +left behind in camp. About two miles away on my left, I noticed a +dark-looking object and thinking it was an ostrich I started off +towards it. Very soon, however, I found that it was bigger game than an +ostrich, and on getting still nearer made out the form of a great +rhinoceros lying down. I continued to advance very cautiously, +wriggling through the short grass until at length I got within fifty +yards of where the huge beast was resting. Here I lay and watched him; +but after some little time he evidently suspected my presence, for +rising to his feet, he looked straight in my direction and then +proceeded to walk round me in a half-circle. The moment he got wind of +me, he whipped round in his tracks like a cat and came for me in a +bee-line. Hoping to turn him, I fired instantly; but unfortunately my +soft-nosed bullets merely annoyed him further, and had not the +slightest effect on his thick hide. On seeing this, I flung myself down +quite flat on the grass and threw my helmet some ten feet away in the +hope that he would perceive it and vent his rage on it instead of me. +On he thundered, while I scarcely dared to breathe. I could hear him +snorting and rooting up the grass quite close to me, but luckily for me +he did not catch sight of me and charged by a few yards to my left. + +As soon as he had passed me, my courage began to revive again, and I +could not resist the temptation of sending a couple of bullets after +him. These, however, simply cracked against his hide and splintered to +pieces on it, sending the dry mud off in little clouds of dust. Their +only real effect, indeed, was to make him still more angry. He stood +stock-still for a moment, and then gored the ground most viciously and +started off once more on the semi-circle round me. This proceeding +terrified me more than ever, as I felt sure that he would come up-wind +at me again, and I could scarcely hope to escape a second time. +Unfortunately, my surmise proved correct, for directly he scented me, +up went his nose in the air and down he charged like a battering-ram. I +fairly pressed myself into the ground, as flat as ever I could, and +luckily the grass was a few inches high. I felt the thud of his great +feet pounding along, yet dared not move or look up lest he should see +me. My heart was thumping like a steam hammer, and every moment I fully +expected to find myself tossed into the air. Nearer and nearer came the +heavy thudding and I had quite given myself up for lost, when from my +lying position I caught sight, out of the corner of my eye, of the +infuriated beast rushing by. He had missed me again! I never felt so +relieved in my life, and assuredly did not attempt to annoy him +further. He went off for good this time, and it was with great +satisfaction that I watched him gradually disappear in the distance. I +could not have believed it possible that these huge, ungainly-looking +brutes could move so rapidly, and turn and twist in their tracks just +like monkeys, had I not actually seen this one do so before my eyes. If +he had found me he would certainly have pounded me to atoms, as he was +an old bull and in a most furious and vicious mood. + +One day when Dr. Brock and I were out shooting, shortly after this +incident and not far from where it occurred, we caught sight of two +rhinos in a hollow some little distance from us, and commenced to stalk +them, taking advantage of every fold of the ground in doing so and +keeping about fifty yards apart in case of a charge. In that event one +or other of us would be able to get in a broadside shot, which would +probably roll the beast over. Proceeding carefully in this manner, we +managed to get within about sixty yards of them, and as it was my turn +for a shot, I took aim at the larger of the two, just as it was moving +its great head from one side to the other, wondering which of us it +ought to attack. When at last it decided upon Brock, it gave me the +chance I had been waiting for. I fired instantly at the hollow between +neck and shoulder; the brute dropped at once, and save for one or two +convulsive kicks of its stumpy legs as it lay half on its back, it +never moved again. The second rhino proved to be a well-grown youngster +which showed considerable fight as we attempted to approach its fallen +comrade. We did not want to kill it, and accordingly spent about two +hours in shouting and throwing stones at it before at last we succeeded +in driving it away. We then proceeded to skin our prize; this, as may +be imagined, proved rather a tough job, but we managed it in the end, +and the trophy was well worth the pains I had taken to add it to my +collection. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS + + +Shortly after I took charge at railhead we entered the Kapiti Plain, +which gradually merges into the Athi Plain, and, indeed, is hardly to +be distinguished from the latter in the appearance or general character +of the country. Together they form a great tract of rolling downs +covered with grass, and intersected here and there by dry ravines, +along the baked banks of which a few stunted trees--the only ones to be +seen--struggle to keep themselves alive. In all this expanse there is +absolutely no water in the dry season, except in the Athi River (some +forty miles away) and in a few water-holes known only to the wild +animals. The great feature of the undulating plains, however, and the +one which gives them a never-failing interest, is the great abundance +of game of almost every conceivable kind. Here I myself have seen lion, +rhinoceros, leopard, eland, giraffe, zebra, wildebeeste, hartebeeste, +waterbuck, wart-hog, Granti, Thomsoni, impala, besides ostriches, +greater and lesser bustard, marabout, and a host of other animals and +birds too numerous to name; while along the Athi and close to its banks +may be found large numbers of hippo and crocodiles. At the time I was +there, these great plains also formed the principal grazing ground for +the immense herds of cattle owned by the Masai. I am very glad to say +that the whole of this country on the south side of the railway as far +as the boundary of German East Africa, from the Tsavo River on the east +to the Kedong Valley on the west, is now a strictly protected Game +Reserve; and so long, as this huge expanse is thus maintained as a +sanctuary, there can be no danger of any of these species becoming +extinct. + +While crossing this dry expanse, the greatest difficulty I had to +contend with was the provision of sufficient water for the three +thousand workmen employed about railhead, for not a drop could be +obtained on the way, nor could we hope for any until we had got to the +other side of the plain and had reached the Athi River, which could not +be accomplished under a couple of months. As we progressed onwards into +the waterless belt, this became a very serious matter indeed, as any +breakdown in the supply would have had the most disastrous consequences +among so large a body of men working all day under the blazing sun of a +tropical climate. Every day two trainloads of water in great tanks were +brought up from the last stream we had passed, which, of course, daily +fell further to the rear. This was a source of considerable delay, for +the line was blocked all the time the water was being pumped into the +tanks, and consequently no material for construction could come +through; and a good deal of time was also wasted, when the trains +returned to railhead, in distributing the water to the workmen, who +often quarrelled and fought in their eagerness to get at it. At first I +had most of the tank-filling done by night, but on one occasion a lion +came unpleasantly close to the men working the pump, and so night work +had to be abandoned. The coolies themselves were so anxious, indeed, to +get a plentiful supply of water, that once or twice some of the more +daring spirits among them ventured to go out on to the plains in search +of waterholes, which, by reason of the large herds of game, we knew +must exist somewhere. The only result of these expeditions, however, +was that three of these men never returned; what befell them is not +known to this day. + +When we had proceeded some distance across this dry land, and when I +was experiencing to the full the disadvantage and delay caused by my +tank trains, a native from some remote corner of the plains--with +nothing by way of dress but a small piece of cowhide thrown over his +left shoulder--came to my tent door one day and squatted down on his +heels in the native fashion. On being asked his business, "I have +heard," he replied, "that the Great Master wants water; I can show it +to him." This was good news, if it could be relied upon; so I +questioned him closely, and ascertained that some time +previously--exactly how long ago I could not gather--he had been in the +locality on a raiding expedition and had succeeded in finding water. I +asked if the place was far away, and got the reply in Swahili "M'bali +kidogo" ("A little distance"). Now, I had had experience of M'bali +kidogo before; it is like the Irishman's "mile and a bit." So I decided +to start very early next morning on a search for this pond--for such my +informant described it to be. In the meantime the poor fellow, who +appeared starving--there was a sore famine among the natives of the +district at the time--was given food and drink, and made a ravenous +meal. In the evening I had a long talk with him in broken Swahili round +the camp fire, and obtained some insight into many of the strange and +barbarous customs of the Masai, to which interesting tribe he belonged. + +In the morning I started off betimes, taking my .303 rifle and being +accompanied by Mahina with the 12-bore shot-gun, and by another Indian +carrying the necessary food and water. Our Masai guide, whose name we +found to be Lungow, seemed to be quite certain of his way, and led us +across the rolling plains more or less in the direction in which the +railway was to run, but some miles to the right of its centre-line. The +march was full of interest, for on the way we passed within easy range +of herds of wildebeeste, hartebeeste, gazelle, and zebra. I was out +strictly on business, however, and did not attempt a shot, reserving +that pleasure for the homeward trip. Late in the forenoon we arrived at +Lungow's pond--a circular dip about eighty yards in diameter, which +without doubt had contained water very recently, but which, as I +expected to find, was now quite dry. A considerable number of bones lay +scattered round it, whether of "kills" or of animals which had died of +thirst I could not say. Our guide appeared very much upset when he +found the pond empty, and gave vent to many exclamations in his +peculiar language, in which the letter "r" rolled like a kettledrum. + +Our search for water having thus proved a failure, I determined to try +my luck with the game. The Masai and the Indian were sent back to camp, +while Mahina and I made a big detour from the dried-up water-hole. Game +abounded in all directions, but the animals were much more shy than +they had been in the morning, and it was in vain that I stalked--if it +can be called "stalking," when as a matter of fact one has to move in +the open--splendid specimens of Thomson's and Grant's gazelle. I might +have attempted a shot once or twice, but the probability was that owing +to the long range it would have resulted only in a wound, and I think +there is nothing so painful as to see an animal limping about in a +crippled condition. In this fruitless manner we covered several miles, +and I was beginning to think that we should have to return to camp +without so much as firing a shot. Just then, however, I saw a herd of +wildebeeste, and with much care managed to get within three hundred +yards of them. I singled out the biggest head and waiting for a +favourable moment, fired at him, dropping him at once. I ran up to the +fallen beast, which appeared to be dying, and told Mahina to drive the +hunting knife right through his heart so as to put him quickly out of +all pain. As Mahina was not doing this as skilfully or as quickly as I +thought it might be done, and seemed unable to pierce the tough hide, I +handed him my rifle and took the knife in order to do it myself. Just +as I raised the knife to strike, I was startled by the wildebeeste +suddenly jumping to his feet. For a moment he stood looking at me in a +dazed and tottery kind of way, and then to my amazement he turned and +made off. At first he moved with such a shaky and uncertain gait that I +felt confident that he could only go a few yards before dropping; so, +as I did not wish to disturb the other game around us by firing a +second shot, I thought it best just to wait. To my utter astonishment, +however, after he had staggered for about sixty yards he seemed to +revive suddenly, broke into his ordinary gallop and quickly rejoined +the herd. From that time I lost all trace of him, though I followed up +for four or five miles. + +The wildebeeste, in fact, is like Kipling's Fuzzy-Wuzzy--"'e's +generally shammin' when 'e's dead"; and my friend Rawson about this +time had an experience very similar to mine, but attended with more +serious results. He had knocked his wildebeeste over in much the same +way, and thought it was dead; and as he was very keen on obtaining +photographs of game, he took his stand-camera from the Indian who +carried it and proceeded to focus it on the animal's head. When he was +just about to take the picture, he was thunderstruck to see the +wildebeeste jump up and come charging down upon him. He sprang quickly +aside, and in an instant up went the camera into the air, followed the +next moment by the unfortunate Indian, the wildebeeste having stuck its +horn right through the man's thigh and tossed him over its back. +Fortunately the brute fell dead after this final effort, leaving Rawson +grateful for his escape. + +After abandoning the chase of my wildebeeste, we had not gone far on +our way towards the home camp when I thought I observed something of a +reddish colour moving in a patch of long grass, a good distance to our +left front. I asked Mahina if he could make out what it was, but he was +unable to do so, and before I could get my field-glasses to bear, the +animal, whatever it was, had disappeared into the grass. I kept my eye +on the spot, however, and we gradually approached it. When we were +about a hundred yards off, the reddish object again appeared; and I saw +that it was nothing less than the shaggy head of a lion peeping over +the long grass. This time Mahina also saw what it was, and called out, +"Dekko, Sahib, sher!" ("Look, Master, a lion!"). I whispered to him to +be quiet and to take no notice of him, while I tried my best to follow +my own advice. So we kept on, edging up towards the beast, but +apparently oblivious of his presence, as he lay there grimly watching +us. As we drew nearer, I asked Mahina in a whisper if he felt equal to +facing a charge from the sher if I should wound him. He answered simply +that where I went, there would he go also; and right well he kept his +word. + +I watched the lion carefully out of the corner of my eye as we closed +in. Every now and then he would disappear from view for a moment; and +it was a fascinating sight to see how he slowly raised his massive head +above the top of the grass again and gazed calmly and steadily at us as +we neared him. Unfortunately I could not distinguish the outline of his +body, hidden as it was in the grassy thicket. I therefore circled +cautiously round in order to see if the cover was sufficiently thin at +the back to make a shoulder shot possible; but as we moved, the lion +also twisted round and so always kept his head full on us. When I had +described a half-circle, I found that the grass was no thinner and that +my chances of a shot had not improved. We were now within seventy yards +of the lion, who appeared to take the greater interest in us the closer +we approached. He had lost the sleepy look with which he had at first +regarded us, and was now fully on the alert; but still he did not give +me the impression that he meant to charge, and no doubt if we had not +provoked him, he would have allowed us to depart in peace. I, however, +was bent on war, in spite of the risk which one must always run by +attacking a lion at such close quarters on an open plain as flat as the +palm of the hand; so in a standing position I took careful aim at his +head, and fired. The distance was, as I have said, a bare seventy +yards; yet I must confess to a disgraceful miss. More astonishing +still, the beast made not the slightest movement--did not even blink an +eye, so far as I could see--but continued his steadfast, questioning +gaze. Again I took aim, this time for a spot below the tip of his nose, +and again I fired--with more success, the lion turning a complete +somersault over his tail. I thought he was done for, but he instantly +sprang to his feet again, and to my horror and astonishment was joined +by a lioness whose presence we had never even thought of or suspected. + +Worse was still to follow, for to our dismay both made a most +determined charge on us, bounding along at a great pace and roaring +angrily as they came. Poor Mahina cried out, "Sahib, do sher ata hai!" +("Master, two lions are coming!"), but I told him to stand stock-still +and for his life not to make the slightest movement. In the twinkling +of an eye the two beasts had covered about forty yards of the distance +towards us. As they did not show the least sign of stopping, I thought +we had given the experiment of remaining absolutely motionless a fair +trial, and was just about to raise the rifle to my shoulder as a last +resort, when suddenly the wounded lion stopped, staggered, and fell to +the ground. The lioness took a couple of bounds nearer to us, and then +to my unmeasured relief turned to look round for her mate, who had by +this time managed to get to his feet again. There they both stood, +growling viciously and lashing their tails, for what appeared to me to +be a succession of ages. The lioness then made up her mind to go back +to the lion, and they both stood broadside on, with their heads close +together and turned towards us, snarling in a most aggressive manner. +Had either of us moved hand or foot just then, it would, I am +convinced, have at once brought on another and probably a fatal charge. + +As the two great brutes stood in this position looking at us, I had, of +course, a grand opportunity of dropping both, but I confess I did not +feel equal to it at the moment. I could only devoutly hope that they +would not renew their attack, and was only too thankful to let them +depart in peace if they would, without any further hostility on my +part. Just at this juncture the lion seemed to grow suddenly very weak. +He staggered some ten yards back towards his lair, and then fell to the +ground; the lioness followed, and lay down beside him--both still +watching us, and growling savagely. After a few seconds the lion +struggled to his feet again and retreated a little further, the lioness +accompanying him until he fell once more. A third time the same thing +took place, and at last I began to breathe more freely, as they had now +reached the thicket from which they had originally emerged. Accordingly +I took a shot at the lioness as she lay beside her mate, partly +concealed in the long grass. I do not think I hit her, but anyhow she +at once made off and bounded away at a great rate on emerging into the +open. + +I sent a few bullets after her to speed her on her way, and then +cautiously approached the wounded lion. He was stretched out at full +length on his side, with his back towards me, but I could see by the +heaving of his flanks that he was not yet dead, so I put a bullet +through his spine. He never moved after this; but for safety's sake, I +made no attempt to go up to him for a few minutes, and then only after +Mahina had planted a few stones on his body just to make sure that he +was really dead. + +We both felt very pleased with ourselves as we stood over him and +looked at his fine head, great paws, and long, clean, sharp tusks. He +was a young, but full-grown lion in fine condition, and measured nine +feet eight and a half inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. My last +shot had entered the spine close to the shoulder, and had lodged in the +body; the first shot was a miss; as I have already said; but the second +had caught him on the forehead, right between the eyes. The bullet, +however, instead of traversing the brain, had been turned downwards by +the frontal bone, through which it crashed, finally lodging in the root +of the tongue, the lead showing on both sides. I cut out the tongue and +hung it up to dry, intending to keep it as a trophy; but unfortunately +a vulture swooped down when my back was turned, and carried it off. + +From the time I knocked the lion over until he first staggered and fell +not more than a minute could have elapsed--quite long enough, however, +to have enabled him to cover the distance and to have seized one or +other of us. Unquestionably we owed our lives to the fact that we both +remained absolutely motionless; and I cannot speak too highly of Mahina +for the splendid way in which he stood the charge. Had he acted as did +another gun-boy I know of, the affair might not have had so happy an +ending. This gun-boy went out with Captain G---- in this very +neighbourhood, and not long after our adventure. G---- came across a +lion just as we did, and wounded it. It charged down on them, but +instead of remaining absolutely still, the terrified gun-boy fled, with +the result that the lion came furiously on, and poor G---- met with a +terrible death. + +While Mahina was scouring the neighbourhood in search of some natives +to carry the skin back to camp, I took a good look round the place and +found the half-eaten body of a zebra, which I noticed had been killed +out in the open and then dragged into the long grass. The tracks told +me, also, that all the work had been done by the lion, and this set me +thinking of the lioness. I accordingly swept the plain with my glasses +in the direction in which she had bounded off, and after some searching +I discovered her about a mile away, apparently lying down in the midst +of a herd of hartebeeste, who grazed away without taking any notice of +her. I felt much inclined to follow her up, but I was afraid that if I +did so the vultures that were already hovering around would settle on +my lion and spoil the skin, for the destruction of which these ravenous +birds are capable, even in the space of only a few minutes, is almost +beyond belief. I accordingly returned to the dead beast and sat down +astride of him. I had read that a frontal shot at a lion was a very +risky one, and on carefully examining the head it was easy to see the +reason; for owing to the sharp backward slope of the forehead it is +almost impossible for a bullet fired in this manner to reach the brain. +As there were lots of lions about in this district and as I wanted to +bag some more, I set myself to think out a plan whereby the risk of a +frontal shot might be got rid of. About a fortnight afterwards I had an +opportunity of putting my scheme into practice, happily with most +excellent results; this, however, is another story, which will be told +later on. + +I next commenced to skin my trophy and found it a very tough job to +perform by myself. He proved to be a very fat beast, so I knew that +Mahina would make a few honest and well-earned rupees out of him, for +Indians will give almost anything for lion fat, believing that it is an +infallible cure for rheumatism and various other diseases. When at +length the skinning process was completed, I waited impatiently for the +return of Mahina, who had by this time been gone much longer than I +expected. It is rather a nerve shattering thing--I am speaking for +myself--to remain absolutely alone for hours on a vast open plain +beside the carcase of a dead lion, with vultures incessantly wheeling +about above one, and with nothing to be seen or heard for miles around +except wild animals. It was a great relief, therefore, when after a +long wait I saw Mahina approaching with half-a-dozen practically naked +natives in his train. It turned out that he had lost his way back to +me, so that it was lucky he found me at all. We lost no time in getting +back to camp, arriving there just at sundown, when my first business +was to rub wood ashes into the skin and then stretch it on a portable +frame which I had made a few days previously. The camp fire was a big +one that night, and the graphic and highly coloured description which +Mahina gave to the eager circle of listeners of the way in which we +slew the lion would have made even "Bahram, that great Hunter," anxious +for his fame. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE STRICKEN CARAVAN + + +Not long after this adventure the permanent way reached the boundary of +the Kapiti Plains, where a station had to be built and where +accordingly we took up our headquarters for a week or two. A few days +after we had settled down in our new camp, a great caravan of some four +thousand men arrived from the interior with luggage and loads of food +for a Sikh regiment which was on its way down to the coast, after +having been engaged in suppressing the mutiny of the Sudanese in +Uganda. The majority of these porters were Basoga, but there were also +fair numbers of Baganda (i.e. people of Uganda) and of the natives of +Unyoro, and various other tribes. Of course none of these wild men of +Central Africa had either seen or heard of a railway in all their +lives, and they consequently displayed the liveliest curiosity in +regard to it, crowding round one of the engines which happened to be +standing at the station, and hazarding the wildest guesses as to its +origin and use in a babel of curious native languages. I thought I +would provide a little entertainment for them, so I stepped on to the +footplate and blew off the steam, at the same time sounding the +whistle. The effect was simply magical. The whole crowd first threw +themselves flat on the ground howling with fear, and then--with heads +well down and arms well spread out--they fled wildly in all directions; +nor did the stampede cease until I shut off steam and stopped the +whistle. Then, their curiosity gradually overpowering them, very +cautiously they began to return, approaching the locomotive stealthily +as though it were some living monster of the jungle. Eventually, two of +their chiefs summoned up courage enough to climb on to the engine, and +afterwards thoroughly enjoyed a short run which I had to make down the +line in order to bring up some construction material. + +Just after this caravan had moved on we were subjected to some +torrential rain-storms, which transformed the whole plain into a +quaking bog and stopped all railway work for the time being. Indeed, +the effect of a heavy downpour of rain in this sun-baked district is +extraordinary. The ground, which is of a black sub-soil, becomes a mass +of thick mud in no time, and on attempting to do any walking one slides +and slips about in the slush in a most uncomfortable manner. +Innocent-looking dongas, where half an hour previously not one drop of +water was to be seen, become roaring torrents from bank to bank in an +incredibly short time; while for many hours or even a few days the +rivers become absolutely impassable in this land of no bridges. On this +account it is the custom of the wise traveller in these parts always to +cross a river before camping, for otherwise a flood may come down and +detain him and his caravan on the wrong side of the stream for perhaps +a week. Of course when the rain ceases, the floods as quickly subside, +the rivers and dongas dry up, and the country once more resumes its +normal sun-cracked appearance. + +On leaving my tent one morning when work was at a standstill owing to +the rain, I noticed a great herd of zebra about a couple of miles away +on the north side of the railway. Now, it had long been my ambition to +capture one of these animals alive; so I said to myself, "Here is my +chance!" The men could do nothing owing to the rain, and the ground was +very boggy, so I thought that if we could surround the herd judiciously +and chase the zebra up and down from point to point through the heavy +ground, some of them would soon get exhausted and we should then be +able to catch them. I selected for the hunt a dozen fleet-footed +Indians who were employed on the earth works, and who at once entered +with great zest into the spirit of the scheme. After having partially +surrounded the herd, the half-circle of coolies began to advance with +wild shouts, whereupon the zebras galloped madly about from side to +side, and then did just what we wished them to do--made straight for an +exceptionally boggy part of the ground, where they soon became more or +less helpless. We singled out a few young ones and succeeded in running +them to an absolute standstill, when we threw them down and sat on +their heads until the other men came up with ropes. In this way we +captured no less than six: they were very wild and fractious, giving us +a great deal of trouble in getting them along, but eventually we +managed to bring them in triumph to the camp, where they were firmly +secured. The whole expedition lasted little more than a couple of hours. + +Three of the captured zebras I kept for myself, while the other three +were given to the Surfacing Engineer, whose men had assisted in the +hunt. Two of my three unfortunately died very shortly after; but the +third, a sturdy two-year-old, flourished splendidly. At first he was +exceedingly vicious, biting and kicking everyone who approached him; +indeed, he once planted both his hind feet on my chest, but did me no +serious damage beyond throwing me heavily to the ground. In time, +however, he became very tame and domesticated, allowing himself to be +led about by a rope and head collar, and would drink from a bucket and +eat from my hand. He used to be left to graze picketed by a long rope +to a stake in the ground; but one afternoon on returning to camp I +found, much to my annoyance, that he had disappeared. On making +enquiry, I learned from my servants that a herd of wild zebra had +galloped close by, and that this had so excited him that he managed to +tear the picketing peg out of the ground and so rejoin his brethren in +freedom. + +Some few days after our successful sortie against the zebra, the great +caravan of Basoga porters returned from the coast on their way back to +their own country; but alas, with what a terrible difference in their +appearance! All their gaiety and lightheartedness was gone, and the +poor fellows were in a pitiable state. A frightful epidemic of +dysentery had broken out amongst them, doubtless caused by their having +eaten food to which they were entirely unaccustomed, their simple diet +in their own homes consisting almost entirely of bananas, from which +they also make a most refreshing and stimulating drink. The ranks of +the caravan were terribly decimated, and dozens of men were left dead +or dying along the roadside after each march. It was a case of the +survival of the fittest, as of course it was quite impossible for the +whole caravan to halt in the wilderness where neither food nor water +was to be had. There was only one European with the party, and although +he worked like a slave he could do very little among such a number, +while the Basoga themselves seemed quite indifferent to the sufferings +of their comrades. Thirteen poor wretches fell out to die close to my +tent; they were in the most hopeless condition and far too weak to be +able to do anything at all for themselves. As soon as I discovered +them, I boiled a bucketful of water, added some tins of condensed milk +and the greater part of a bottle of brandy to it, and fed them with the +mixture. Their feeble cries for some of this nourishment were +heartrending; some could only whisper, "Bwana, Bwana" ("Master, +Master"), and then open their mouths. One or two of them, indeed, could +hardly do even this, and were so weak as to be unable to swallow the +spoonful of milk which I put between their lips. In the end six proved +to be beyond all help, and died that night; but the remaining seven I +managed to nurse into complete recovery in about a fortnight's time. As +our camp was moved on, they were brought along from place to place on +the top of trucks, until finally they were well enough to resume their +journey to Usoga, very grateful indeed for the care which we had taken +of them. + +The day after I first found these stricken natives I had arranged to +ride on my pony for some miles in advance of the railway, in order to +make arrangements for the building of a temporary bridge over the Stony +Athi River--a tributary of the Athi, and so-called on account of the +enormous numbers of stones in its bed and along its banks. I ordered my +tent to follow me later in the day, and left directions for the care of +the sick Basoga, as I knew I should be away all night. My road lay +along the route taken by the home-returning caravan, and every hundred +yards or so I passed the swollen corpse of some unfortunate porter who +had fallen out and died by the wayside. Before very long I came up with +the rearguard of this straggling army, and here I was witness of as +unfeeling an act of barbarism as can well be imagined. A poor wretch, +utterly unable to go a step further, rolled himself up in his scarlet +blanket and lay down by the roadside to die; whereupon one of his +companions, coveting the highly-coloured and highly-prized article, +turned back, seized one end of the blanket, and callously rolled the +dying man out of it as one would unroll a bale of goods. This was too +much for me, so I put spurs to my pony and galloped up to the +scoundrel, making as if to thrash him with my kiboko, or whip made of +rhinoceros hide. In a moment he put his hand on his knife and half drew +it from its sheath, but on seeing me dismount and point my rifle at +him, he desisted and tried to run away. I made it clear to him by +signs, however, that I would fire if he did not at once go back and +replace the blanket round his dying comrade. This he eventually did, +though sullenly enough, and I then marched him in front of me to the +main camp of the caravan, some little distance further on. Here I +handed him over to the officer in charge, who, I am glad to say, had +him soundly thrashed for his brutality and theft. + +After performing this little act of retributive justice, I pushed on +towards the Stony Athi. On the way--while still not far from the +caravan camp--I spied a Grant's gazelle in the distance, and by the aid +of my glasses discovered that it was a fine-looking buck with a capital +pair of horns. A few Basoga from the caravan had followed me, doubtless +in the hope of obtaining meat, of which they are inordinately fond; so, +handing them my pony, I wriggled from tuft to tuft and crawled along in +the folds of the ground until eventually I got near enough for a safe +shot, which bowled the antelope over stone-dead. Scarcely had he +dropped when the Basoga swooped down on him, ripped him open, and +devoured huge chunks of the raw and still quivering flesh, lapping up +the warm blood in the palms of their hands. In return for the meat +which I gave them, two of them willingly agreed to go on with me and +carry the head and haunch of the gazelle. When we had got very nearly +to the place where I intended to camp for the night, a great wart-hog +suddenly jumped up almost at my horse's feet, and as he had very fine +and exceptionally long tusks, I dismounted at once and bagged him too. +The Basoga were delighted at this, and promptly cut off the head; but +my own people, who arrived with my tent just at this juncture, and who +were all good Mohammedans, were thoroughly disgusted at the sight of +this very hideous-looking pig. + +I camped for the night on the banks of the Stony Athi, close to where +the railway was to cross, and made my notes of what was necessary for +the temporary bridge. At the time the river was absolutely dry, but I +knew that it might at any moment become a roaring torrent if rain +should set in; it would therefore be necessary to span it with a +forty-foot girder in order to prevent constant "washouts" during the +rainy season. The next morning I started early on my return to +railhead. On my way I had to pass the camp which the Basoga caravan had +just left, but the spectacle of about a dozen newly-made graves which +the hyenas had already torn open caused me to put spurs to my horse and +to gallop as fast as possible through the pestilential spot. When I had +almost got back to railhead I happened to notice a huge serpent +stretched out on the grass, warming himself, his skin of old gold and +bright green sparkling brilliantly in the sunshine. He appeared to take +little notice of me as I cautiously approached, and was probably drowsy +and sated with a heavy meal. I shot him through the head as he lay, and +the muscular contortions after death throughout his long body gave me a +very vivid idea of the tremendous squeezing power possessed by these +reptiles. Skinning him was an easy process, but unfortunately his +beautiful colouring soon disappeared, the old gold turning to white and +the bright green to lustreless black. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER + + +In spite of all our difficulties, rapid progress continued to be made +with the line. Each day railhead crept a mile or so further across the +Plains, and on April 24 we reached the Stony Athi River, where our +great camp was pitched for a few days while the temporary bridge was +being thrown across the dry bed of the stream. Still another temporary +bridge had to be arranged for the Athi itself, which was some eight +miles further on, so I had to make one or two expeditions to this river +in order to select a suitable place for the crossing and to make +various other arrangements. On one of these occasions I was busy +attending to the pitching of my tent after arriving at the Athi late in +the evening, when on looking round I was very much surprised to see two +European ladies sitting under the shade of some trees on the river +bank. As I knew that this was anything but a safe place in which to +rest, owing to the number of lions about, I went up to them to see if I +could be of any assistance, and found that they were American +missionaries journeying to their stations further inland. They were +waiting for their camp equipment to arrive, but their porters had been +considerably delayed by some very heavy rain, which of course made the +roads bad and the tents about double their usual weight. The men of the +party were expected every moment with the porters, but there was as yet +no sign of the little caravan, and as a matter of fact it did not +arrive until long after nightfall. In these circumstances it was +perhaps a great blessing that I happened to be there; and as the ladies +were both very tired and hungry, I was glad to be able to place my tent +at their disposal and to offer them as good a dinner as it was possible +to provide in the wilds. It is indeed wonderful what dangers and +hardships these delicately nurtured ladies will face cheerfully in +order to carry out their self-appointed mission. + +When they had left next morning to resume their journey, I started out +and made a search up and down the river for the proper position for my +temporary bridge. After a thorough examination of all the possible +situations, I chose the most suitable and pitched my tent close to it +for a night or two while I made the necessary calculations for carrying +out the work. The crossing on which I had decided had to be approached +by a somewhat sharp curve in the line, and in laying this out with the +theodolite I experienced considerable difficulty, as for some reason or +other I could not make the last peg on the curve come anywhere near the +tangent point where the curve should link up with the straight. I +repeated the whole operation time after time, but always with the same +result. Eventually I came to the conclusion that there must be some +mistake in the table of angles from which I had been working, so I +started to work them out for myself and soon discovered a serious +misprint. This being rectified in my calculations, I proceeded to lay +out the curve again, when at last everything came out accurately and to +my satisfaction. + +After I had pegged out this temporary diversion of the line, I thought +I richly deserved a few hours' play, and accordingly determined to try +my luck after lions up-stream towards the source of the Athi. The +river--which runs almost due north here, before taking a turn eastward +to the Indian Ocean--forms part of the western boundary of the Athi +Plains, and is fringed all along its course by a belt of thorny +hardwood trees. In some places this fringe is quite narrow, while in +others it is about a quarter of a mile wide, with grassy glades here +and there among the trees. Every now and again, too, the stream itself +widens out into a broad stretch of water, nearly always covered over +with tall reeds and elephant grass, while along the banks are frequent +patches of stunted bushes, which struck me as very likely places for +the king of beasts to sleep in after having drunk at the river. I had +noticed that after having eaten and drunk well, a lion would throw +himself down quite without caution in the first shady spot he came to; +of course nothing except man ever disturbs him, and even of man the +lions in this part of the country had as yet no fear, for they had +rarely if ever been hunted previous to my time. + +As I felt rather tired after my morning's work, I decided to use my +pony on this expedition, although as a rule I went on foot. Mahina and +half-a-dozen natives to beat the belt of trees were to accompany me, +and after a hasty lunch off we started up the left bank of the river. I +walked for some distance at first, partly because the ground was very +stony and partly because I thought a lion might suddenly bound out of +some likely patches in front of the beaters; but after having gone +about six miles in this way without adventure of any kind, I decided to +mount again. At this time the beaters were in line about a hundred +yards behind me, shouting and halloing with all their might as they +advanced through the scrub and undergrowth, while I rode well to the +flank so as to be ready for any emergency. Just as the men got up to a +rather thicker piece of jungle than usual, I fancied I saw a movement +among the bushes and pulled up suddenly to watch the spot, but did not +dismount. The next moment out bounded a lioness, who raced straight +across the open strip into the next patch of jungle, quickly followed +by another. Throwing myself off my pony, I seized my rifle to get a +shot at the second lioness as she galloped past, and was just about to +pull the trigger, when to my utter amazement out sprang a huge +black-maned lion, making all haste after his mates. Before he could +reach the further thicket, however, I fired, and had the satisfaction +of hearing the deep growl that tells of a serious hit. + +The beaters and I now advanced with great care, taking advantage of +every bit of cover and keeping a sharp look-out for the wounded animal +as we crept from tree to tree. Fully a quarter of an hour must have +elapsed in this slow yet exciting search, before one of the men, some +fifty or sixty yards to my left, and a little ahead of the line, called +out that he could see the lion awaiting our approach, with his head +just visible in a large bed of rushes only a short distance in front of +where I then was. Almost at the same moment I found blood marks left by +the wounded animal, leading apparently to a kind of gap in the bank of +the river, which had evidently been worn down by a rhino going to and +fro to drink. I accordingly made for this with the greatest caution, +ordering all the men, except Mahina, to remain behind; and as +noiselessly as possible I slipped from cover to cover in my endeavour +to obtain a peep over the bank. I saw that it was no use to attempt to +climb a tree, as the overspreading foliage would have prevented me from +obtaining any view ahead; so I continued my slow advance with a +fast-beating heart, not knowing where the huge brute was and expecting +every moment that he would charge out at me over the bank from his +reedy refuge. Emboldened to a certain extent, however, by the fact that +up till then I had heard no movement on the part of my enemy, I crept +steadily forward and at last, from the shelter of a friendly tree +behind the bole of which I hid myself, I was able to look over the +bank. And there, not twenty yards from me, crouched the lion--luckily +watching, not me, but the native who had first seen him and who had +directed me to where he was. I raised my rifle very cautiously, without +making the slightest sound, and steadying the barrel against the trunk +of the tree and standing on tip-toe in order to get a better view, I +fired plump at the side of his head. It was as if he had suddenly been +hit with a sledgehammer, for he fell over instantly and lay like a log. + +On my calling out that the lion was done for, the beaters came running +up shouting with joy; and although I warned them to be careful, as the +two lionesses were probably still close at hand, they did not seem to +care in the slightest and in a twinkling had the dead lion lifted from +the reeds on to the dry bank. Before I allowed anything further to be +done, however, I had the patch of rushes thoroughly beaten out: but as +no traces of the lionesses could be found, we commenced to skin my fine +trophy. When this was about half done, I decided to let Mahina finish +the operation, while I went on ahead to try my luck either with more +lions or with any other game that might come my way. I followed up the +river almost to its source, but no more lions crossed my path. Once +indeed I felt convinced that I saw one, and gave chase to it with all +my might as it rushed through the long grass: but a nearer view showed +me nothing more than a huge wart-hog. As I wanted the tusks, which I +noticed were very fine ones, I fired but only badly hipped him: so I +ran up as fast as I could and at ten yards fired again. This time I +missed him entirely, and was puzzled to account for my failure until I +looked at my back sight and found that by some accident it had got +raised and that I had the 200-yards sight up. On rectifying this, +another shot quickly put the wounded animal out of pain. + +Still my day's sport was not yet over. While rambling back through the +trees I caught sight of a graceful-looking antelope in the distance, +and on cautiously approaching closer saw that it was an impala. My +stalk was crowned with success, the beautiful animal being bagged +without much trouble; and on reaching my prize I was delighted to find +that its horns were much above the average. On another occasion I was +fortunate enough to get a successful snapshot of an impala just after +it had been shot by a friend, and the photograph gives a very good idea +of what mine was like. + +As it was now growing late, I made all haste back to where I had left +Mahina skinning the lion, but to my astonishment he was nowhere to be +seen. I fired several shots and shouted myself hoarse, all without +response; and the only conclusion I could come to was that he had +returned to the camp at the temporary bridge. I accordingly pushed on, +reaching home long after dark; and there I found Mahina safe and sound, +with the lion's skin already pegged out to dry, so that I could not +find it in my heart to give him the severe scolding he deserved for +having returned without me. Next morning I packed up my trophies and +returned to my work at railhead. On my way back I happened to meet one +of the other engineers, who called out, "Hallo! I hear you have got a +fine line." + +My thoughts being full of my adventures of the day before, I answered: +"Yes, I did; but how on earth did you hear of it?" + +"Oh!" he said, "Reynolds told me." + +"Good heavens," I replied, "why, he left before I shot it." + +"Shot?" he exclaimed, "whatever do you mean?" + +"Didn't you say," I asked, "that you heard I had got a fine lion?" + +"No, no," was his reply; "a fine line for the temporary bridge over the +river." + +We both laughed heartily at the misunderstanding, and when he saw my +trophy, which was being carried by my man just behind me, he agreed +that it was quite fine enough to monopolise my thoughts and prevent me +from thinking of anything else. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES + + +A few Masai may still be seen on the Athi Plains, but as a rule they +keep away from the railway, the majority of the tribe being now settled +on the Laikipia Plateau. Formerly they were by far the most powerful +native race in East Africa, and when on the war-path were the terror of +the whole country from the furthest limits of Uganda to Mombasa itself. +Their numbers have latterly become greatly reduced through famine and +small-pox, but the remnant of the tribe, more especially the men, are +still a fine, lithe, clean-limbed people. While I was stationed in the +Plains I managed to have an interview with the chief, Lenana, at one of +his "royal residences," a kraal near Nairobi. He was affability itself, +presenting me with a spear and shield as a memento of the occasion; but +he had the reputation of being a most wily old potentate, and I found +this quite correct, as whenever he was asked an awkward question, he +would nudge his Prime Minister and command him to answer for him. I +managed to induce him and his wives and children to sit for their +photograph, and they made a very fine group indeed; but unfortunately +the negative turned out very badly. I also got Lenana's nephew and a +warrior to engage in combat with the spear and shield, and both made +fine play with their long keen blades, which more than once penetrated +the opponent's shield. + +The Masai have a wonderfully well-organised military system. The +warriors (elmorani) of the tribe must attend strictly to their duties, +and are not allowed to marry or to smoke or to drink until after their +term of active service is completed. Besides the spear and shield they +generally carry a sword or knobkerrie, suspended from a raw-hide +waist-belt; and they certainly look very ferocious in their +weird-looking headdress when on the warpath. Once or twice I met +detachments out on these expeditions, but they were always quite +friendly to me, even though I was practically alone. Before the advent +of British rule, however, sudden raids were constantly being made by +them on the weaker tribes in the country; and when a kraal was captured +all the male defenders-were instantly killed with the spear, while the +women were put to death during the night with clubs. The Masai, indeed, +never made slaves or took prisoners, and it was their proud boast that +where a party of elmorani had passed, nothing of any kind was left +alive. The object of these raids was, of course, to capture live stock, +for the Masai are not an agricultural people and their wealth consists +entirely in their herds of cattle, sheep and goats. Curiously enough +they do not hunt game, although the country abounds with it, but live +principally on beef and milk; and it is also a common custom for them +to drink daily a pint or so of blood taken from a live bullock. As they +thus live entirely on cattle, and as cattle cannot thrive without good +pasture, it is not unnatural to find that they have a great reverence +for grass. They also worship a Supreme Being whom they call N'gai, but +this term is also applied to anything which is beyond their +understanding. + +Perhaps the most curious of the customs of the Masai is the extraction +of the two front teeth from the lower jaw. It is said that this habit +originated at a time when lockjaw was very prevalent among the tribe, +and it was found that if these teeth were pulled out food could still +be taken. This explanation seems scarcely satisfactory or sufficient, +and I give it only for what it is worth: but whatever the reason for +the custom, the absence of these two teeth constitutes a most +distinctive identifying mark. I remember once being out with a Masai +one day when we came across the bleached skull of a long defunct member +of his tribe, of course easily recognisable as such by the absence of +the proper teeth. The Masai at once plucked a handful of grass, spat +upon it, and then placed it very carefully within the skull; this was +done, he said, to avert evil from himself. The same man asked me among +many other questions if my country was nearer to God than his. I am +afraid I was unable conscientiously to answer him in the affirmative. +Formerly the Masai used to spit in the face as a mark of great +friendship, but nowadays--like most other native races--they have +adopted our English fashion of shaking hands. + +Another very common custom amongst them is that of distorting the lobe +of the ear by stretching it until it hangs down quite five or six +inches. It is then pierced and decorated in various ways--by sticking +through it a piece of wood two or three inches in diameter, or a little +round tin canister, and by hanging to it pieces of chain, rings, beads, +or bunches of brass-headed nails, according to fancy. Nearly all the +men wear little bells on their ankles to give notice of their approach, +while the women are very fond of covering themselves with large +quantities of iron or copper wire. Their limbs, indeed, are often +almost completely encased with these rings, which I should think must +be very heavy and uncomfortable: but no Masai woman considers herself a +lady of fashion without them, and the more she possesses the higher +does she stand in the social scale. + +As a rule, the Masai do not bury their dead, as they consider this +custom to be prejudicial to the soil; the bodies are simply carried +some little distance from the village and left to be devoured by birds +and wild beasts. The honour of burial is reserved only for a great +chief, over whose remains a large mound is also raised. I came across +one of these mounds one day near Tsavo and opened it very carefully, +but found nothing: possibly I did not pursue my search deep enough into +the earth. In general, the Masai are an upright and honourable savage +race, and it is a great pity that they are gradually dying out. + +More or less serfs of the Masai are the Wa N'derobbo, who, unlike their +over-lords, are a race of hunters. They are seldom to be met with, +however, as they hide away in caves and thickets, and keep constantly +moving from place to place following the game. Not long ago I saw a few +of them in the neighbourhood of the Eldama Ravine: but these were more +or less civilised, and the girls, who were quite graceful, had +abandoned the native undress costume for flowing white robes. + +In the district from Nairobi to the Kedong River, and in the Kenya +Province, dwell the Wa Kikuyu, who are similar to the Masai in build, +but not nearly so good-looking. Like the latter, they use the spear and +shield, though of a different shape; their principal weapon, however, +is the bow and poisoned arrow. They also frequently carry a rudely made +two-edged short sword in a sheath, which is slung round the waist by a +belt of raw hide. Their front teeth are filed to a sharp point in the +same manner as those of nearly all the other native tribes of East +Africa, with the exception of the Masai. They live in little villages +composed of beehive huts and always situated in the very thickest +patches of forest that they can find, and their cattle kraals are +especially strongly built and carefully hidden. On one occasion I +managed after a great deal of difficulty and crawling on all-fours to +make my way into one of these kraals, and was much amazed to notice +what labour and ingenuity had been expended on its construction. Unlike +the Masai, the Wa Kikuyu have a fairly good idea of agriculture, and +grow crops of m'tama (a kind of native grain from which flour is made), +sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, and tobacco. + +The Wa Kikuyu have the reputation of being a very cowardly and +treacherous people, and they have undoubtedly committed some very cruel +deeds. A friend of mine, Captain Haslem, with whom I lived for a few +months at Tsavo, was barbarously murdered by some members of this +tribe. He left me to go up to the Kikuyu country in charge of the +transport, and as he was keenly interested in finding out all about the +tropical diseases from which the animals suffered, he made it his +custom to dissect the bodies of those that died. The superstitious Wa +Kikuyu were fully convinced that by this he bewitched their cattle, +which at the time were dying in scores from rinderpest. So--instigated +no doubt by the all-powerful witch-doctor--they treacherously killed +him. For my part, however, I found them not nearly so black as they had +been painted to me. I had about four hundred of them working at one +thing or another at Nairobi and never had any trouble with them. On the +contrary I found them well-behaved and intelligent and most anxious to +learn. + +As is the case with all other African races, the women of the Wa Kikuyu +do the manual labour of the village and carry the heavy loads for their +lords and masters, the bundles being held in position on their back by +a strap passing round the forehead. + +Notwithstanding this some of them are quite pleasant looking, and once +they have overcome their fear of the European, do not object to being +photographed. + +Of the other tribes to be met with in this part of the world, the +Kavirondo are the most interesting. They are an industrious, simple +people, devoted to agriculture and hospitable in the extreme--a little +addicted to thieving, perhaps, but then that is scarcely considered a +sin in the heart of Africa. They are clothed (to use Mark Twain's +expression) in little but a smile, a bead or two here and there being +considered ample raiment; nevertheless they are modest in their ways +and are on the whole about the best of the East African tribes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE + + +On May 12 railhead reached the Athi River, where, as there was a great +deal of miscellaneous work to be done, our headquarters remained +established for some little time. One day not long after we had settled +down in our new camp, I was joined quite unexpectedly by my friend Dr. +Brock, who had shared the exciting adventure with me at Tsavo the night +we were attacked in the goods-wagon by one of the man-eaters. Now Brock +had so far not been fortunate enough to bag a lion, and was +consequently most anxious to do so. Shortly after his arrival, +accordingly, he suggested that we should go for a shooting expedition +on the morrow, and that I should trot out for his benefit one of the +local lions. Of course I said I should be delighted--I was always ready +for a hunt when it was possible for me to get away, and as just at the +time we were "held up" by the Athi River, I could manage a day off +quite easily. So we made the usual preparations for a day's absence +from camp--filled our water-bottles with tea, put a loaf of bread and a +tin of sardines in our haversacks, looked carefully to our rifles and +ammunition; and warned the "boys" who were to accompany us as beaters +to be ready before dawn. I decided to make a very early start, as I +knew that the most likely place for lions lay some distance away, and I +wanted to get there if possible by daybreak. We should thus have a +better chance of catching one of the lords of the plain as he returned +from his nightly depredations to the kindly shelter of the tall grass +and rushes which fringed the banks of the river. We therefore retired +to rest early, and just as I was dozing off to sleep, one of my Indian +servants, Roshan Khan, put his head through the slit at my tent door +and asked leave to accompany the "Sahibs" in the morning so that he +might see what shikar (hunting) was like. This request I sleepily +granted, thinking that it could make little difference whether he came +with us or stayed behind in camp. As things turned out, however, it +made all the difference in the world, for if he had not accompanied us, +my shikar would in all probability have ended disastrously next day. He +was a very dusky-coloured young Pathan about twenty years of age, lithe +and active, and honest and pleasant-looking, as Pathans go. He had been +my "boy" for some time and was much attached to me, besides having a +touching faith in my prowess in shikar: probably, indeed, this was the +reason why he stuck so close to me throughout the hunt. + +We breakfasted by candle light and managed to get several miles on our +way towards the source of the Athi before dawn. As soon as it was +thoroughly daylight, we extended in line, Dr. Brock, as the guest, +being placed in the most likely position for a shot, while Roshan Khan +followed close behind me with the day's provisions. In this order we +trudged steadily forward for a couple of miles without coming across +anything, though we advanced through many patches of rushes and long +grass likely to conceal our expected quarry. It was most interesting +and exciting work all the same, as we never knew but that a lion might +the next moment jump up at our very feet. We had just beaten through a +most hopeful-looking covert without success and had come out on to a +beautiful open grassy glade which stretched away for some distance +ahead of us, when I noticed a big herd of wildebeeste browsing quietly +some distance to our right. I knew that Brock also wanted a +wildebeeste, so I whistled softly to him, and pointed out the +weird-looking, bison-like antelopes. He came across at once and started +off towards the herd, while I sat down to watch the proceedings. He +made a beautiful stalk, which was rendered really very difficult by the +open nature of the country, but still the wildebeeste quickly noticed +his approach and kept steadily moving on, until at last they +disappeared over one of the gentle rises which are such a feature of +the Athi Plains. + +I still sat and waited, expecting every moment to hear the sound of +Brock's rifle. Some time elapsed without a shot, however, and I was +just about to follow him up and find out how things were going, when +Roshan Khan suddenly exclaimed excitedly:--"Dekko, Sahib, shenzi ata +hain!" ("Look, Sahib, the savages are coming!"). I was not in the least +alarmed at this somewhat startling announcement, as the Indians called +all the natives of the interior of Africa shenzi, or savages; and on +looking round I saw five tall, slim Masai approaching in Indian file, +each carrying a six-foot spear in his right hand. On coming nearer, the +leader of the party eagerly asked in Swahili, "What does the Bwana +Makubwa ("Great Master") desire?" + +"Simba" ("Lions"), said I. + +"Come," he replied, "I will show you many." + +This filled me with interest at once. "How far away are they?" I asked. + +"M'bali kidogo" ("A little distance"), came the stereotyped reply. + +I immediately had a good look round for Brock, but could see no sign of +him, so, in case the "many" lions should get away in the meantime, I +told the Masai to lead the way, and off we started. + +As usual, the m'bali kidogo proved a good distance--over two miles in +this case. Indeed, I began to get impatient at the long tramp, and +called out to the Masai to know where his lions were; but he vouchsafed +me no answer and continued to walk steadily on, casting keen glances +ahead. After a little I again asked, "Where are the lions?" This time +he extended his spear in a most dramatic manner, and pointing to a +clump of trees just ahead, exclaimed: "Look, Master; there are the +lions." I looked, and at once caught sight of a lioness trotting off +behind the bushes. I also saw some suspicious-looking thing at the foot +of one of the big trees, but came to the conclusion that it was only a +growth of some kind projecting from the trunk. I was soon to be +undeceived, however, for as I started to run towards the trees in order +to cut off the fast disappearing lioness from a stretch of rushes for +which she was making, a low and sinister growl made me look closer at +the object which had first aroused my suspicions. To my surprise and +delight I saw that it was the head of a huge black-maned lion peering +out from behind the trunk of the tree, which completely hid his body. I +pulled up short and stared at him. Although he was not seventy yards +away from me, yet owing to the nature of the background it was very +difficult to make him out, especially as he kept his head perfectly +still, gazing steadily at me. It was only when the great mouth opened +in an angry snarl that I could see plainly what he really was. For a +few seconds we stood thus and looked at each other; then he growled +again and made off after the lioness. As I could not get a fair shot at +him from where I stood, I ran with all my might for a point of vantage +from which I might have a better chance of bagging him as he passed. + +Now by this time I had almost got beyond the surprise stage where lions +were concerned; yet I must admit that I was thoroughly startled and +brought to a full stop in the middle of my race by seeing no less than +four more lionesses jump up from the covert which the lion had just +left. In the twinkling of an eye three of them had disappeared after +their lord in long, low bounds, but the fourth stood broadside on, +looking, not at me, but at my followers, who by this time were grouped +together and talking and gesticulating excitedly. This gave me a +splendid chance for a shoulder shot at about fifty yards' distance, so +I knelt down at once and fired after taking careful aim. The lioness +disappeared from sight instantly, and on looking over the top of the +grass I saw that my shot had told, as she was on her back, clawing the +air and growling viciously. As she looked to me to be done for, I +shouted to some of the men to remain behind and watch her, while I set +off once more at a run to try to catch up the lion. I feared that the +check with the lioness might have lost him to me altogether, but to my +relief I soon caught sight of him again. He had not made off very +quickly, and had probably stopped several times to see what I was up +to; indeed the men, who could see him all the time, afterwards told me +that when he heard the growl of rage from the lioness after she was +shot, he made quite a long halt, apparently deliberating whether he +should return to her rescue. Evidently, however, he had decided that +discretion was the better part of valour. Fortunately he was travelling +leisurely, and I was delighted to find that I was gaining on him fast; +but I had still to run about two hundred yards at my best pace, which, +at an altitude of more than 5,000 feet above sea-level, leaves one very +breathless at the end of it. + +When the lion perceived me running towards him, he took up his station +under a tree, where he was half hidden by some low bushes, above which +only his head showed. Here he stood, watching my every movement and +giving vent to his anger at my presence in low, threatening growls. I +did not at all like the look of him, and if there had been another tree +close by, I should certainly have scrambled up it into safety before +attempting to fire. As a matter of fact, however, there was no shelter +of any kind at hand; so, as I meant to have a try for him at all costs, +I sat down where I was, about sixty yards from him, and covered his +great head with my rifle. I was so breathless after my run, and my arms +were so shaky, that it was all I could do to keep the sight on the +fierce-looking target and I thought to myself, as the rifle barrel +wobbled about, "If I don't knock him over with the first shot, he will +be out of these bushes and down on me like greased lightning--and then +I know what to expect." It was a most exciting moment, but in spite of +the risk I would not have missed it for the world; so, taking as steady +an aim as was possible in the circumstances, I pulled the trigger. +Instantly the shaggy head disappeared from view, and such a succession +of angry roars and growls came up out of the bushes that I was fairly +startled, and felt keenly anxious to finish him off before he could +charge out and cover the short distance which separated us. I therefore +fired half a dozen shots into the bushes at the spot where I imagined +he lay, and soon the growling and commotion ceased, and all was still. +I was confident the brute was dead, so I called up one of the men to +stay and watch the place, while I again rushed off at full +speed--jumping over such rocks and bushes as came in my way--to have a +shot at a lioness that was still in sight. + +By this time my followers numbered about thirty men, as when one is +hunting in these plains natives seem to spring from nowhere in the most +mysterious manner, and attach themselves to one in the hope of +obtaining same portion of the kill. By signal I ordered them to advance +in line on the thicket in which the lioness had just taken refuge, +while I took up my position on one side, so as to obtain a good shot +when she broke covert. The line of natives shouting their native cries +and striking their spears together soon disturbed her, and out she +sprang into the open, making for a clump of rushes close to the river. +Unfortunately she broke out at the most unfavourable spot from my point +of view, as some of the natives masked my fire, and I had consequently +to wait until she got almost to the edge of the rushes. Whether or not +I hit her then I cannot say; at any rate, she made good her escape into +the reeds, where I decided to leave her until Brock should arrive. + +I now retraced my steps towards the spot where I had shot the lion, +expecting, of course, to find the man I had told to watch him still on +guard. To my intense vexation, however, I found that my sentry had +deserted his post and had joined the other men of the party, having +become frightened when left by himself. The result of his disobedience +was that now I could not tell where lay the dead lion--or, rather, the +lion which I believed to be dead; but I had no intention of losing so +fine a trophy, so I began a systematic search, dividing the jungle into +strips, and thus going over the whole place thoroughly. The task of +finding him, however, was not so easy as might be thought; the chase +after the lioness had taken us some distance from where I had shot him, +and as there were numbers of trees about similar to that under which he +fell, it was really a very difficult matter to hit upon the right +place. At last one of the men sang out joyfully that he had found the +lion at the same time running away from the spot as hard as ever he +could. A number of those nearest to him, both Indians and natives, had +more courage or curiosity, and went up to have a look at the beast. I +shouted to them as I hurried along to be careful and not to go too +near, in case by any chance he might not be dead; but they paid little +heed to the warning, and by the time I got up, some half-dozen of them +were gathered in a group at the lion's tail, gesticulating wildly and +chattering each in his own language, and all very pleased and excited. +On getting near I asked if the lion was dead, and was told that he was +nearly so, but that he still breathed. He was lying at full length on +his side, and when I saw him at close quarters I was more delighted +than I can tell, for he was indeed a very fine specimen. For a moment +or two I stood with the group of natives, admiring him. He still +breathed regularly, as his flanks heaved with each respiration; but as +he lay absolutely still with all the men jabbering within a yard of +him, I assumed that he was on the point of death and unable to rise. +Possessed with this belief, I very foolishly allowed my curiosity to +run away with my caution, and stepped round to have a look at his head. +The moment I came into his view, however, he suddenly became possessed +of a diabolical ferocity. With a great roar he sprang to his feet, as +if he were quite unhurt; his eyes blazed with fury, and his lips were +drawn well back, exposing his tusks and teeth in a way I hope never to +witness again. When this perilous situation so unexpectedly developed +itself, I was not more than three paces away from him. + +The instant the lion rose, all the men fled as if the Evil One himself +were after them, and made for the nearest trees--with one exception, +for as I took a step backwards, keeping my eye on the infuriated +animal, I almost trod on Roshan Khan, who had still remained close +behind me. Fortunately for me, I had approached the lion's head with my +rifle ready, and as I stepped back I fired. The impact of the .303 +bullet threw him back on his haunches just as he was in the act of +springing, but in an instant he was up again and coming for me so +quickly that I had not even time to raise my rifle to my shoulder, but +fired point blank at him from my hip, delaying him for a second or so +as before. He was up again like lightning, and again at the muzzle of +my rifle; and this time I thought that nothing on earth could save me, +as I was almost within his clutches. Help came from an unexpected and +unconscious quarter, for just at this critical moment Roshan Khan +seemed all at once to realise the danger of the situation, and suddenly +fled for his life, screaming and shrieking with all his might. Beyond +all question this movement saved me, for the sight of something darting +away from him diverted the lion's attention from me, and following his +natural instinct, he gave chase instead to the yelling fugitive. + +Roshan Khan having thus unwittingly rescued me from my perilous +position, it now became my turn to do all I could to save him, if this +were possible. In far less time than it takes to tell the story, I had +swung round after the pursuing lion, levelled my rifle and fired; but +whether because of the speed at which he was going, or because of my +over-anxiety to save my "boy", I missed him completely, and saw the +bullet raise the dust at the heels of a flying Masai. Like lightning I +loaded again from the magazine, but now the lion was within a spring of +his prey, and it seemed hopeless to expect to save poor Roshan Khan +from his clutches. Just at this moment, however, the terrified youth +caught sight of the brute over his left shoulder, and providentially +made a quick swerve to the right. As the lion turned to follow him, he +came broadside on to me, and just as he had Roshan Khan within striking +distance and was about to seize him, he dropped in the middle of what +would otherwise assuredly have been the fatal spring--bowled over with +a broken shoulder. This gave me time to run up and give him a final +shot, and with a deep roar he fell back full length on the grass, +stone-dead. + +I then looked round to see if Roshan Khan was all right, as I was not +sure whether the lion had succeeded in mauling him or not. The sight +that met my eyes turned tragedy into comedy in an instant, and made me +roar with laughter; indeed, it was so utterly absurd that I threw +myself down on the grass and rolled over and over, convulsed with +uncontrollable mirth. For there was Roshan Khan, half-way up a thorn +tree, earnestly bent on getting to the very topmost branch as quickly +as ever he could climb; not a moment, indeed, was he able to spare to +cast a glance at what was happening beneath. His puggaree had been torn +off by one thorn, and waved gracefully in the breeze; a fancy waistcoat +adorned another spiky branch, and his long white cotton gown was torn +to ribbons in his mad endeavour to put as great a distance as possible +between himself and the dead lion. As soon as I could stop laughing, I +called out to him to come down, but quite in vain. There was no +stopping him, indeed, until he had reached the very top of the tree; +and even then he could scarcely be induced to come down again. Poor +fellow, he had been thoroughly terrified, and little wonder. + +My followers now began to emerge from the shelter of the various trees +and bushes where they had concealed themselves after their wild flight +from the resuscitated lion, and crowded round his dead body in the +highest spirits. The Masai, especially, seemed delighted at the way in +which he had been defeated, and to my surprise and amusement proved +themselves excellent mimics, some three or four of them beginning at +once to act the whole adventure. One played the part of the lion and +jumped growling at a comrade, who immediately ran backwards just as I +had done, shouting "Ta, Ta, Ta" and cracking his fingers to represent +the rifle-shots. Finally the whole audience roared with delight when +another bolted as fast as he could to Roshan Khan's tree with the +pseudo lion roaring after him. At the end of these proceedings up came +Brock, who had been attracted to the place by the sound of the firing. +He was much astonished to see my fine dead lion lying stretched out, +and his first remark was, "You are a lucky beggar!" Afterwards, when he +heard the full story of the adventure, he rightly considered me even +more lucky than he had first thought. + +Our next business was to go back to the lioness which I had first shot +and left for dead. Like her mate, however, she was still very much +alive when we reached her, so I stalked carefully up to a neighbouring +tree, from whose shelter I gave her the finishing shot. We then left +Mahina and the other men to skin the two beasts, and went on to the +rushes where the second lioness had taken cover. Here all our efforts +to turn her out failed, so we reluctantly abandoned the chase and were +fated to see no more lions that day. + +Our only other adventure was with a stolid old rhino, who gave me +rather a fright and induced Brock to indulge in some lively exercise. +Separated by about a hundred yards or so, we were walking over the +undulating ground a short distance from the river, when, on gaining the +top of a gentle rise, I suddenly came upon the ungainly animal as it +lay wallowing in a hollow. It jumped to its feet instantly and came for +where I stood, and as I had no wish to shoot it, I made a dash for +cover round the knoll. On reaching the top of the rise, the rhino +winded my companion and at once changed its direction and made for him. +Brock lost no time in putting on his best pace in an endeavour to reach +the shelter of a tree which stood some distance off, while I sat down +and watched the exciting race. I thought it would be a pretty close +thing, but felt confident that Brock, who was very active, would manage +to pull it off. When he got about half-way to the tree, however, he +turned to see how far his pursuer was behind, and in doing so put his +foot in a hole in the ground, and to my horror fell head over heels, +his rifle flying from his grasp. I expected the great brute to be on +him in a moment, but to my intense relief the old rhino stopped dead +when he saw the catastrophe which had taken place, and then, failing (I +suppose) to understand it, suddenly made off in the opposite direction +as hard as he could go. In the meantime Brock had got to his feet +again, and raced for dear life to the tree without ever looking round. +It was a most comical sight, and I sat on the rise and for the second +time that day laughed till my sides ached. + +After this we returned to the scene of my morning's adventure, where we +found that the invaluable Mahina had finished skinning the two lions. +We accordingly made our way back to camp with our trophies, all of us, +with perhaps the exception of Roshan Khan, well satisfied with the +day's outing. Whenever afterwards I wanted to chaff this "boy", I had +only to ask whether he would like to come and see some more shikar. He +would then look very solemn, shake his head emphatically and assure me +"Kabhi nahin, Sahib" ("Never again, Sir"). + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT + + +When the Athi river had been bridged, the section of the line to +Nairobi was pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and from dawn to +dark we all exerted ourselves to the very utmost. One day (May 28) the +weather was exceptionally hot, and I had been out in the broiling sun +ever since daylight superintending the construction of banks and +cuttings and the erection of temporary bridges. On returning to my hut, +therefore, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, I threw myself into +a long deck chair, too tired for anything beyond a long cool drink. +Here I rested for an hour or so, amused by the bustle at the small +wayside station we had just built, and idly watching our tiny +construction engine forging its way, with a great deal of clanking and +puffing, up a steep gradient just across the river. It was touch-and-go +whether it would manage to get its heavy load of rails and sleepers to +the top of the incline or not, and I became so interested in the +contest between steam and friction and gravity, that I did not notice +that a visitor had approached and was standing quietly beside me. + +On hearing the usual salutation, however, I turned round and saw a lean +and withered half-bred Masai, clothed in a very inadequate piece of +wildebeeste hide which was merely slipped under the left arm and looped +up in a knot over the right shoulder. He stood for a moment with the +right hand held out on a level with his shoulder, the fingers extended +and the palm turned towards me--all indicating that he came on a +friendly visit. I returned his salutation, and asked him what he +wanted. Before answering, he dropped down on his heels, his old bones +cracking as he did so. "I want to lead the Great Master to two lions," +he said; "they have just killed a zebra and are now devouring it." On +hearing this I straightway forgot that I had already done a hard day's +work in the full blaze of an equatorial sun; I forgot that I was tired +and hungry; in fact, I forgot everything that was not directly +connected with the excitement of lion-hunting. Even the old savage at +my feet grinned when he saw how keen I was about it. I plied him with +questions--were they both lions or lionesses? had they manes? how far +away were they? and so on. Naturally, to the last question he was bound +to answer "M'bali kidogo." Of course they were not far away; nothing +ever is to a native of East Africa. However, the upshot was that in a +very few minutes I had a mule saddled, and with the old Masai as guide, +started off accompanied by my faithful Mahina and another coolie to +help to bring home the skin if I should prove successful. I also left +word for my friend Spooner, the District Engineer, who happened to be +absent from camp just at the moment, that I had gone after two lions, +but hoped to be back by nightfall. + +We travelled at a good pace, and within an hour had covered fully six +miles; still there was no sign of lions. On the way we were joined by +some Wa Kamba, even more scantily attired than our guide, and soon a +dispute arose between these hangers-on and the old Masai, who refused +to allow them to accompany us, as he was afraid that they would seize +all the zebra-meat that the lions had not already eaten. However, I +told him not to bother, but to hurry up and show me the lions, and that +I would look after him all right. Eventually, on getting to the low +crest of one of the long swells in the ground, our guide extended a +long skinny finger and said proudly, "Tazama, Bwana" ("See, Master"). I +looked in the direction in which he pointed, and sure enough, about six +hundred yards off were a lion and a lioness busily engaged on the +carcase of a zebra. On using my field-glasses, I was amused to observe +a jackal in attendance on the pair. Every now and then he would come +too close to the zebra, when the lion would make a short rush at him +and scare him away. The little jackal looked most ridiculous, +scampering off before the huge beast with his tail well down; but no +sooner did the lion stop and return to his meal than he crept nearer +again. The natives say, by the way, that a lion will eat every kind of +animal--including even other lions--except a jackal or a hyena. I was +also interested to notice the way in which the lion got at the flesh of +the zebra; he took a short run at the body, and putting his claws well +into the skin, in this manner tore off great strips of the hide. + +While I was thus studying the picture, my followers became impatient at +my inactivity, and coming up to the top of the rise, showed themselves +on the sky-line. The lions saw them at once, turning round and standing +erect to stare at them. There was not an atom of cover to be seen, nor +any chance of taking advantage of the rolling ground, for it did not +slope in the required direction; so I started to walk in the open in a +sidelong direction towards the formidable-looking pair. They allowed me +to come a hundred yards or so nearer them, and then the lioness bolted, +the lion following her at a more leisurely trot. As soon as they left +the body of the zebra, my African following made a rush for it, and +began a fierce fight over the remains, so that I had to restore order +and leave a coolie to see that our guide got the large share, as he +deserved. In the meantime the lion, hearing the noise of the squabble, +halted on the crest of the hill to take a deliberate look at me, and +then disappeared over the brow. I jumped on to my mule and galloped as +hard as I could after him, and luckily found the pair still in sight +when I reached the top of the rise. As soon as they saw me following +them up, the lioness took covert in some long grass that almost +concealed her when she lay down, but the lion continued to move +steadily away. Accordingly I made for a point which would bring me +about two hundred yards to the right of the lioness, and which would +leave a deep natural hollow between us, so as to give me a better +chance, in the event of a charge, of bowling her over as she came up +the rise towards me. I could plainly make out her light-coloured form +in the grass, and took careful aim and fired. In an instant she was +kicking on her back and tossing about, evidently hard hit; in a few +seconds more she lay perfectly still, and I saw that she was dead. + +I now turned my attention to the lion, who meanwhile had disappeared +over another rise. By this time Mahina and the other Indian, with three +or four of the disappointed Wa Kamba, had come up, so we started off in +a body in pursuit of him. I felt sure that he was lurking somewhere in +the grass not far off, and I knew that I could depend upon the native +eye to find him if he showed so much as the tip of his ear. Nor was I +disappointed, for we had scarcely topped the next rise when one of the +Wa Kamba spotted the dark brown head of the brute as he raised it for +an instant above the grass in order to watch us. We pretended not to +have seen him, however, and advanced to within two hundred yards or so, +when, as he seemed to be getting uneasy, I thought it best to risk a +shot even at this range. I put up the 200-yards sight and the bullet +fell short; but the lion never moved. Raising the sight another fifty +yards, I rested the rifle on Mahina's back for the next shot, and again +missed; fortunately, however, the lion still remained quiet. I then +decided to put into practice the scheme I had thought out the day I sat +astride the lion I had killed on the Kapiti Plain: so I told all my +followers to move off to the right, taking the mule with them, and to +make a half-circle round the animal, while I lay motionless in the +grass and waited. The ruse succeeded admirably, for as the men moved +round so did the lion, offering me at last a splendid shoulder shot. I +took very careful, steady aim and fired, with the result that he rolled +over and over, and then made one or two attempts to get up but failed. +I then ran up to within a few yards of him, and--helpless as he was +with a bullet through both shoulders--he was still game, and twist +round so as to face me, giving vent all the time to savage growls. A +final shot laid him out, however, and we at once proceeded to skin him. +While we were busy doing this, one of the Wa Kamba suddenly drew my +attention to the fact that we were actually being stalked at that very +moment by two other lions, who eventually approached to within five +hundred yards' distance and then lay down to watch us skinning their +dead brother, their big shaggy heads rising every now and again above +the grass to give us a prolonged stare. At the time I little knew what +a stirring adventure was in store for me next day while in pursuit of +these same brutes. + +It was almost dark when the skinning process was finished, so without +delay we started on our way back to camp, which was about seven miles +off. The lioness I thought I should leave to be skinned the next day; +but the men I sent out to do the job on the morrow were unable to find +any trace of her--they probably missed the place where she lay, for I +am sure that I killed her. It was a good two hours after night had +fallen before we got anywhere near the railway, and the last few miles +I was obliged to do by the guidance of the stars. Tramping over the +plain on a pitch-dark night, with lions and rhino all about, was by no +means pleasant work and I heartily wished myself and my men safely back +in camp. Indeed, I was beginning to think that I must have lost my +bearings and was getting anxious about it, when to my relief I heard a +rifle shot about half a mile ahead of us. I guessed at once that it was +fired by my good friend Spooner in order to guide me, so I gave a reply +signal; and on getting to the top of the next rise, I saw the plain in +front of me all twinkling with lights. When he found that I had not +returned by nightfall, Spooner had become nervous about me, and fearing +that I had met with some mishap, had come out with a number of the +workmen in camp to search for me in the direction I had taken in the +afternoon. He was delighted to find me safe and sound and with a lion's +skin as a trophy, while I was equally glad to have his escort and +company back to camp, which was still over a mile away. + +When we had settled down comfortably to dinner that night, I fired +Spooner's sporting ardour by telling him of the fine pair of lions who +had watched us skinning their companion, and we agreed at once to go +out next day and try to bag them both. Spooner and I had often had many +friendly arguments in regard to the comparative courage of the lion and +the tiger, he holding the view that "Stripes" was the more formidable +foe, while I, though admitting to the full-the courage of the tiger, +maintained from lively personal experience that the lion when once +roused was unequalled for pluck and daring, and was in fact the most +dangerous enemy one could meet with. He may at times slink off and not +show fight; but get him in the mood, or wound him, and only his death +or yours will end the fray--that, at least, was my experience of East +African lions. I think that Spooner has now come round to my opinion, +his conversion taking place the next day in a very melancholy manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR + + +Long after I had retired to rest that night I lay awake listening to +roar answering roar in every direction round our camp, and realised +that we were indeed in the midst of a favourite haunt of the king of +beasts. It is one thing to hear a lion in captivity, when one knows he +is safe behind iron bars; but quite another to listen to him when he is +ramping around in the vicinity of one's fragile tent, which with a +single blow he could tear to pieces. Still, all this roaring was of +good omen for the next day's sport. + +According to our over-night arrangement, we were up betimes in the +morning, but as there was a great deal of work to be done before we +could get away, it was quite midday before we made ready to start. I +ought to mention before going further that as a rule Spooner declined +my company on shooting trips, as he was convinced that I should get +"scuppered" sooner or later if I persisted in going after lions with a +"popgun," as he contemptuously termed my .303. Indeed, this was rather +a bone of contention between us, he being a firm believer (and rightly) +in a heavy, weapon for big and dangerous game, while I always did my +best to defend the .303 which I was in the habit of using. On this +occasion we effected a compromise for the day, I accepting the loan of +his spare 12-bore rifle as a second gun in case I should get to close +quarters. But my experience has been that it is always a very dangerous +thing to rely on a borrowed gun or rifle, unless it has precisely the +same action as one's own; and certainly in this instance it almost +proved disastrous. + +Having thus seen to our rifles and ammunition and taken care also that +some brandy was put in the luncheon-basket in case of an accident, we +set off early in the afternoon in Spooner's tonga, which is a +two-wheeled cart with a hood over it. The party consisted of Spooner +and myself, Spooner's Indian shikari Bhoota, my own gun-boy Mahina, and +two other Indians, one of whom, Imam Din, rode in the tonga, while the +other led a spare horse called "Blazeaway." Now it may seem a strange +plan to go lion-hunting in a tonga, but there is no better way of +getting about country like the Athi Plains, where--so long as it is +dry--there is little or nothing to obstruct wheeled traffic. Once +started, we rattled over the smooth expanse at a good rate, and on the +way bagged a hartebeeste and a couple of gazelle, as fresh meat was +badly needed in camp; besides, they offered most tempting shots, for +they stood stock-still gazing at us, struck no doubt by the novel +appearance of our conveyance. Next we came upon a herd of wildebeeste, +and here we allowed Bhoota, who was a wary shikari and an old servant +of Spooner's, to stalk a solitary bull. He was highly pleased at this +favour, and did the job admirably. + +At last we reached the spot where I had seen the two lions on the +previous day--a slight hollow, covered with long grass; but there was +now no trace of them to be discovered, so we moved further on and had +another good beat round. After some little time the excitement began by +our spying the black-tipped ears of a lioness projecting above the +grass, and the next moment a very fine lion arose from beside her and +gave us a full view of his grand head and mane. After staring fixedly +at us in an inquiring sort of way as we slowly advanced upon them, they +both turned and slowly trotted off, the lion stopping every now and +again to gaze round in our direction. Very imposing and majestic he +looked, too, as he thus turned his great shaggy head defiantly towards +us, and Spooner had to admit that it was the finest sight he had ever +seen. For a while we followed them on foot; but finding at length that +they were getting away from us and would soon be lost to sight over a +bit of rising ground, we jumped quickly into the tonga and galloped +round the base of the knoll so as to cut off their retreat, the +excitement of the rough and bumpy ride being intensified a hundred-fold +by the probability of our driving slap into the pair on rounding the +rise. On getting to the other side, however, they were nowhere to be +seen, so we drove on as hard as we could to the top, whence we caught +sight of them about four hundred yards away. As there seemed to be no +prospect of getting nearer we decided to open fire at this range, and +at the third shot the lioness tumbled over to my .303. At first I +thought I had done for her, as for a few minutes she lay on the ground +kicking and struggling; but in the end, although evidently badly hit, +she rose to her feet and followed the lion, who had escaped uninjured, +into some long grass from which we could not hope to dislodge them. + +As it was now late in the afternoon, and as there seemed no possibility +of inducing the lions to leave the thicket in which they had concealed +themselves, we turned back towards camp, intending to come out again +the next day to track the wounded lioness. I was now riding "Blazeaway" +and was trotting along in advance of the tonga, when suddenly he shied +badly at a hyena, which sprang up out of the grass almost from beneath +his feet and quickly scampered off. I pulled up for a moment and sat +watching the hyena's ungainly bounds, wondering whether he were worth a +shot. Suddenly I felt "Blazeaway" trembling violently beneath me, and +on looking over my left shoulder to discover the reason, I was startled +to see two fine lions not more than a hundred yards away, evidently the +pair which I had seen the day before and which we had really come in +search of. They looked as if they meant to dispute our passage, for +they came slowly towards me for about ten yards or so and then lay +down, watching me steadily all the time. I called out to Spooner, "Here +are the lions I told you about," and he whipped up the ponies and in a +moment or two was beside me with the tonga. + +By this time I had seized my .303 and dismounted, so we at once +commenced a cautious advance on the crouching lions, the arrangement +being that Spooner was to take the right-hand one and I the other. We +had got to within sixty yards' range without incident and were just +about to sit down comfortably to "pot" them, when they suddenly +surprised us by turning and bolting off. I managed, however, to put a +bullet into the one I had marked just as he crested a bank, and he +looked very grand as he reared up against the sky and clawed the air on +feeling the lead. For a second or two he gave me the impression that he +was about to charge; but luckily he changed his mind and followed his +companion, who had so far escaped scot free. I immediately mounted +"Blazeaway" and galloped off in hot pursuit, and after about half a +mile of very stiff going got up with them once more. Finding now that +they could not get away, they halted; came to bay and then charged down +upon me, the wounded lion leading. I had left my rifle behind, so all I +could do was to turn and fly as fast as "Blazeaway" could go, praying +inwardly the while that he would not put his foot into a hole. When the +lions saw that they were unable to overtake me, they gave up the chase +and lay down again, the wounded one being about two hundred yards in +front of the other. At once I pulled up too, and then went back a +little way, keeping a careful eye upon them; and I continued these +tactics of riding up and down at a respectful distance until Spooner +came up with the rifles, when we renewed the attack. + +As a first measure I thought it advisable to disable the unhurt lion if +possible, and, still using the .303, I got him with the second shot at +a range of about three hundred yards. He seemed badly hit, for he +sprang into the air and apparently fell heavily. I then exchanged my +.303 for Spooner's spare 12-bore rifle, and we turned our attention to +the nearer lion, who all this time had been lying perfectly still, +watching our movements closely, and evidently just waiting to be down +upon us the moment we came within charging distance. He was never given +this opportunity, however, for we did not approach nearer than ninety +yards, when Spooner sat down comfortably and knocked him over quite +dead with one shot from his .577, the bullet entering the left shoulder +obliquely and passing through the heart. + +It was now dusk, and there was no time to be lost if we meant to bag +the second lion as well. We therefore resumed our cautious advance, +moving to the right, as we went, so as to get behind us what light +there was remaining. The lion of course twisted round in the grass in +such a way as always to keep facing us, and looked very ferocious, so +that I was convinced that unless he were entirely disabled by the first +shot he would be down on us like a whirlwind. All the same, I felt +confident that, even in this event, one of us would succeed in stopping +him before he could do any damage; but in this I was unfortunately to +be proved mistaken. + +Eventually we managed to get within eighty yards of the enraged animal, +I being about five yards to the left front of Spooner, who was followed +by Bhoota at about the same distance to his right rear. By this time +the lion was beside himself with fury, growling savagely and raising +quite a cloud of dust by lashing his tail against the ground. It was +clearly high time that we did something, so asking Spooner to fire, +dropped on one knee and waited. Nor was I kept long in suspense, for +the moment Spooner's shot rang out, up jumped the lion and charged down +in a bee-line for me, coming in long, low bounds at great speed. I +fired the right barrel at about fifty yards, but apparently missed; the +left at about half that range, still without stopping effect. I knew +then that there was no time reload, so remained kneeling, expecting him +to be on me the next moment. Suddenly, just as he was within a bound of +me, he made a quick turn, to my right. "Good heavens," I thought, "he +is going for Spooner." I was wrong in this, however, for like a flash +he passed Spooner also, and with a last tremendous bound seized Bhoota +by the leg and rolled over and over with him for some yards in the +impetus of the rush. Finally he stood over him and tried to seize him +by the throat, which the brave fellow prevented by courageously +stuffing his left arm right into the great jaws. Poor Bhoota! By moving +at the critical moment, he had diverted the lion's attention from me +and had drawn the whole fury of the charge on to himself. + +All this, of course, happened in only a second or two. In the short +instant that intervened, I felt a cartridge thrust into my hand by +Spooner's plucky servant, Imam Din, who had carried the 12-bore all day +and who had stuck to me gallantly throughout the charge; and shoving it +in, I rushed as quickly as I could to Bhoota's rescue. Meanwhile, +Spooner had got there before me and when I came up actually had his +left hand on the lion's flank, in a vain attempt to push him off +Bhoota's prostrate body and so get at the heavy rifle which the poor +fellow still stoutly clutched. The lion, however, was so busily engaged +mauling Bhoota's arm that he paid not the slightest attention to +Spooner's efforts. Unfortunately, as he was facing straight in my +direction, I had to move up in full view of him, and the moment I +reached his head, he stopped chewing the arm, though still holding it +in his mouth, and threw himself back on his haunches, preparing for a +spring, at the same time curling back his lips and exposing his long +tusks in a savage snarl. I knew then that I had not a moment to spare, +so I threw the rifle up to my shoulder and pulled the trigger. Imagine +my utter despair and horror when it did not go off! "Misfire again," I +thought, and my heart almost stopped beating. As took a step backwards, +I felt it was all over no for he would never give me time to extract +the cartridge and load again. Still I took another step backwards, +keeping my eyes fixed on the lion's, which were blazing with rage; and +in the middle of my third step, just as the brute was gathering himself +for his spring, it suddenly struck me that in my haste and excitement, +I had forgotten that I was using a borrowed rifle and had not pulled +back the hammer (my own was hammerless). To do this and put a bullet +through the lion's brain was then the work of a moment; and he fell +dead instantly right on the top of Bhoota. + +We did not lose a moment in rolling his great carcase off Bhoota's body +and quickly forced opening the jaws so as to disengage the mangled arm +which still remained in his mouth. By this time the poor shikari was in +a fainting condition, and we flew to the tonga for the brandy flask +which we had so providentially brought with us. On making a rough +examination of the wounded man, we found that his left arm and right +leg were both frightfully mauled, the latter being broken as well. He +was lifted tenderly into the tonga--how thankful we now were to have it +with us!--and Spooner at once set off with him to camp and the doctor. + +Before following them home I made a hasty examination of the dead lion +and found him to be a very good specimen in every way. I was +particularly satisfied to see that one of the two shots I had fired as +he charged down upon me had taken effect. The bullet had entered below +the right eye, and only just missed the brain. Unfortunately it was a +steel one which Spooner had unluckily brought in his ammunition bag by +mistake; still one would have thought that a shot of this kind, even +with a hard bullet, would at least have checked the lion for the +moment. As a matter of fact, however, it went clean through him without +having the slightest stopping effect. My last bullet, which was of soft +lead, had entered close to the right eye and embedded itself in the +brain. By this time it had grown almost dark, so I left the two dead +lions where they lay and rode for camp, which I was lucky enough to +reach without further adventure or mishap. I may mention here that +early next morning two other lions were found devouring the one we had +first shot; but they had not had time to do much damage, and the head, +which I have had mounted, makes a very fine trophy indeed. The lion +that mauled Bhoota was untouched. + +On my arrival in camp I found that everything that was possible was +being done for poor Bhoota by Dr. McCulloch, the same who had travelled +up with me to Tsavo and shot the ostrich from the train on my first +arrival in the country, and who was luckily on the spot. His wounds had +been skilfully dressed, the broken leg put in splints, and under the +influence of a soothing draught the poor fellow was soon sleeping +peacefully. At first we had great hope of saving both life and limb, +and certainly for some days he seemed to be getting on as well as could +be expected. The wounds, however, were very bad ones, especially those +on the leg where the long tusks had met through and through the flesh, +leaving over a dozen deep tooth marks; the arm, though dreadfully +mauled, soon healed. It was wonderful to notice how cheerfully the old +shikari, bore it all, and a pleasure to listen to his tale of how he +would have his revenge on the whole tribe of lions as soon as he was +able to get about again. But alas, his shikar was over. The leg got +rapidly worse, and mortification setting in, it had to be amputated +half way up the thigh. + +Dr. Winston Waters performed the operation most skilfully, and +curiously enough the operating table was canopied with the skin of the +lion which had been responsible for the injury. Bhoota made a good +recovery from the operation, but seemed to lose heart when he found +that he had only one leg left, as according to his ideas he had now but +a poor chance of being allowed to enter Heaven. We did all that was +possible for him, and Spooner especially could not have looked after a +brother more tenderly; but to our great sorrow he sank gradually, and +died on July 19. + +The hunt which had such a disastrous sequel proved to be the last +occasion on which I met a lion in the open, as we got out of the +hunting country shortly afterwards and for the rest of my stay in East +Africa I had too much work to do to be able to go any distance in +search of big game. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE + + +Towards the end of my stay in British East Africa, I dined one evening +with Mr. Ryall, the Superintendent of the Police, in his inspection +carriage on the railway. Poor Ryall! I little thought then what a +terrible fate was to overtake him only a few months later in that very +carriage in which we dined. + +A man-eating lion had taken up his quarters at a little roadside +station called Kimaa, and had developed an extraordinary taste for the +members of the railway staff. He was a most daring brute, quite +indifferent as to whether he carried off the station-master, the +signalman, or the pointsman; and one night, in his efforts to obtain a +meal, he actually climbed up on to the roof of the station buildings +and tried to tear off the corrugated-iron sheets. At this the terrified +baboo in charge of the telegraph instrument below sent the following +laconic message to the Traffic Manager: "Lion fighting with station. +Send urgent succour." Fortunately he was not victorious in his "fight +with the station"; but he tried so hard to get in that he cut his feet +badly on the iron sheeting, leaving large blood-stains on the roof. +Another night, however, he succeeded in carrying off the native driver +of the pumping-engine, and soon afterwards added several other victims +to his list. On one occasion an engine-driver arranged to sit up all +night in a large iron water-tank in the hope of getting a shot at him, +and had a loop-hole cut in the side of the tank from which to fire. But +as so often happens, the hunter became the hunted; the lion turned up +in the middle of the night, overthrew the tank and actually tried to +drag the driver out through the narrow circular hole in the top through +which he had squeezed in. Fortunately the tank was just too deep for +the brute to be able to reach the man at the bottom; but the latter was +naturally half paralysed with fear and had to crouch so low down as to +be unable to take anything like proper aim. He fired, however, and +succeeded in frightening the lion away for the time being. + +It was in a vain attempt to destroy this pest that poor Ryall met his +tragic and untimely end. On June 6, 1900, he was travelling up in his +inspection carriage from Makindu to Nairobi, accompanied by two +friends, Mr. Huebner and Mr. Parenti. When they reached Kimaa, which is +about two hundred and fifty miles from Mombasa, they were told that the +man-eater had been seen close to the station only a short time before +their train arrived, so they at once made up their minds to remain +there for the night and endeavour to shoot him. Ryall's carriage was +accordingly detached from the train and shunted into a siding close to +the station, where, owing to the unfinished state of the line, it did +not stand perfectly level, but had a pronounced list to one side. In +the afternoon the three friends went out to look for the lion, but, +finding no traces of him whatever, they returned to the carriage for +dinner. Afterwards they all sat up on guard for some time; but the only +noticeable thing they saw was what they took to be two very bright and +steady glow-worms. After-events proved that these could have been +nothing else than the eyes of the man-eater steadily watching them all +the time and studying their every movement. The hour now growing late, +and there being apparently no sign of the lion, Ryall persuaded his two +friends to lie down, while he kept the first watch. Huebner occupied +the high berth over the table on the one side of the carriage, the only +other berth being on the opposite side of the compartment and lower +down. This Ryall offered to Parenti, who declined it, saying that he +would be quite comfortable on the floor and he accordingly lay down to +sleep, with his feet towards the sliding door which gave admission the +carriage. + +It is supposed that Ryall, after watching for some considerable time, +must have come to the conclusion that the lion was not going to make +its appearance that night, for he lay down on the lower berth and dozed +off. No sooner had he done so, doubtless, than the cunning man-eater +began cautiously to stalk the three sleepers. In order to reach the +little platform at the end of the carriage, he had to mount two very +high steps from the railway line, but these he managed to negotiate +successfully and in silence. The door from this platform into the +carriage was a sliding one on wheels, which ran very easily on a brass +runner; and as it was probably not quite shut, or at any rate not +secured in any way, it was an easy matter for the lion to thrust in a +paw and shove it open. But owing to the tilt of the carriage and to his +great extra weight on the one side, the door slid to and snapped into +the lock the moment he got his body right in, thus leaving him shut up +with the three sleeping me in the compartment. + +He sprang at once at Ryall, but in order to reach him had actually to +plant his feet on Parenti, who, it will be remembered, was sleeping on +the floor. At this moment Huebner was suddenly awakened by a loud cry, +and on looking down from his berth was horrified to see an enormous +lion standing with his hind feet on Parenti's body, while his forepaws +rested on poor Ryall. Small wonder that he was panic-stricken at the +sight. There was only one possible way of escape, and that was through +the second sliding door communicating with the servants' quarters, +which was opposite to that by which the lion had entered. But in order +to reach this door Huebner had literally to jump on to the man-eater's +back, for its great bulk filled up all the space beneath his berth. It +sounds scarcely credible, but it appears that in the excitement and +horror of the moment he actually did this, and fortunately the lion was +too busily engaged with his victim to pay any attention to him. So he +managed to reach the door in safety; but there, to his dismay, he found +that it was held fast on the other side by the terrified coolies, who +had been aroused by the disturbance caused by the lion's entrance. In +utter desperation he made frantic efforts to open it, and exerting all +his strength at last managed to pull it back sufficiently far to allow +him to squeeze through, when the trembling coolies instantly tied it up +again with their turbans. A moment afterwards a great crash was heard, +and the whole carriage lurched violently to one side; the lion had +broken through one of the windows, carrying off poor Ryall with him. +Being now released, Parenti lost no time in jumping through the window +on the opposite side of the carriage, and fled for refuge to one of the +station buildings; his escape was little short of miraculous, as the +lion had been actually standing on him as he lay on the floor. The +carriage itself was badly shattered, and the wood-work of the window +had been broken to pieces by the passage of the lion as he sprang +through with his victim in his mouth. + +All that can be hoped is that poor Ryall's death was instantaneous. His +remains were found next morning about a quarter of a mile away in the +bush, and were taken to Nairobi for burial. I am glad to be able to add +that very shortly afterwards the terrible brute who was responsible for +this awful tragedy was caught in an ingenious trap constructed by one +of the railway staff. He was kept on view for several days, and then +shot. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +WORK AT NAIROBI + + +Although the lion which caused poor Bhoota's death was the last I +managed to shoot in East Africa, I saw several others afterwards while +travelling up and down the line at different times on construction +work. In particular, I remember one very curious incident which +happened early on the morning of June 2, when I was travelling towards +Nairobi, accompanied by Dr. McCulloch. The Doctor was going home on +leave in the course of a few days, and was bemoaning to me his bad luck +in never having shot or even seen a lion all the time he had been in +the country. We were standing on the engine at the time, facing each +other, he with his back to the north. + +"My dear Mac," I said, "it is because you don't look out for them." + +"Rubbish," he retorted; "I do nothing else when I am out hunting." + +"Well," I replied, "are you really very anxious to shoot one before you +go home?" + +"I would rather get a lion than anything else in the world," was the +emphatic reply. + +"Very good, then. Sultan," I called to the driver, "stop the engine." + +"Now, Mac," I continued, as the train was quickly brought to a +standstill, "here's a chance for you. Just jump off and bag those two +over there." + +He turned round in blank astonishment and could hardly believe his eyes +when he saw two fine lions only about two hundred yards off, busily +engaged in devouring a wildebeeste which they had evidently just +killed. I had spotted them almost as soon as Mac had begun to talk of +his bad luck, and had only waited to tell him until we got nearer, so +as to give him a greater surprise. He was off the engine in a second +and made directly for the two beasts. Just as he was about to fire one +of them bolted, so I called out to him to shoot the other quickly +before he too made good his escape. This one was looking at us over his +shoulder with one paw on the dead wildebeeste, and while he stood in +this attitude Mac dropped him with a bullet through the heart. Needless +to say he was tremendously delighted with his success, and after the +dead lion had been carried to the train and propped up against a +carriage, I took a photograph of him standing beside his fine trophy. + +Three days after this incident railhead reached Nairobi, and I was +given charge of the new division of the line. Nairobi was to be the +headquarters of the Railway Administration, so there was an immense +amount of work to be done in converting an absolutely bare plain, three +hundred and twenty-seven miles from the nearest place where even a nail +could be purchased, into a busy railway centre. Roads and bridges had +to be constructed, houses and work-shops built, turntables and station +quarters erected, a water supply laid on, and a hundred and one other +things done which go to the making of a railway township. Wonderfully +soon, however, the nucleus of the present town began to take shape, and +a thriving "bazaar" sprang into existence with a mushroom-like growth. +In this, however, a case or two of plague broke out before very long, +so I gave the natives and Indians who inhabited it an hour's notice to +clear out, and on my own responsibility promptly burned the whole place +to the ground. For this somewhat arbitrary proceeding I was mildly +called over the coals, as I expected; but all the same it effectually +stamped out the plague, which did not reappear during the time I was in +the country. + +With a little persuasion I managed to induce several hundred of the Wa +Kikuyu, in whose country we now were, to come and work at Nairobi, and +very useful and capable they proved themselves after a little training. +They frequently brought me in word that the shambas (plantations, +gardens) at the back of the hill on which my camp was pitched were +being destroyed by elephants, but unfortunately I could never spare +time to go out in quest of them. On one occasion, however, I passed the +news on to my friend, Dr. Winston Waters, with the result that he had a +most exciting adventure with a big bull elephant. He set out in quest +of the depredator, and, guided by a few of the Wa Kikuyu, soon came +upon him hidden among some shady trees. Waters was a great believer in +a close shot, so he stalked up to within a few yards of the animal and +then fired his .577, aiming for the heart. The elephant responded by a +prompt and determined charge, and although Waters quickly let him have +the left barrel as well, it proved of no effect; and on he came, +screaming and trumpeting with rage. There was nothing for it, +therefore, but to fly for dear life; so down a path raced Waters for +all he was worth, the elephant giving vigorous chase and gaining +rapidly. In a few seconds matters began to look very serious for the +sportsman, for the huge monster was almost on him; but at the critical +moment he stepped on to the false cover of a carefully-concealed game +pit and disappeared from view as if by magic. This sudden descent of +his enemy apparently into the bowels of the earth so startled the +elephant that he stopped short in his career and made off into the +jungle. As for Waters, he was luckily none the worse for his fall, as +the pit was neither staked at the bottom nor very deep; he soon +scrambled out, and, following up the wounded elephant, succeeded in +finishing him off without further trouble. + +Towards the end of 1899 I left for England. A few days before I started +all my Wa Kikuyu "children", as they called themselves, came in a body +and begged to be taken with me. I pictured to them the cold, wet +climate of England and its great distance from their native land; but +they assured me that these were nothing to them, as they only wished to +continue my "children" and to go wherever I went. I could hardly +imagine myself arriving in London with a body-guard of four hundred +more or less naked savages, but it was only with difficulty that I +persuaded them that they had better remain in their own country. The +ever-faithful Mahina, my "boy" Roshan Khan, my honest chaukidar, +Meeanh, and a few other coolies who had been a long time with me, +accompanied me to the coast, where they bade me a sorrowful farewell +and left for India the day before I sailed on my homeward journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND + + +During the early part of last year (1906) I revisited the scene of my +former labours and adventures on a shooting trip. Unfortunately the +train by which I travelled up from Mombasa reached Tsavo at midnight, +but all the same I got out and prowled about as long as time would +permit, half wondering every moment if the ghosts of the two man-eaters +would spring at me out of the bushes. I wanted very much to spend a day +or two in the old place, but my companions were anxious to push on as +quickly as possible to better hunting-grounds. I took the trouble, +however, to wake them out of their peaceful slumbers in order to point +out to them, by the pale moonlight, the strength and beauty of the +Tsavo bridge; but I fear this delicate little attention was scarcely +appreciated as it deserved. Naturally I could not expect them, or +anyone else, to view the bridge quite from my point of view; I looked +on it as a child of mine, brought up through stress and danger and +troubles of all kinds, but the ordinary traveller of course knows +nothing of this and doubtless thinks it only a very commonplace and +insignificant structure indeed. + +We spent a few days at Nairobi, now a flourishing town of some 6,000 +inhabitants, supplied with every modern comfort and luxury, including a +well laid-out race course; and after a short trip to Lake Victoria +Nyanza and Uganda, we made our way back to the Eldama Ravine, which +lies some twenty miles north of Landiani Station in the province of +Naivasha. Here we started in earnest on our big game expedition, which +I am glad to say proved to be a most delightful and interesting one in +every way. The country was lovely, and the climate cool and bracing. We +all got a fair amount of sport, our bag including rhino, hippo, +waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeeste, wildebeeste, ostrich, impala, oryx, +roan antelope, etc.; but for the present I must confine myself to a +short account of how I was lucky enough to shoot a specimen of an +entirely new race of eland. + +Our party of five, including one lady who rode and shot equally +straight, left the Eldama Ravine on January 22, and trekked off in an +easterly direction across the Laikipia Plateau. As the trail which we +were to take was very little known and almost impossible to follow +without a guide, Mr. Foaker, the District Officer at the Ravine, very +kindly procured us a reliable man--a young Uashin Gishu Masai named +Uliagurma. But as he could not speak a word of Swahili, we had also to +engage an interpreter, an excellent, cheery fellow of the same tribe +named Landaalu; and he in his turn possessed a kinsman who insisted on +coming too, although he was no earthly use to us. Our route took us +through the Solai Swamp, over the Multilo and Subu Ko Lultian ranges, +and across many unexpected rivers and streamlets. On our first march I +noticed that Uliagurma, our kirongozi (guide), was suffering extremely, +though uncomplainingly, from earache, so I told him to come to me when +we got to camp and I would see what I could do for him. Strange to say, +my doctoring proved most successful, and Uliagurma was so grateful that +he spread my fame as a "medicine-man" far and wide among the natives +wherever we trekked. The consequence was that men, women and children +in every state of disease and crippledom came and besieged our camps, +begging for some of the magical dawa (medicine). I used to do what I +could, and only hope I did not injure many of them; but it was +heartrending to see some of the quite hopeless cases I was expected to +cure. + +After we had climbed the Subu Ko Lultian and got a footing on the +plateau, we pitched our camp on the banks of the Angarua river, where +we found a big Masai kraal, the inhabitants of which seemed much +astonished at our sudden appearance in their neighbourhood. They were +very friendly, however, and visited our camp in swarms an hour or so +after our arrival. Riding my pony and accompanied by Landaalu as +interpreter, and my gun-bearer Juma, I returned their call in the +afternoon, when the elmorani (warriors) gave for my entertainment an +exhibition of the gymnastic exercises which they practise regularly in +order more particularly to strengthen their legs and render them +supple. After the performance I asked if there was any game about and +was told that some might be found a few miles to the north of the +kraal; so I set out at once with Landaalu and Juma to try my luck. It +was a perfect afternoon, and no sooner had I cleared the belt of scrub +which grew round the kraal, when by the aid of my glasses I saw a herd +of zebra and other game away in the distance, feeding peacefully on the +rolling prairie. I made my way steadily towards them, and noticed as I +went that a couple of eland were gradually drawing away from the rest +of the herd. I marked these for my own, and carefully noting the +direction they were taking, I dismounted and made a detour round a rise +so as to lie in wait for them and cut them off. My plan succeeded +admirably, for the two fine animals continued to come straight towards +me without suspicion, feeding quietly by the way. When they got to +within eighty yards or so, I picked out the bigger head and was only +waiting for him to make a slight turn before pulling the trigger, when +bang went the heavy rifle of one of my companions about half a mile +away. In an instant the two eland had bounded off, and I decided not to +risk a shot, in the hope that they would soon settle down again and +give me another chance. + +Mentally blessing my friend for firing at this untimely moment, I +watched them make for a belt of wood about a mile further on, hoping +against hope that they would remain on the near side of it. No such +luck, however, for they plunged into it and were quickly swallowed up +out of my sight. Running to my pony, which Landaalu had dexterously +brought up, I galloped in the direction of the spot in the trees where +the eland had disappeared; but imagine my vexation when I found that I +had to pull up sharp on the edge of a nasty-looking swamp, which at +first sight appeared too boggy and treacherous to attempt to cross. I +rode up and down it without being able to find anything like a really +safe crossing place, so in desperation I at last determined to take the +risk of crossing it along an old rhino path where the reeds were +flattened down. My pony floundered bravely through, and eventually +succeeded in getting safely to the other side. I then made my way +cautiously through the belt of trees, and was relieved to find that it +was only half a mile or so broad. I dismounted as I neared the further +side, and, tying my pony to a tree, crept quietly forward, expecting to +see the eland not far off; but to my disappointment there was no trace +of game of any kind on the whole wide stretch of country that met my +view. I therefore tried another direction, and, taking a half turn to +my left, made my way carefully through some open glades to the top of a +little rise not far off. + +The sight that now met my eyes fairly took my breath away; for there, +not three hundred yards off and stalking placidly along at a slow walk, +was a herd of fully a hundred eland of all ages and sizes. The rear of +the column was brought up by a magnificent old bull, and my heart +jumped for joy as I watched him from the shelter of the bushes behind +which I lay concealed. The next thing to be done was to decide on a +plan of attack, and this had to be thought of without loss of time, for +the wind was blowing from me almost in the direction of the eland, who +would certainly scent me very soon if I did not get away. Quickly +noting the direction in which they were moving, I saw that if all went +well they ought to pass close to a little hillock about a mile or so +off; and if I were very sharp about it, I thought I could make a +circuit through the wood and be on this rise, in a good position for +both wind and cover, before the herd could reach it. Accordingly I +crept away with the object of finding my mount, but to my delight--just +behind me and well hidden--stood the undefeated Landaalu, who in some +mysterious way had followed me up, found the pony where I had left it +tied to a tree, and brought it on to me. With a bright grin on his face +he thrust the reins into my hand, and I was up and galloping off in an +instant. + +I soon discovered that I had further to go than I expected, for I was +forced to make a big detour in order to keep out of sight of the herd; +but on halting once or twice and peeping through the trees I saw that +all was going well and that they were still calmly moving on in the +right direction. The last quarter of a mile had to be negotiated in the +open, but I found that by lying flat down on my pony's back I was +completely hidden from the advancing herd by an intervening swell in +the ground. In this manner I managed to get unobserved to the lee of my +hillock, where I dismounted, threw the reins over a stump, and crawled +stealthily but as quickly as I could to the top. I was in great doubt +as to whether I should be in time or not, but on peering, hatless, over +the crest, I was overjoyed to find the whole herd just below me. One of +the eland, not twenty yards off, saw me at once, and stood still to +gaze at me in astonishment. It was a female, however, so I took no +notice of her, but looked round to see if my great bull were anywhere +near. Yes, there he was; he had passed the spot where I lay, but was +not more than forty yards off, moving in the same leisurely fashion as +when I first saw him. An instant later, he noticed the general alarm +caused by my appearance, and stopped and turned half round to see what +was the matter. This gave me my opportunity, so I fired, aiming behind +the shoulder. The way in which he jumped and kicked on feeling the lead +told me I had hit him hard, and I got two more bullets into him from +the magazine of my .303 before he managed to gain the shelter of a +neighbouring thicket and was lost to sight. In the meantime the whole +herd had thundered off at full gallop, disappearing in a few minutes in +a cloud of dust. + +I was confident that there would be little difficulty in finding the +wounded eland, and on Landaalu coming up--which, by the way, he did +almost immediately, for he was a wonderful goer--we started to make a +rough search through the thicket. Owing to the growing darkness, +however, we met with no success, so I decided to return to camp, which +was many miles away, and to resume the quest at daybreak the following +morning. It turned out that we were even further from home than I +thought, and black night came upon us before we had covered a quarter +of the distance. Fortunately the invaluable Landaalu had discovered a +good crossing over the swamp, so we were able to press on at a good +pace without losing any time in overcoming the obstacle. After an hour +or so of hard travelling, we were delighted to see a rocket go up, +fired by my friends to guide us on our way. Such a sight is wonderfully +cheering when one is far away from camp, trudging along in the inky +darkness and none too certain of one's direction; and a rocket +equipment should invariably be carried by the traveller in the wilds. +Several more were sent up before we got anywhere near camp, and I +remarked to Landaalu that we must have gone a very long way after the +eland. "Long way," he replied; "why, Master, we have been to Baringo!" +This lake as a matter of fact was fully fifty miles away. When finally +we arrived I fired the ardour of my companions by relating the +adventures of the afternoon and telling them of the wonderful herd I +had seen; and it was at once agreed that we should stay where we were +for a day or two in the hope of good sport being obtained. + +As soon as it was daylight the next morning I sent out a party of our +porters with full instructions where to find my eland, which I was sure +must be lying somewhere in the thicket close to the hill from where I +had shot him; and very shortly afterwards we ourselves made a start. +After a couple of hours' travelling we were lucky enough to catch sight +of a portion of the herd of eland, when we dismounted and stalked them +carefully through the long grass. All of a sudden one popped up its +head unexpectedly about fifty yards away. One of my companions +immediately levelled his rifle at it, but from where I was I could see +better than he that the head was a poor one, and so called out to him +not to fire. The warning came too late, however, for at that moment he +pulled the trigger. It was rather a difficult shot, too, as the body of +the animal could not be seen very well owing to the height of the +grass; still, as the head instantly disappeared we hoped for the best +and ran up to the place, but no trace of the eland could be found. +Accordingly we pushed on again and after a little rested for a short +time under the shade of some trees. We had gone about three miles after +resuming our search for game, when one of the porters remembered that +he had left the water-bottle he was carrying at the trees where we had +halted, so he was sent back for it with strict injunctions to make +haste and to rejoin us as quickly as possible. Curiously enough, this +trifling incident proved quite providential; for the porter (whose name +was Sabaki), after recovering the water-bottle, found himself unable to +trace us through the jungle and accordingly struck home for camp. On +his way back he actually stumbled over the dead body of the eland which +I had shot the previous day and which the search party I had sent out +in the morning had failed to find. They were still looking for it close +at hand, however, so Sabaki hailed them and they at once set to work to +skin and cut up the animal, and then carried it to the camp. + +Meanwhile, of course, we knew nothing of all this, and continued our +hunt for game. Shortly after noon we had a light lunch, and while we +were eating it our guides, Uliagurma and Landaalu, discovered a bees' +nest in a fallen tree and proceeded to try to extract the honey, of +which the Masai are very fond. This interference was naturally strongly +resented by the bees, and soon the semi-naked youths ran flying past us +with the angry swarm in full pursuit. I laughed heartily at Landaalu, +and chaffed him unmercifully for allowing himself, a Masai, to be put +to flight by a few bees. This the jolly fellow took very +good-humouredly, saying that if he only had a jacket like mine he would +soon go and get the honey. I gave him my jacket at once, and a most +comical figure he cut in it, as it was very short and he had +practically nothing else on. When the nest was properly examined, +however, it was found that the bees had eaten all the honey; so after +taking some photographs of our guides at work among the bees we all +proceeded homewards, reaching camp about dusk, with nothing to show for +our long day's hunt. + +We were met by Sabaki, who was in a great state of excitement, and who +started to explain in very bad Swahili how he had come across the dead +eland. Misunderstanding what he said, I told my friend that Sabaki had +found the eland which he had shot in the morning, and rejoiced heartily +with him at this piece of good luck. On viewing the head, however, we +could not understand it, as it was very much bigger than the one he had +fired at; and it was not till later in the evening when I visited +Landaalu, curled up at the camp fire, that the mystery was explained. +He greeted me by saying that after all we had not gone to Baringo for +nothing the previous day, and on my asking him what he meant he told me +about the finding of the eland, taking, it for granted that I knew it +was mine. I quickly called up Sabaki and after some trouble got from +him the whole story of how he had found the body close to my little +hillock and near where my men were searching for it. So I broke the +truth gently to my friend, who at once acknowledged my claim and +congratulated me on my good fortune. + +How great this good fortune was I did not know till long after; but +even then, when I came to examine the head and skin carefully, I found +that they both differed materially from those of any other eland that I +had ever seen. For one thing, there was no long tuft of hair on the +forehead, while from the lower corner of each eye ran an incomplete +white stripe similar to, though smaller than, those found in the giant +eland. The sides of the forehead were of a reddish colour, and on the +lower part of the face there was a much larger brown patch than is to +be seen on the ordinary eland. The striping on the body was very +slight, the chief markings being three lines across the withers. On my +return to England in April. I sent the head to Rowland Ward's to be set +up, and while there it was seen by Mr. R. Lydekker, F.R.S., of the +British Museum, the well-known naturalist and specialist in big game, +who wrote to tell me that it possessed great zoological interest, as +showing the existence of a hitherto unknown race of eland. Mr. Lydekker +also contributed the following notice describing the animal to The +Field of September 29, 1906: + + +"Considerable interest attaches to the head of an eland, killed by +Colonel J.H. Patterson in Portuguese[1] East Africa, and set up by Mr. +Rowland Ward, on account of certain peculiarities in colouring and +markings, which indicate a transition from the ordinary South African +animal in the direction of the giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus) of +the Bahr-el-Ghazal district and West Africa. In the striped variety +(Taurotragus oryx livingstonianus) of the ordinary South African eland, +the whole middle line of the face of the adult bull is uniformly dark, +or even blackish-brown, with a tuft of long bushy hair on the forehead, +and no white stripe from the lower angle of the eye. On the other hand, +in the Sudani form of the giant eland (T. derbianus gigas), as +represented by a bull figured by Mr. Rothschild in Novitates Zoologicae +for 1905, the upper part of the face has the hair rufous and shorter +than in the ordinary eland, while from the lower angle of each eye a +white stripe runs inwards and downwards, recalling the white chevron of +the kudu, although the two stripes do not meet in the middle line. + +"In Colonel Patterson's eland (which may well be designated T. oryx +pattersonianus) there is an incomplete white chevron similar to, +although rather smaller than, the one found in the giant eland, while +only a narrow stripe in the middle line of the face, above and between +the eyes, is dark-brown, the sides of the forehead being rufous. On the +lower part of the face there is a larger dark-brown area than in the +ordinary eland, although there is a rufous fawn-coloured patch on each +side above the nostril. In both the latter respects Colonel Patterson's +specimen recalls the giant eland, although it apparently lacks the dark +white-bordered band on the side of the neck, characteristic of the +latter. If all the elands from that part of Portuguese East Africa +where Colonel Patterson's specimen was obtained turn out to be of the +same type, there will be a strong presumption that the true and the +giant eland, like the various local forms of giraffe and bonte-quagga, +are only races of one and the same species. While, even if the present +specimen be only a 'sport' (which I consider unlikely), it will serve +to show that the southern and northern elands are more nearly related +than has hitherto been supposed." + +1 In error for "British." + + +As my eland thus proved to be of some considerable scientific value, +and as the authorities of the British Museum expressed a desire to +possess its head, I gladly presented it to the Trustees, so that all +sportsmen and naturalists might have an opportunity of seeing it at the +Natural History Museum at South Kensington, where it now is. + + +APPENDIX + +I. + +SPORTSMEN who think of visiting British East Africa on a shooting trip +may be glad of a few general hints on points of interest and importance. + +The battery, to be sufficient for all needs, should consist of a .450 +express, a .303 sporting rifle, and a 12-bore shot gun; and I should +consider 250 rounds of .450 (50 hard and 200 soft), 300 rounds of .303 +(100 hard and 200 soft), and 500 12-bore shot cartridges of say, the 6 +and 8 sizes, sufficient for a three months' trip. Leather bandoliers to +carry 50 each of these different cartridges would also prove very +useful. + +A couple of hundred rockets of various colours should certainly be +taken, as they are invaluable for signalling to and from camp after +dark. These can be obtained so as to fire from a 12-bore shot gun or +from a short pistol, and some should always be left with the camp +neopara (Headman) for use as occasion requires. + +The rifles, cartridges, and rockets should be consigned to an agent in +Mombasa, and sent off from London in tin-lined cases at least a month +before the sportsman himself intends to start. It must be remembered +that the Customs House at Mombasa charges a 10 per cent duty on the +value of all articles imported, so that the invoices should be +preserved and produced for inspection. + +The hunter's kit should include a good pith sunhat, a couple of suits +of khaki, leather gaiters or a couple of pairs of puttees, wash-leather +gloves to protect the hands from the sun, and two pairs of boots with +hemp soles; long Norwegian boots will also be found very useful. The +usual underclothing worn in England is all that is required if the +shooting is to be done in the highlands. A good warm overcoat will be +much appreciated up-country in the cool of the evenings, and a light +mackintosh for wet weather ought also to be included. For use in rocky +or thorny country, a pair of knee and elbow pads will be found +invaluable, and those who feel the sun should also provide themselves +with a spine-protector. The latter is a most useful article of kit, for +although the air may be pretty cool, the sun strikes down very fiercely +towards midday. A well-filled medicine chest should of course not be +forgotten. + +A good field glass, a hunting and skinning knife or two, and a Kodak +with about 200 films should also be carried. With regard to the last +item, I should strongly advise all who intend to take photographs on +their trip to pay a visit to Mr. W.D. Young on arriving at Nairobi. He +is an enthusiastic photographer, and will gladly give advice to all as +to light and time of exposure; and as these are the two points which +require most attention, hints from some one of experience in the +country are most useful. I myself am much indebted to Mr. Young's +kindly advice, and I am sure I should not have achieved much success in +my pictures without it. I made it a practice on my last visit to the +country to send him the exposed films for development whenever I +reached a postal station, and I should recommend others to do the same, +as films deteriorate rapidly on the voyage home; indeed I had nearly +four hundred spoiled in this way, taken when I was in the country in +1898-99. + +As regards camp equipment, all that need be taken out from England are +a small double-fly tent, three Jaeger blankets, a collapsible bath, a +Wolseley valise, and a good filter; and even these can be obtained just +as good locally. Chop boxes (food) and other necessary camp gear should +be obtained at Mombasa or Nairobi, where the agents will put up just +what is necessary. About a month before sailing from England a letter +should be sent to the agents, stating the date of arrival and what +porters, etc., will be required. The sportsman will then find +everything ready for him, so that an immediate start may be made. + +Unless money is no object, I should not advise anyone to engage porters +at Mombasa, as equally good men can be obtained at Nairobi, thus saving +20 rupees per head in return railway fares. It must be remembered that +for transport work men are infinitely preferable to donkeys, as the +latter are exasperatingly slow and troublesome, especially on rough +ground or on crossing streams, where every load has to be unpacked, +carried over, and then reloaded on the animal's back. The caravan for +one sportsman--if he intends going far from the railway--is usually +made up as follows, though the exact numbers depend upon many +considerations: + + + 1 Headman ................ 50 rupees[1] per month. + 1 Cook ................... 35 " " + 1 Gun-bearer ............. 20 " " + 1 "Boy" (personal servant) 20 " " + 2 Askaris (armed porters). 12 " " each. + 30 Porters ................ 10 " " each. + + +[1] The rupee in British East Africa is on the basis of 15 to the pound +sterling. + +The porters are all registered, the Government taking a small fee for +the registration; and according to custom half the wages due for the +whole trip are advanced to the men before a start is made. The +sportsman is obliged to provide each porter with a jersey, blanket and +water-bottle, while the gun-bearer and "boy" get a pair of boots in +addition. A cotton shelter-tent and a cooking pot must also be +furnished for every five men. + +The food for the caravan is mostly rice, of which the Headman gets two +kibabas (a kibaba is about 1-1/2 lb.) per day; the cook, gun-bearer, +"boy" and askaris one and a half kibabas, and the ordinary porters, one +kibaba, each per day. + +It is the duty of the Headman to keep discipline on the safari (caravan +journey), both in camp and on the march, and to see to the distribution +and safety of the loads, the pitching and striking of camp, the issue +of posho (food) to the porters, etc. He always brings up the rear of +the caravan, and on him depends greatly the general comfort of the +sportsman. For our trip at the beginning of 1906, we managed to secure +a splendid neapara, and never had the least trouble with the porters +all the time. His only drawback was that he could not speak English, +but he told me when he left us that he was going to learn. Anybody +securing him as Headman will be lucky; his name is Munyaki bin Dewani, +and he can easily be found at Mombasa. + +The cook is also an important member of the caravan, and a good one +should be procured if possible. It is wonderful what an experienced +native mpishi (cook) can turn out in the way of a meal in a few minutes +after camp is pitched. + +As gun-bearer, most hunters prefer a Somali. I have never tried one, +but am told that they are inclined to be troublesome; they certainly +rate themselves very highly, and demand about four times as much wages +as an equally good Swahili. + +In camp, the duties of the askaris are to keep up the fire and watch at +night, and to pitch and strike the Bwana's (Master's) tent. On the +march one leads the caravan, the other brings up the rear; they give +assistance in the event of any trouble with the loads, see that no +desertions take place, allow no straggling and generally do what they +can to protect the caravan. They are each armed with an old snider +rifle and 10 rounds of ball cartridge, and are generally very dangerous +men to their friends when they take it into their heads to fire their +weapons. + +The ordinary porters will carry their 60-lb. loads day in and day out +without complaint, so long as they are, well fed; but stint them of +their rice, and they at once become sulky mutineers. In addition to +carrying the loads, they pitch and strike camp, procure firewood and +water, and build grass huts if a stay of more than a day is intended to +be made at one place. On the whole, the Swahili porter is one of the +jolliest and most willing fellows in the world, and I have nothing but +praise for him. + +It may be that our sportsman intends to confine his shooting trip to +the neighbourhood of the railway; in this case, the best plan is to +hire one of the special carriages from the Traffic Manager of the +Uganda Railway. These carriages, which have good sleeping, cooking, and +bath accommodation, can be attached to almost any train, and moved from +station to station or left standing in a siding at the directions of +the hunter. This is the cheapest and most comfortable way of spending a +short time in the country, as no tent, camp equipment, or regular +porters are required; and some quite good sport can be obtained into +the bargain. + +Again, if the hunter intends shooting, say, in the Kenya Province, as +many porters as he requires may be obtained from the official in charge +at Fort Hall. The pay of the Kikuyu porter in such circumstances is +only two annas a day, while he provides his own food; neither is the +sportsman asked to furnish him with a blanket, jersey, and water-bottle +so long as he is not taken out of his own Province. Each Province is, +in fact, governed as regards porters by its own special conditions, +which can easily be ascertained on arrival in the country. + +There are three lines of steamers which have direct sailings to Mombasa +about once a month. Two of these (the Union-Castle and the German East +African Lines) sail from Southampton, calling at Marseilles, while the +third (the Messageries-Maritimes) starts from the latter port. As a +rule travellers to East Africa journey by the overland route to +Marseilles and thence on by steamer to Mombasa--the whole journey from +London averaging about eighteen days. + +The present fares for the best accommodation from London to Mombasa by +the Union-Castle Line (including railway ticket to Marseilles) are as +follows First-Class Single, about 48 pounds; Return (available for one +year) about 93 pounds. + +The fares by the German East African Line (including railway ticket to +Marseilles) are:--First-Class; Single, about 48 pounds. The Return fare +(available for one; year) is double the Single fare, less 10 per cent, +of ocean part of journey. + +By the Messageries-Maritimes Line the through First-Class Single fare +from London to Mombasa (including railway ticket to Marseilles) is +about 48 pounds. The Return fare (available for two years) is about 72 +pounds. + +Fairly good hotel accommodation can be had at both Mombasa and Nairobi. + +Before any shooting can be done it is necessary to take out a Game +License, which may be obtained without difficulty at either of these +two centres. This license (which costs 50 pounds) imposes an obligation +on the sportsman to make a return before he leaves the country of every +animal shot by him. By obtaining a special license two elephants, a +giraffe, greater kudu, buffalo and eland may be shot; but there are +various stipulations and fees attaching to this license which alter +from time to time. + +Fairly good maps of the country may be obtained at Stanford's, Long +Acre, W.C., while the Game Laws and Regulations can be procured from +the Colonial Office in Downing Street. + +Passenger trains leave Mombasa at 11 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, +Fridays, and Saturdays, and are timed to arrive at Nairobi at 11:15 +next morning and at Kisumu (the railway terminus on Lake Victoria +Nyanza) at 9 o'clock on the morning following. The First-Class Return +fares from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kisumu, and Entebbe are 5 pounds 17s. +9d., 10 pounds 10s. 3d., and 13 pounds 13s. 3d. respectively. + +It is unnecessary to specify district by district when particular +species of game are to be found, for the sportsman can easily learn +this for himself and get the latest news of game movements on his +arrival at Mombasa. As a matter of fact, the whole country abounds in +game, and there cannot be lack of sport and trophies for the keen +shikari. The heads and skins should be very carefully sun-dried and +packed in tin-lined cases with plenty of moth-killer for shipment home. +For mounting his trophies the sportsman cannot do better, I think, than +go to Rowland Ward of Piccadilly. I have had mine set up by this firm +for years past, and have always found their work excellent. + +I consider that 400 pounds should cover the entire cost of a three +months' shooting trip to East Africa, including passage both ways. The +frugal sportsman will doubtless do it on less, while the extravagant +man will probably spend very much more. + +Should time be available, a trip to the Victoria Nyanza should +certainly be made. The voyage round the Lake in one of the comfortable +railway steamers takes about eight days, but the crossing to Entebbe, +the official capital of Uganda, can be done in seventeen hours, though +it usually takes twenty-seven, as at night the boats anchor for shelter +under the lee of an island. The steamer remains long enough in Entebbe +harbour to enable the energetic traveller to pay a flying visit in a +rickshaw to Kampala, the native capital, some twenty-one miles off. I +spent a most interesting day last year in this way, and had a chat with +the boy King of Uganda, Daudi Chwa, at Mengo. He was then about nine +years old, and very bright and intelligent. He made no objection to my +taking his photograph, but it unfortunately turned out a failure. + +It is curious to find the Baganda (i.e., people of Uganda) highly +civilised--the majority are Christians--surrounded as they are on all +sides by nations of practically naked savages; and it is a very +interesting, sight to watch them in the "bazaar" at Kampala, clad in +long flowing cotton garments, and busily engaged in bartering the +products of the country under the shade of tattered umbrellas. +Unfortunately the great scourge of the district round the shores of the +Lake is the sleeping sickness, which in the past few years has carried +off thousands of the natives, and has quite depopulated the islands, +which were once densely inhabited. The disease is communicated by the +bite of an infected fly, but happily this pest is only found in certain +well-defined regions, so that if the traveller avoids these he is quite +as safe, as regards sleeping sickness, as if he had remained in England. + +On the return journey from Entebbe, Jinja, a port on the north side of +the Victoria Nyanza, is usually called at. This place is of great +interest, as it is here that the Lake narrows into a breadth of only a +few hundred yards, and, rushing over the Ripon Falls, forms the +long-sought-for source of the Nile. The magnificent view of the mighty +river stretching away to the north amid enchanting scenery is most +inspiring and one can well imagine how elated Speke must have felt when +after enduring countless hardships, he at last looked upon it and thus +solved one of the great problems the ancients. + +II. + +The following, is a literal translation of the Hindustani poem referred +to on p. 104:-- + +IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE: + +First must I speak to the praise and glory of God, who is infinite and +incomprehensible, + +Who is without fault or error, who is the Life, though without body or +breath. + +He has no relatives, nor father nor son, being himself incomparable and +passionless. + +His is the knowledge of the known and of the unknown, and although +without a tongue, yet does he speak in mighty tones. + +I, Roshan, came to this country of Africa, and did find it indeed a +strange land; + +Many rocks, mountains, and dense forests abounding in lions and +leopards; + +Also buffaloes, wolves, deer, rhinoceroses, elephants, camels, and all +enemies of man; + +Gorillas, ferocious monkeys that attack men, black baboons of giant +size, spirits, and thousands of varieties of birds; + +Wild horses, wild dogs, black snakes, and all animals that a hunter or +sportsman could desire. + +The forests are so dark and dreadful that even the boldest warriors +shrink from their awful depths. + +Now from the town of Mombasa, a railway line extends unto Uganda; + +In the forests bordering on this line, there are found those lions +called "man-eaters," and moreover these forests are full of thorns and +prickly shrubs. + +Portions of this railway from Mombasa to Uganda are still being made, +and here these lions fell on the workmen and destroyed them. + +Such was their habit, day and night, and hundreds of men fell victims +to these savage creatures, whose very jaws were steeped in blood. + +Bones, flesh, skin and blood, they devoured all, and left not a trace +behind them. + +Because of the fear of these demons some seven or eight hundred of the +labourers deserted, and remained idle; + +Some two or three hundred still remained, but they were haunted by this +terrible dread, + +And because of fear for their lives, would sit in their huts, their +hearts full of foreboding and terror. + +Every one of them kept a fire burning at night, and none dared to close +his eyes in sleep; yet would some of them be carried away to +destruction. + +The lion's roar was such that the very earth would tremble at the +sound, and where was the man who did not feel afraid? + +On all sides arose weeping and wailing, and the people would sit and +cry like cranes, complaining of the deeds of the lions. + +I, Roshan, chief of my people, also complained and prayed to God, the +Prophet, and to our spiritual adviser. + +And now will I relate the story of the Engineer in charge of the line. + +He kept some ten or twenty goats, for the sake of their milk; + +But one night a wild beast came, and destroyed them all, not one being +left. + +And in the morning it was reported by the watchman, who also stated +that the man-eater was daily destroying the labourers and workmen, and +doing great injury; + +And they took the Engineer with them and showed him the footprints of +the animal. + +And after seeing what the animal had done, the Englishman spoke, and +said, + +"For this damage the lion shall pay his life." And when night came he +took his gun and in very truth destroyed the beast. + +Patterson Sahib is indeed a brave and valiant man, like unto those +Persian heroes of old--Rustem, Zal, Sohrab and Berzoor; + +So brave is he, that the greatest warriors stood aghast at his action; + +Tall in stature, young, most brave and of great strength is he. + +From the other side of the line came the noise and cries of those who +complained that these savage beasts were eating and destroying men, + +For such has been the habit of lions from time immemorial, and groups +of people have fallen victims to their fury. + +Those who were proud or boastful, have but sacrificed their lives +uselessly; + +But to-day Patterson Sahib will watch for the lion himself! + +For the people have complained loudly, and the valiant one has gone +forth with his gun into the forest. + +Soon after the people had retired at night to their tents, the fearless +lion made his appearance; + +Patterson Sahib loaded both barrels of his gun and went forth against +him. + +He fired many times in succession and totally paralysed the animal. + +The lion roared like thunder as the bullets found their way to his +heart. + +This Englishman, Patterson, is most brave, and is indeed the very +essence of valour; + +Lions do not fear lions, yet one glance from Patterson Sahib cowed the +bravest of them. + +He fled, making for the forest, while the bullets followed hard after +him; + +So was this man-eater rendered helpless; he lay down in despair, + +And after he had covered a chain's distance, the savage beast fell +down, a corpse. + +Now the people, bearing lights in their hands, all ran to look at their +dead enemy. + +But the Sahib said "Return, my children; the night is dark, do not rush +into danger." + +And in the morning all the people saw the lion lying dead. + +And then the Sahib said, "Do not think of work to-day--make holiday, +enjoy and be merry." + +So the people had holiday and made merry with friends from whom they +had been long parted, on account of the lion: + +And the absence of those who had run away was forgiven, and their money +allowed them--A generous action, comparable to the forgiveness of God +and the Prophet to sinners and criminals on the day of judgment. + +Oh! poet, leave this kind of simile, it is too deep for thee; + +We mortals have the Devil, like unto a fierce lion, ever after us; + +Oh! Roshan, may God, the Prophet, and your spiritual adviser, safeguard +you day and night! + +One lion, however, remained, and for fear of him all went in dread; + +Sixteen days passed, all being well, and everyone enjoyed a peaceful +mind; + +But again, on the seventeenth day, the lion appeared and remained from +sunset to sunrise. + +He kept on roaming about in the neighbourhood like a general +reconnoitring the enemy's position. + +On the following day the Sahib sent for the people and warned them all +to be careful of their lives; + +"Do not go out from the afternoon even until the following morning," he +said. + +Now this was the night of Shab-i-Kadr, a Muslim festival: + +And at night when all had retired to rest, the lion came in a rage, + +And Patterson Sahib went forth into the field to meet him. + +And when he saw the beast, he fired quickly, bullet after bullet. + +The lion made a great uproar, and fled for his life, but the bullets +nevertheless found a resting-place in his heart. + +And everyone began to shriek and groan in their uneasy sleep, jumping +up in fear, when unexpectedly the roaring of the lion was heard. + +All thought of sleep was banished, and fear came in its place: + +And the Sahib gave emphatic orders that no one should go out, or roam +about. + +And in the morning we followed the marks of blood that had flowed from +the wounded animal, + +And some five or seven chains away, we found the lion, lying wounded +and in great pain. + +And when the Sahib saw the animal he fired bullets incessantly; + +But when the lion saw the Sahib, the savage animal, burning with rage, +and pain, + +Came by leaps and bounds close to the Sahib; But here he was to meet +his match in a brave Sahib who loaded his gun calmly, and fired again +and again, killing the beast. + +All the Punjaubis assembled together and agreed that the Sahib was a +man who appreciated and cared for others, so much so that he roamed +about in the forests for our sake, in order to protect us. + +Previously, many Englishmen had come here to shoot but had been +disappointed, + +Because the lion was very courageous and ferocious, and the Sahibs were +afraid; + +But for the sake of our lives, Patterson Sahib took all this trouble, +risking his own life in the forest. + +So they collected many hundreds of rupees, and offered it as a present +to the Sahib, because he had undergone such peril, in order to save our +lives. + +Oh! Roshan, all the people appeared before the Sahib saying, "You are +our benefactor"; + +But the Sahib declined to accept the present, not taking a pice of it. + +So then again the Punjaubis assembled, and consulted as to how the +service that the Sahib had done them could most suitably he rewarded. + +And it was agreed to send all the money to England, in order that it +might be converted into some suitable present, + +Which should bear an engraving of the two lions, and the name of the +mistari[1], head of the workmen. + +The present should be such, and so suitably decorated, as to be +acceptable to Patterson Sahib; + +In colour it should resemble moon and sun; and that would indeed be a +fit present, so that the Sahib would be pleased to accept it. + +Oh! Roshan, I hope that he will accept this present for shooting the +lions, as some small reward for his action. + +My native home is at Chajanlat, in the thana of Domli, which is in the +district of Jhelum, and I have related this story as it actually +occurred. + +Patterson Sahib has left me, and I shall miss him as long as I live, +and now + +Roshan must roam about in Africa, sad and regretful. + +[1] Foreman-mason. + +Composed by Roshan mistari, son of Kadur mistari Bakhsh, native of the +village of Chajanlat, Dakhli, Post Office Domli, district of Jhelum. +Dated 29th January, 1899. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man-eaters of Tsavo and Other East +African Adventures, by J. H. Patterson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO *** + +***** This file should be named 3810.txt or 3810.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/1/3810/ + +Produced by Charles Hall. 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Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.07/27/01*END* + + + + + + + + + + + +Produced by Charles Hall + + + + + +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 + + + + + +PREFACE + + + + +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 +CHAPTER XV UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS 168 +CHAPTER XVI A WIDOW'S STORY 176 +CHAPTER XVII AN INFURIATED RHINO 182 +CHAPTER XVIII LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS 193 +CHAPTER XIX THE STRICKEN CARAVAN 210 +CHAPTER XX A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER 221 +CHAPTER XXI THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES 231 +CHAPTER XXII HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE 247 +CHAPTER XXIII A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT 264 +CHAPTER XXIV BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR 273 +CHAPTER XXV A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE 286 +CHAPTER XXVI WORK AT NAIROBI 293 +CHAPTER XXVII THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND 300 +APPENDIX 323 + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + +Heads of Eight Lions shot by the Author in British East Africa Frontispiece +Mombasa, from the Harbour 1 +The Native Quarter, Mombasa 2 +"Well-wooded hills and slopes on the mainland" 3 +Vasco da Gama Street and Pillar 5 +"The best way to get three . . . was by gharri 6 +"I pitched my tent under some shady palms" 7 +"Kilindini is on the opposite side of the island" 10 +"The Place of Deep Waters" 11 +"A lucky shot brought down the huge bird" 14 +"I slept that night in a little palm hut" 15 +"This interminable nyika" 17 +"The river crossed by means of a temporary bridge" 18 +Women of Uganda 19 +The tent from which jemadar Ungan Singh was carried off 23 +"My own tent was pitched in an open clearing" 29 +"We shared a hut of palm leaves and boughs" 30 +"The camps of the workmen had also been surrounded by thorn fences" 31 +"Railhead Camp, with its two or three thousand workmen" 33 +"The two wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece of + torn tent having fallen over them" 35 +"A luncheon served in the wilds, with occasionally a friend + to share it" 43 +"It very soon became a great pet" 46 +"Heera Singh made a wild spring into the water to get clear + of the falling stone" 47 +"The door which was to admit the lion" 62 +"When the trap was ready, I pitched a tent over it" 64 +"They found him stuck fast in the bushes of the boma" 70 +"Perched on the top of water-tanks" 73 +"I took up my position in a crib made of sleepers" 77 +Whitehead on a Trolley at the exact spot where the Lion + jumped upon him 79 +Abdullah and his two Wives 80 +A party of Wa Jamousi 83 +"His length from tip of nose to tip of tail was nine feet + eight inches" 92 +Head of the first Man-Eater 93 +"The following evening I took up my position in this same tree" 100 +"He measured nine feet six inches from tip of nose to + tip of tail, and stood three feet eleven and a half inches high"103 +"The bridge over the Tsavo rapidly neared completion" 108 +"The heavy stones were swung into position" 109 +"The girder was run over its exact place" 110 +"And finally lowered gently into position" 111 +"Very soon I had the satisfaction of seeing the first train + cross the finished work" 112 +The completed Tsavo bridge 113 +One of the Trolley Lines after the Flood 114 +Swahili Caravan Porters 120 +"Such was my cook, Mabruki" 122 +The women . . . wear a long, brightly-coloured cloth" 123 +"The women attire themselves only in a short kilt" 125 +"We arrived at M'Gogo's capital" 126 +"Making pombe in the hollowed-out stump of a tree" 127 +Wa Taita Men 129 +M'Kamba Woman 131 + "Until it joins the Athi River" 136 +"The banks of the Sabaki are lined with trees" 138 +"I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and successfully + bowled him over" 146 +"A young one was lying down in the grass quite close to me" 147 +A crocodile on the Sabaki 153 +"Beyond all doubt, the man-eaters' den!" 158 +"Watch the animals come down to drink" 161 +"The antelope swinging by his feet" 165 +Hippo Head 167 +"Slaves chained neck to neck as was the custom" 174 +Hospital Tent at Voi where Mrs. O'Hara rested 178 +In the Bazaar at Kampala 181 +"The great Athi Plains" 182 +"First the earth surface has to be prepared" 184 +"Cuttings have to be made and hollows banked up" 185 +"Another gang drops the rails in their places" 187 +"It never moved again" 190 +"The trophy was well worth the pains I had taken to add it to + my collection" 191 +Jackson's Hartebeeste, and Zebra 194 +Waterbuck 195 +"Fortunately the brute fell dead after this final effort" 201 +"We managed to bring them in triumph to the camp" 214 +"I got near enough for a safe shot, which bowled the + antelope over stone-dead" 218 +Wart-hog 220 +"A successful snapshot of an impala just after it had been shot" 228 +A Masai Chief 232 +Masai Warriors 233 +Masai Woman 234 +Masai Girls 235 +Masai Women 237 +N'derobbo Boy 239 +N'derobbo Boy, with Collabus Monkey 240 +N'derobbo Girl 241 +Wa Kikuyu 244 +"The women of the Wa Kikuyu carry the heavy loads" 245 +"Spooner's plucky servant, Imam Din" 281 +A Collection of Trophies 285 +He was kept on view for several days, and then shot 291 +Impala 292 +"I took a photograph of him standing reside his fine trophy" 295 +"Succeeded in finishing him off without further trouble" 297 +Steamer unloading at Kisumu, on Lake Victoria Nyanza 299 +The Grand Falls, Tana River 300 +Shimone, "The Place of Falling Water" (Eldama Ravine) 301 +Oryx 302 +Roan Antelope 303 +"An excellent, cheery fellow . . . named Landaalu" 304 +Crossing a Stream on the Cook's Box 305 +Crossing the Angarua River 307 +Reedbuck 309 +The New Eland -- T. oryx pattersonianus 316 +Thomson's Gazelle 321 +War Canoe on Lake Victoria Nyanza, near the Ripon Falls 325 +Preparing Breakfast in Camp 326 +View in the Kenya Province 331 +"A flying visit in a rickshaw to Kampala" 332 +"Clad in long flowing cotton garments" 333 +Jinja 334 +"Rushing over the Ripon Falls" 335 +"The mighty river stretching away to the north amid + enchanting scenery" 337 +Wa Kikuyu Warriors 346 +Map of British East Africa 347 +Facsimile of address presented to the author on his departure + from East Africa in 1899 348-351 + + + + + + + +THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO + + + + +CHAPTER I + +MY ARRIVAL AT TSAVO + + + + +It was towards noon on March 1, 1898, that I +first found myself entering the narrow and +somewhat dangerous harbour of Mombasa, on the east +coast of Africa. The town lies on an island of the +same name, separated from the mainland only by +a very narrow channel, which forms the harbour; +and as our vessel steamed slowly in, close under +the quaint old Portuguese fortress built over +three hundred years ago, I was much struck +with the strange beauty of the view which +gradually opened out before me. Contrary to +my anticipation, everything looked fresh and +green, and an oriental glamour of enchantment +seemed to hang over the island. The old +town was bathed in brilliant sunshine and +reflected itself lazily on the motionless sea; its flat +roofs and dazzlingly white walls peeped out +dreamily between waving palms and lofty +cocoanuts, huge baobabs and spreading mango trees; +and the darker background of well-wooded hills +and slopes on the mainland formed a very effective +setting to a beautiful and, to me, unexpected +picture. + +The harbour was plentifully sprinkled with Arab +dhows, in some of which, I believe, even at the +present day, a few slaves are occasionally smuggled +off to Persia and Arabia. It has always been a +matter of great wonder to me how the navigators of +little vessels find their way from port to port, +as they do, without the aid of either compass or +sextant, and how they manage to weather the +terrible storms that at certain seasons of the year +suddenly visit eastern seas. I remember once +coming across a dhow becalmed in the middle of +the Indian Ocean, and its crew making signals of +distress, our captain slowed down to investigate. +There were four men on board, all nearly dead +from thirst; they had been without drink of any +kind for several days and had completely lost their +bearings. After giving them some casks of water, +we directed them to Muscat (the port they wished +to make), and our vessel resumed its journey, +leaving them still becalmed in the midst of that +glassy sea. Whether they managed to reach their +destination I never knew. + +As our steamer made its way to its anchorage, +the romantic surroundings of the harbour of +Mombasa conjured up, visions of stirring +adventures of the past, and recalled to my mind the +many tales of reckless doings of pirates and +slavers, which as a boy it had been my delight to +read. I remembered that it was at this very place +that in 1498 the great Vasco da Gama nearly lost +his ship and life through the treachery of his Arab +pilot, who plotted to wreck the vessel on the reef +which bars more than half the entrance to the +harbour. Luckily, this nefarious design was +discovered in time, and the bold navigator promptly +hanged the pilot, and would also have sacked +the town but for the timely submission and +apologies of the Sultan. In the principal street +of Mombasa -- appropriately called Vasco da +Gama Street -- there still stands a curiously +shaped pillar which is said to have been erected +by this great seaman in commemoration of his +visit. + +Scarcely had the anchor been dropped, when, as +if by magic, our vessel was surrounded by a fleet +of small boats and "dug-outs" manned by crowds +of shouting and gesticulating natives. After a short +fight between some rival Swahili boatmen for my +baggage and person, I found myself being +vigorously rowed to the foot of the landing steps by the +bahareen (sailors) who had been successful in the +encounter. Now, my object in coming out to East +Africa at this time was to take up a position to +which I had been appointed by the Foreign Office +on the construction staff of the Uganda Railway. +As soon as I landed, therefore, I enquired from +one of the Customs officials where the +headquarters of the railway were to be found, and +was told that they were at a place called Kilindini, +some three miles away, on the other side of the +island. The best way to get there, I was further +informed, was by gharri, which I found to be a +small trolley, having two seats placed back to back +under a little canopy and running on narrow rails +which are laid through the principal street of the +town. Accordingly, I secured one of these +vehicles, which are pushed by two strapping +Swahili boys, and was soon flying down the track, +which once outside the town lay for the most part +through dense groves of mango, baobab, banana +and palm trees, with here and there brilliantly +coloured creepers hanging in luxuriant festoons +from the branches. + +On arrival at Kilindini, I made my way to the +railway Offices and was informed that I should be +stationed inland and should receive further +instructions in the course of a day or two. Meanwhile I +pitched my tent under some shady palms near the +gharri line, and busied myself in exploring the +island and in procuring the stores and the outfit +necessary for a lengthy sojourn up-country. The +town of Mombasa itself naturally occupied most +of my attention. It is supposed to have been +founded about A.D. 1000, but the discovery of +ancient Egyptian idols, and of coins of the early +Persian and Chinese dynasties, goes to show that +it must at different ages have been settled by +people of the very earliest civilisations. Coming +to more modern times, it was held on and off from +1505 to 1729 by the Portuguese, a permanent +memorial of whose occupation remains in the shape +of the grim old fortress, built about 1593 -- on the +site, it is believed, of a still older stronghold. These +enterprising sea-rovers piously named it "Jesus +Fort," and an inscription recording this is still to +be seen over the main entrance. The Portuguese +occupation of Mombasa was, however, not without +its vicissitudes. From March 15, 1696, for +example, the town was besieged for thirty-three +consecutive months by a large fleet of Arab dhows, +which completely surrounded the island. In spite +of plague, treachery and famine, the little garrison +held out valiantly in Jesus Fort, to which they had +been forced to retire, until December 12, 1698, +when the Arabs made a last determined attack and +captured the citadel, putting the remnant of the +defenders, both men and women, to the sword. It +is pathetic to read that only two days later a large +Portuguese fleet appeared off the harbour, bringing +the long-looked-for reinforcements. After this the +Portuguese made several attempts to reconquer +Mombasa, but were unsuccessful until 1728, when +the town was stormed and captured by General +Sampayo. The Arabs, however, returned the next +year in overwhelming numbers, and again drove +the Portuguese out; and although the latter +made one more attempt in 1769 to regain their +supremacy, they did not succeed. + +The Arabs, as represented by the Sultan of +Zanzibar, remain in nominal possession of +Mombasa to the present day; but in 1887 Seyid +Bargash, the then Sultan of Zanzibar, gave for an +annual rental a concession of his mainland +territories to the British East Africa Association, which +in 1888 was formed into the Imperial British East +Africa Company. In 1895 the Foreign Office took +over control of the Company's possessions, and a +Protectorate was proclaimed; and ten years later +the administration of the country was transferred +to the Colonial Office. + +The last serious fighting on the island took place +so recently as 1895-6, when a Swahili chief named +M'baruk bin Rashed, who had three times +previously risen in rebellion against the Sultan of +Zanzibar, attempted to defy the British and to +throw off their yoke. He was defeated on several +occasions, however, and was finally forced to flee +southwards into German territory. Altogether, +Mombasa has in the past well deserved its native +name of Kisiwa M'vitaa, or " Isle of War"; but +under the settled rule now obtaining, it is rapidly +becoming a thriving and prosperous town, and as +the port of entry for Uganda, it does a large +forwarding trade with the interior and has several +excellent stores where almost anything, from a +needle to an anchor, may readily be obtained. + +Kilindini is, as I have said, on the opposite side +of the island, and as its name -- "the place of deep +waters" -- implies, has a much finer harbour than +that possessed by Mombasa. The channel between +the island and the mainland is here capable of +giving commodious and safe anchorage to the +very largest vessels, and as the jetty is directly +connected with the Uganda Railway, Kilindini +has now really become the principal port, being +always used by the liners and heavier vessels. + +I had spent nearly a week in Mombasa, and was +becoming very anxious to get my marching orders, +when one morning I was delighted to receive an +official letter instructing me to proceed to Tsavo, +about one hundred and thirty-two miles from the +coast, and to take charge of the construction of the +section of the line at that place, which had just then +been reached by railhead. I accordingly started +at daylight next morning in a special train with +Mr. Anderson, the Superintendent of Works, and +Dr. McCulloch, the principal Medical Officer; +and as the country was in every way new to me, +I found the journey a most interesting one. + +The island of Mombasa is separated from the +mainland by the Strait of Macupa, and the railway +crosses this by a bridge about three-quarters of a +mile long, called the Salisbury Bridge, in honour of +the great Minister for Foreign Affairs under whose +direction the Uganda Railway scheme was undertaken. +For twenty miles after reaching the mainland, +our train wound steadily upwards through +beautifully wooded, park-like country, and on +looking back out of the carriage windows we +could every now and again obtain lovely views of +Mombasa and Kilindini, while beyond these the +Indian Ocean sparkled in the glorious sunshine as +far as the eye could see. The summit of the Rabai +Hills having been reached, we entered on the +expanse of the Taru Desert, a wilderness covered +with poor scrub and stunted trees, and carpeted in +the dry season with a layer of fine red dust. This +dust is of a most penetrating character, and finds its +way into everything in the carriage as the train +passes along. From here onward game is more or +less plentiful, but the animals are very difficult to +see owing to the thick undergrowth in which they +hide themselves. We managed, however, to catch +sight of a few from the carriage windows, and also +noticed some of the natives, the Wa Nyika, or +"children of the wilderness." + +At Maungu, some eighty miles from the coast, +we came to the end of this "desert," but almost +the only difference to be noticed in the character +of the country was that the colour of the dust had +changed. As our train sped onwards through the +level uplands we saw a fine ostrich striding along +parallel with the line, as if having a race with us. +Dr. McCulloch at once seized his rifle and by a +lucky shot brought down the huge bird; the next +and greater difficulty, however, was to secure the +prize. For a time the engine-driver took no +notice of our signals and shouts, but at last we +succeeded in attracting his attention, and the +train was shunted back to where the ostrich had +fallen. We found it to be an exceptionally fine +specimen, and had to exert all our strength to +drag it on board the train. + +Soon after this we reached Voi, about a hundred +miles from the coast, and as this was the most +important station on the line that we had yet come +to, we made a short halt in order to inspect some +construction work which was going on. On +resuming our journey, we soon discovered that a +pleasant change had occurred in the character of +the landscape. From a place called N'dii, the +railway runs for some miles through a beautifully +wooded country, which looked all the more +inviting after the deadly monotony of the wilderness +through which we had just passed. To the south +of us could be seen the N'dii range of mountains, +the dwelling-place of the Wa Taita people, while +on our right rose the rigid brow of the N'dungu +Escarpment, which stretches away westwards for +scores of miles. Here our journey was slow, as +every now and again we stopped to inspect the +permanent works in progress; but eventually, +towards dusk, we arrived at our destination, Tsavo. +I slept that night in a little palm hut which had +been built by some previous traveller, and which +was fortunately unoccupied for the time being. +It was rather broken-down and dilapidated, not +even possessing a door, and as I lay on my narrow +camp bed I could see the stars twinkling through +the roof. I little knew then what adventures +awaited me in this neighbourhood; and if I had +realised that at that very time two savage brutes +were prowling round, seeking whom they might +devour, I hardly think I should have slept so +peacefully in my rickety shelter. + +Next morning I was up betimes, eager to make +acquaintance with my new surroundings. My first +impression on coming out of my hut was that I was +hemmed in on all sides by a dense growth of +impenetrable jungle: and on scrambling to the top of +a little hill close at hand, I found that the whole +country as far as I could see was covered with low, +stunted trees, thick undergrowth and "wait-a-bit" +thorns. The only clearing, indeed, appeared to be +where the narrow track for the railway had been +cut. This interminable nyika, or wilderness of +whitish and leafless dwarf trees, presented a +ghastly and sun-stricken appearance; and here +and there a ridge of dark-red heat-blistered rock +jutted out above the jungle, and added by its +rugged barrenness to the dreariness of the picture. +Away to the north-east stretched the unbroken +line of the N'dungu Escarpment, while far off to +the south I could just catch a glimpse of the +snow-capped top of towering Kilima N'jaro. +The one redeeming feature of the neighbourhood +was the river from which Tsavo takes its name. +This is a swiftly-flowing stream, always cool and +always running, the latter being an exceptional +attribute in this part of East Africa; and the +fringe of lofty green trees along its banks formed +a welcome relief to the general monotony of the +landscape. + +When I had thus obtained a rough idea of the +neighbourhood, I returned to my hut, and began +in earnest to make preparations for my stay in +this out-of-the-way place. The stores were +unpacked, and my "boys" pitched my tent in a little +clearing close to where I had slept the night +before and not far from the main camp of the +workmen. Railhead had at this time just reached +the western side of the river, and some thousands +of Indian coolies and other workmen were +encamped there. As the line had to be pushed +on with all speed, a diversion had been made and +the river crossed by means of a temporary bridge. +My principal work was to erect the permanent +structure, and to complete all the other works +for a distance of thirty miles on each side of +Tsavo. I accordingly made a survey of what +had to be done, and sent my requisition for +labour, tools and material to the head-quarters +at Kilindini. In a short time workmen and +supplies came pouring in, and the noise of +hammers and sledges, drilling and blasting +echoed merrily through the district. + + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS + + + + +Unfortunately this happy state of affairs did +not continue for long, and our work was soon +interrupted in a rude and startling manner. Two +most voracious and insatiable man-eating lions +appeared upon the scene, and for over nine +months waged an intermittent warfare against +the railway and all those connected with it in +the vicinity of Tsavo. This culminated in a +perfect reign of terror in December, 1898, when +they actually succeeded in bringing the railway +works to a complete standstill for about three +weeks. At first they were not always successful in +their efforts to carry off a victim, but as time went +on they stopped at nothing and indeed braved any +danger in order to obtain their favourite food. +Their methods then became so uncanny, and their +man-stalking so well-timed and so certain of +success, that the workmen firmly believed that +they were not real animals at all, but devils in +lions' shape. Many a time the coolies solemnly +assured me that it was absolutely useless to +attempt to shoot them. They were quite +convinced that the angry spirits of two departed +native chiefs had taken this form in order to +protest against a railway being made through +their country, and by stopping its progress to +avenge the insult thus shown to them. + +I had only been a few days at Tsavo when I +first heard that these brutes had been seen in the +neighbourhood. Shortly afterwards one or two +coolies mysteriously disappeared, and I was told +that they had been carried off by night from +their tents and devoured by lions. At the time +I did not credit this story, and was more inclined +to believe that the unfortunate men had been the +victims of foul play at the hands of some of their +comrades. They were, as it happened, very good +workmen, and had each saved a fair number of +rupees, so I thought it quite likely that some +scoundrels from the gangs had murdered them +for the sake of their money. This suspicion, +however, was very soon dispelled. About three +weeks after my arrival, I was roused one morning +about daybreak and told that one of my jemadars, +a fine powerful Sikh named Ungan Singh, had +been seized in his tent during the night, and +dragged off and eaten. + +Naturally I lost no time in making an +examination of the place, and was soon convinced that +the man had indeed been carried off by a lion, +as its "pug" marks were plainly visible in the +sand, while the furrows made by the heels of the +victim showed the direction in which he had been +dragged away. Moreover, the jemadar shared +his tent with half a dozen other workmen, and +one of his bedfellows had actually witnessed the +occurrence. He graphically described how, at +about midnight, the lion suddenly put its head in +at the open tent door and seized Ungan Singh -- +who happened to be nearest the opening -- by +the throat. The unfortunate fellow cried out +"Choro" ("Let go"), and threw his arms up +round the lion's neck. The next moment he +was gone, and his panic-stricken companions lay +helpless, forced to listen to the terrible struggle +which took place outside. Poor Ungan Singh +must have died hard; but what chance had he? +As a coolie gravely remarked, "Was he not +fighting with a lion?" + +On hearing this dreadful story I at once set out +to try to track the animal, and was accompanied +by Captain Haslem, who happened to be staying +at Tsavo at the time, and who, poor fellow, +himself met with a tragic fate very shortly +afterwards. We found it an easy matter to follow the +route taken by the lion, as he appeared to have +stopped several times before beginning his meal. +Pools of blood marked these halting-places, where +he doubtless indulged in the man-eaters' habit of +licking the skin off so as to get at the fresh blood. +(I have been led to believe that this is their +custom from the appearance of two half-eaten +bodies which I subsequently rescued: the skin +was gone in places, and the flesh looked dry, +as if it had been sucked.) On reaching the spot +where the body had been devoured, a dreadful +spectacle presented itself. The ground all round +was covered with blood and morsels of flesh and +bones, but the unfortunate jemadar's head had +been left intact, save for the holes made by the +lion's tusks on seizing him, and lay a short +distance away from the other remains, the eyes +staring wide open with a startled, horrified look +in them. The place was considerably cut up, and +on closer examination we found that two lions had +been there and had probably struggled for +possession of the body. It was the most +gruesome sight I had ever seen. We collected the +remains as well as we could and heaped stones +on them, the head with its fixed, terrified stare +seeming to watch us all the time, for it we did +not bury, but took back to camp for identification +before the Medical Officer. + +Thus occurred my first experience of man-eating +lions, and I vowed there and then that +I would spare no pains to rid the neighbourhood +of the brutes. I little knew the trouble that was +in store for me, or how narrow were to be my +own escapes from sharing poor Ungan Singh's +fate. + +That same night I sat up in a tree close to +the late jemadar's tent, hoping that the lions +would return to it for another victim. I was +followed to my perch by a few of the more +terrified coolies, who begged to be allowed to sit +up in the tree with me; all the other workmen +remained in their tents, but no more doors were +left open. I had with me my .303 and a 12-bore +shot gun, one barrel loaded with ball and the +other with slug. Shortly after settling down to +my vigil, my hopes of bagging one of the brutes +were raised by the sound of their ominous roaring +coming closer and closer. Presently this ceased, +and quiet reigned for an hour or two, as lions +always stalk their prey in complete silence. All +at once, however, we heard a great uproar and +frenzied cries coming from another camp about +half a mile away; we knew then that the lions +had seized a victim there, and that we should +see or hear nothing further of them that night. + +Next morning I found that one of the brutes +had broken into a tent at Railhead Camp -- whence +we had heard the commotion during the night -- and +had made off with a poor wretch who was lying +there asleep. After a night's rest, therefore, I +took up my position in a suitable tree near this +tent. I did not at all like the idea of walking the +half-mile to the place after dark, but all the same +I felt fairly safe, as one of my men carried a bright +lamp close behind me. He in his turn was followed +by another leading a goat, which I tied under my +tree in the hope that the lion might be tempted to +seize it instead of a coolie. A steady drizzle +commenced shortly after I had settled down to my +night of watching, and I was soon thoroughly +chilled and wet. I stuck to my uncomfortable +post, however, hoping to get a shot, but I well +remember the feeling of impotent disappointment +I experienced when about midnight I heard +screams and cries and a heart-rending shriek, which +told me that the man-eaters had again eluded me +and had claimed another victim elsewhere. + +At this time the various camps for the workmen +were very scattered, so that the lions had a range +of some eight miles on either side of Tsavo to +work upon; and as their tactics seemed to be to +break into a different camp each night, it was most +difficult to forestall them. They almost appeared, +too, to have an extraordinary and uncanny faculty +of finding out our plans beforehand, so that no +matter in how likely or how tempting a spot we lay +in wait for them, they invariably avoided that +particular place and seized their victim for the +night from some other camp. Hunting them by +day, moreover, in such a dense wilderness as +surrounded us, was an exceedingly tiring and +really foolhardy undertaking. In a thick jungle +of the kind round Tsavo the hunted animal has +every chance against the hunter, as however +careful the latter may be, a dead twig or something +of the sort is sure to crackle just at the critical +moment and so give the alarm. Still I never gave +up hope of some day finding their lair, and +accordingly continued to devote all my spare time +to crawling about through the undergrowth. +Many a time when attempting to force my way +through this bewildering tangle I had to be +released by my gun-bearer from the fast clutches +of the "wait-a-bit"; and often with immense +pains I succeeded in tracing the lions to the river +after they had seized a victim, only to lose the +trail from there onwards, owing to the rocky +nature of the ground which they seemed to be +careful to choose in retreating to their den. + +At this early stage of the struggle, I am glad +to say, the lions were not always successful in +their efforts to capture a human being for their +nightly meal, and one or two amusing incidents +occurred to relieve the tension from which our +nerves were beginning to suffer. On one occasion +an enterprising bunniah (Indian trader) was riding +along on his donkey late one night, when suddenly +a lion sprang out on him knocking over both +man and beast. The donkey was badly wounded, +and the lion was just about to seize the trader, +when in some way or other his claws became +entangled in a rope by which two empty oil tins +were strung across the donkey's neck. The rattle +and clatter made by these as he dragged them +after him gave him such a fright that he turned tail +and bolted off into the jungle, to the intense relief +of the terrified bunniah, who quickly made his +way up the nearest tree and remained there, +shivering with fear, for the rest of the night. + +Shortly after this episode, a Greek contractor +named Themistocles Pappadimitrini had an equally +marvellous escape. He was sleeping peacefully +in his tent one night, when a lion broke in, and +seized and made off with the mattress on which +he was lying. Though, rudely awakened, the +Greek was quite unhurt and suffered from nothing +worse than a bad fright. This same man, however, +met with a melancholy fate not long afterwards. +He had been to the Kilima N'jaro district to buy +cattle, and on the return journey attempted to +take a short cut across country to the railway, +but perished miserably of thirst on the way. + +On another occasion fourteen coolies who slept +together in a large tent were one night awakened +by a lion suddenly jumping on to the tent and +breaking through it. The brute landed with one +claw on a coolie's shoulder, which was badly +torn; but instead of seizing the man himself, in +his hurry he grabbed a large bag of rice which +happened to be lying in the tent, and made off +with it, dropping it in disgust some little distance +away when he realised his mistake. + +These, however, were only the earlier efforts +of the man-eaters. Later on, as will be seen, +nothing flurried or frightened them in the least, +and except as food they showed a complete +contempt for human beings. Having once marked +down a victim, they would allow nothing to deter +them from securing him, whether he were protected +by a thick fence, or inside a closed tent, or sitting +round a brightly burning fire. Shots, shouting +and firebrands they alike held in derision. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON + + + +All this time my own tent was pitched in +an open clearing, unprotected by a fence of any +kind round it. One night when the medical +officer; Dr. Rose, was staying with me, we were +awakened about midnight by hearing something +tumbling about among the tent ropes, but on going +out with a lantern we could discover nothing. +Daylight, however, plainly revealed the "pug" +marks of a lion, so that on that occasion I fancy +one or other of us had a narrow escape. Warned +by this experience, I at once arranged to move +my quarters, and went to join forces with Dr. +Brock, who had just arrived at Tsavo to take +medical charge of the district. We shared a +hut of palm leaves and boughs, which we had +constructed on the eastern side of the river, close +to the old caravan route leading to Uganda; and +we had it surrounded by a circular boma, or thorn +fence, about seventy yards in diameter, well made +and thick and high. Our personal servants also +lived within the enclosure, and a bright fire was +always kept up throughout the night. For the +sake of coolness, Brock and I used to sit out under +the verandah of this hut in the evenings; but it +was rather trying to our nerves to attempt to +read or write there, as we never knew when a lion +might spring over the boma, and be on us before +we were aware. We therefore kept our rifles +within easy reach, and cast many an anxious +glance out into the inky darkness beyond the +circle of the firelight. On one or two occasions, +we found in the morning that the lions had come +quite close to the fence; but fortunately they +never succeeded in getting through. + +By this time, too, the camps of the workmen +had also been surrounded by thorn fences; +nevertheless the lions managed to jump over or to +break through some one or other of these, and +regularly every few nights a man was carried +off, the reports of the disappearance of this or +that workman coming in to me with painful +frequency. So long, however, as Railhead +Camp -- with its two or three thousand men, +scattered over a wide area -- remained at Tsavo, +the coolies appeared not to take much notice +of the dreadful deaths of their comrades. Each +man felt, I suppose, that as the man-eaters had +such a large number of victims to choose from, +the chances of their selecting him in particular +were very small. But when the large camp moved +ahead with the railway, matters altered +considerably. I was then left with only some few hundred +men to complete the permanent works; and as +all the remaining workmen were naturally camped +together, the attentions of the lions became more +apparent and made a deeper impression. A +regular panic consequently ensued, and it required +all my powers of persuasion to induce the men to +stay on. In fact, I succeeded in doing so only by +allowing them to knock off all regular work until +they had built exceptionally thick and high bomas +round each camp. Within these enclosures fires +were kept burning all night, and it was also the +duty of the night-watchman to keep clattering +half a dozen empty oil tins suspended from a +convenient tree. These he manipulated by means +of a long rope, while sitting in safety within his +tent; and the frightful noise thus produced was +kept up at frequent intervals during the night in +the hopes of terrifying away the man-eaters. +In spite of all these precautions, however, the +lions would not be denied, and men continued to +disappear. + +When the railhead workmen moved on, their +hospital camp was left behind. It stood rather +apart from the other camps, in a clearing about +three-quarters of a mile from my hut, but was +protected by a good thick fence and to all +appearance was quite secure. It seemed, however, as +if barriers were of no avail against the "demons", +for before very long one of them found a weak +spot in the boma and broke through. On this +occasion the Hospital Assistant had a marvellous +escape. Hearing a noise outside, he opened the +door of his tent and was horrified to see a great +lion standing a few yards away looking at him. +The beast made a spring towards him, which gave +the Assistant such a fright that he jumped +backwards, and in doing so luckily upset a box +containing medical stores. This crashed down +with such a loud clatter of breaking glass that +the lion was startled for the moment and made +off to another part of the enclosure. Here, +unfortunately, he was more successful, as he +jumped on to and broke through a tent in +which eight patients were lying. Two of them +were badly wounded by his spring, while a +third poor wretch was seized and dragged off +bodily through the thorn fence. The two +wounded coolies were left where they lay, a piece +of torn tent having fallen over them; and in +this position the doctor and I found them on +our arrival soon after dawn next morning. We +at once decided to move the hospital closer to +the main camp; a fresh site was prepared, a +stout hedge built round the enclosure, and all +the patients were moved in before nightfall. + +As I had heard that lions generally visit +recently deserted camps, I decided to sit up all +night in the vacated boma in the hope of getting +an opportunity of bagging one of them; but in +the middle of my lonely vigil I had the +mortification of hearing shrieks and cries coming from the +direction of the new hospital, telling me only +too plainly that our dreaded foes had once more +eluded me. Hurrying to the place at daylight I +found that one of the lions had jumped over the +newly erected fence and had carried off the +hospital bhisti (water-carrier), and that several +other coolies had been unwilling witnesses of +the terrible scene which took place within the +circle of light given by the big camp fire. The +bhisti, it appears, had been lying on the floor, +with his head towards the centre of the tent and +his feet neatly touching the side. The lion +managed to get its head in below the canvas, +seized him by the foot and pulled him out. In +desperation the unfortunate water-carrier clutched +hold of a heavy box in a vain attempt to prevent +himself being carried off, and dragged it with +him until he was forced to let go by its being +stopped by the side of the tent. He then caught +hold of a tent rope, and clung tightly to it until +it broke. As soon as the lion managed to get +him clear of the tent, he sprang at his throat and +after a few vicious shakes the poor bhisti's +agonising cries were silenced for ever. The +brute then seized him in his mouth, like a huge +cat with a mouse, and ran up and down the +boma looking for a weak spot to break through. +This he presently found and plunged into, +dragging his victim with him and leaving shreds +of torn cloth and flesh as ghastly evidences of +his passage through the thorns. Dr. Brock and +I were easily able to follow his track, and soon +found the remains about four hundred yards away +in the bush. There was the usual horrible sight. +Very little was left of the unfortunate bhisti -- only +the skull, the jaws, a few of the larger bones and +a portion of the palm with one or two fingers +attached. On one of these was a silver ring, +and this, with the teeth (a relic much prized by +certain castes), was sent to the man's widow +in India. + +Again it was decided to move the hospital; +and again, before nightfall, the work was +completed, including a still stronger and thicker boma. +When the patients had been moved, I had a +covered goods-wagon placed in a favourable +position on a siding which ran close to the site +which had just been abandoned, and in this Brock +and I arranged to sit up that night. We left a +couple of tents still standing within the enclosure, +and also tied up a few cattle in it as bait for the +lions, who had been seen in no less than three +different places in the neighbourhood during the +afternoon (April 23). Four miles from Tsavo +they had attempted to seize a coolie who was +walking along the line. Fortunately, however, +he had just time to escape up a tree, where +he remained, more dead than alive, until he +was rescued by the Traffic Manager, who caught +sight of him from a passing train. They next +appeared close to Tsavo Station, and a couple of +hours later some workmen saw one of the lions +stalking Dr. Brock as he was returning about +dusk from the hospital. + +In accordance with our plan, the doctor and I +set out after dinner for the goods-wagon, which +was about a mile away from our hut. In the +light of subsequent events, we did a very foolish +thing in taking up our position so late; +nevertheless, we reached our destination in safety, and +settled down to our watch about ten o'clock. +We had the lower half of the door of the wagon +closed, while the upper half was left wide open +for observation: and we faced, of course, in the +direction of the abandoned boma, which, however, +we were unable to see in the inky darkness. +For an hour or two everything was quiet, and the +deadly silence was becoming very monotonous +and oppressive, when suddenly, to our right, a +dry twig snapped, and we knew that an animal +of some sort was about. Soon afterwards we +heard a dull thud, as if some heavy body had +jumped over the boma. The cattle, too, became +very uneasy, and we could hear them moving +about restlessly. Then again came dead silence. +At this juncture I proposed to my companion +that I should get out of the wagon and lie on +the ground close to it, as I could see better +in that position should the lion come in our +direction with his prey. Brock, however, +persuaded me to remain where I was; and a few +seconds afterwards I was heartily glad that I had +taken his advice, for at that very moment one of +the man-eaters -- although we did not know it -- +was quietly stalking us, and was even then almost +within springing distance. Orders had been given +for the entrance to the boma to be blocked up, and +accordingly we were listening in the expectation +of hearing the lion force his way out through +the bushes with his prey. As a matter of fact, +however, the doorway had not been properly +closed, and while we were wondering what the +lion could be doing inside the boma for so long, +he was outside all the time, silently reconnoitring +our position. + +Presently I fancied I saw something coming +very stealthily towards us. I feared, however, to +trust to my eyes, which by that time were +strained by prolonged staring through the +darkness, so under my breath I asked Brock whether +he saw anything, at the same time covering the +dark object as well as I could with my rifle. +Brock did not answer; he told me afterwards +that he, too, thought he had seen something move, +but was afraid to say so lest I should fire and +it turn out to be nothing after all. After this +there was intense silence again for a second or +two, then with a sudden bound a huge body +sprang at us. "The lion!" I shouted, and we +both fired almost simultaneously -- not a moment +too soon, for in another second the brute would +assuredly have landed inside the wagon. As it +was, he must have swerved off in his spring, +probably blinded by the flash and frightened by +the noise of the double report which was +increased a hundredfold by the reverberation of +the hollow iron roof of the truck. Had we not +been very much on the alert, he would +undoubtedly have got one of us, and we realised that we +had had a very lucky and very narrow escape. +The next morning we found Brock's bullet +embedded in the sand close to a footprint; it +could not have missed the lion by more than +an inch or two. Mine was nowhere to be found. + +Thus ended my first direct encounter with one +of the man-eaters. + + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE BUILDING OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE + + + + +During all this troublesome period the +construction of the railway had been going steadily +forward, and the first important piece of work +which I had commenced on arrival was +completed. This was the widening of a rock cutting +through which the railway ran just before it, +reached the river. In the hurry of pushing on +the laying of the line, just enough of the rock +had originally been cut away to allow room for an +engine to pass, and consequently any material +which happened to, project outside the wagons +or trucks caught on the jagged faces of the +cutting. I myself saw the door of a guard's van, +which had been left ajar, smashed to atoms in +this way; and accordingly I put a gang of +rock-drillers to work at once and soon had ample +room made for all traffic to pass unimpeded. +While this was going on, another gang of men +were laying the foundations of a girder bridge +which was to span a gully between this cutting and +Tsavo Station. This would have taken too long +to erect when railhead was at the place, so a +diversion had been made round it, the temporary +track leading down almost to the bed of the +nullah and up again on the further side. When +the foundations and abutments were ready, the +gully was spanned by an iron girder, the slopes +leading up to it banked up on either side, and the +permanent way laid on an easy grade. + +Then, also, a water supply had to be +established; and this meant some very pleasant work +for me in taking levels up the banks of the +river under the cool shade of the palms. While +doing this, I often took my camp-kit with me, +and a luncheon served in the wilds, with +occasionally a friend to share it -- when a friend was +available -- was delightful. On one occasion in +particular, I went a long way up the river and was +accompanied by a young member of my staff. +The day had been exceedingly hot and we were +both correspondingly tired when our work was +finished, so my companion suggested that we +should build a raft and float down-stream home. +I was rather doubtful, of the feasibility of the +scheme, but nevertheless he decided to give it a +trial. Setting to work with our axes, we soon +had a raft built, lashing the poles together with +the fibre which grows in abundance all over the +district. When it was finished, we pushed it +out of the little backwater where it had been +constructed, and the young engineer jumped +aboard. All went well until it got out into +midstream, when much to my amusement it +promptly toppled gracefully over. I helped my +friend to scramble quickly up the bank out of +reach of possible crocodiles, when, none the worse +for his ducking, he laughed as heartily as I at +the adventure. + +Except for an occasional relaxation of this +sort, every moment of my time was fully occupied. +Superintending the various works and a hundred +other duties kept me busy all day long, while my +evenings were given up to settling disputes +among the coolies, hearing reports and complaints +from the various jemadars and workpeople, and +in studying the Swahili language. Preparations, +too, for the principal piece of work in the district +-- the building of the railway bridge over the +Tsavo river -- were going on apace. These +involved, much personal work on my part; cross +and oblique sections of the river had to be taken, +the rate of the current and the volume of water +at flood, mean, and low levels had to be found, +and all the necessary calculations made. These +having at length been completed, I marked out +the positions for the abutments and piers, and +the work of sinking their foundations was begun. +The two centre piers in particular caused a great +deal of trouble, as the river broke in several +times, and had to be dammed up and pumped dry +again before work could be resumed. Then we +found we had to sink much deeper than we +expected in order to reach a solid foundation +indeed, the sinking went on and on, until I +began to despair of finding one and was about +to resort to pile-driving, when at last, to my +relief, we struck solid rock on which the huge +foundation-stones could be laid with perfect +safety. + +Another great difficulty with which we had +to contend was the absence of suitable stone in +the neighbourhood. It was not that there was +none to be found, for the whole district abounds +in rock, but that it was so intensely hard as to +be almost impossible to work, and a bridge built +of it would have been very costly. I spent many +a weary day trudging through the thorny +wilderness vainly searching for suitable material, and +was beginning to think that we should be forced +to use iron columns for the piers, when one day +I stumbled quite by accident on the very thing. +Brock and I were out "pot-hunting," and hearing +some guinea-fowl cackling among the bushes, I +made a circuit half round them so that Brock, +on getting in his shot, should drive them over in +my direction. I eventually got into position on +the edge of a deep ravine and knelt on one knee, +crouching down among the ferns. There I had +scarcely time to load when over flew a bird, +which I missed badly; and I did not have +another chance, for Brock had got to work, and +being a first-rate shot had quickly bagged a +brace. Meanwhile I felt the ground very hard +under my knee, and on examination found that +the bank of the ravine was formed of stone, which +extended for some distance, and which was +exactly the kind of material for which I had +long been fruitlessly searching. I was greatly +delighted with my unexpected discovery, though +at first I had grave misgivings about the distance +to be traversed and the difficulty of transporting +the stone across the intervening country. Indeed, +I found in the end that the only way of getting +the material to the place where it was wanted +was by laying down a tram line right along +the ravine, throwing a temporary bridge across +the Tsavo, following the stream down and +re-crossing it again close to the site of the +permanent bridge. Accordingly, I set men to work +at once to cut down the +jungle and prepare a +road on which to lay +the double trolley line. +One morning when they +were thus engaged, a +little paa -- a kind of +very small antelope -- +sprang out and found +itself suddenly in the +midst of a gang of +coolies. Terrified and confused by the shouting +of the men, it ran straight at Shere Shah, the +jemadar, who promptly dropped a basket over +it and held it fast. I happened to arrive just in +time to save the graceful little animal's life, and +took it home to my camp, where it very soon +became a great pet. Indeed, it grew so tame +that it would jump upon my table at meal times +and eat from my hand. + +When the road for the trolley line was cleared, +the next piece of work was the building of the +two temporary bridges over the river. These +we made in the roughest fashion out of palm +trees and logs felled at the crossing places, and +had a flood come down they would, of course, +have both been swept away; fortunately, however, +this did not occur until the permanent work was +completed. The whole of this feeding line was +finished in a very short time, and trollies were +soon plying backwards and forwards with loads +of stone and sand, as we also discovered the +latter in abundance and of good quality in the +bed of the ravine. An amusing incident occurred +one day when I was taking a photograph of an +enormous block of stone which was being hauled +across one of these temporary bridges. As the +trolley with its heavy load required very careful +manipulation, my head mason, Heera Singh, +stood on the top of the stone to direct operations, +while the overseer, Purshotam Hurjee, +superintended the gangs of men who hauled the ropes +at either end in order to steady it up and down +the inclines. But we did not know that the +stream had succeeded in washing away the +foundations of one of the log supports; and as +the weight of the trolley with the stone came +on the undermined pier, the rails tilted up and +over went the whole thing into the river, just +as I snapped the picture. Heera Singh made a +wild spring into the water to get clear of the +falling stone, while Purshotam and the rest fled +as if for their lives to the bank. It was altogether +a most comical sight, and an extraordinary chance +that at the very moment of the accident I should +be taking a photograph of the operation. +Fortunately, no one was injured in the slightest, and +the stone was recovered undamaged with but +little trouble. + +Not long after this occurrence my own labours +were one day nearly brought to a sudden and +unpleasant end. I was travelling along in an +empty trolley which, pushed by two sturdy +Pathans, was returning to the quarry for sand. +Presently we came to the sharp incline which led +to the log bridge over the river. Here it was the +custom of the men, instead of running beside the +trolley, to step on to it and to let its own +momentum take it down the slope, moderating +its speed when necessary by a brake in the shape +of a pole, which one of them carried and by which +the wheels could be locked. On this occasion, +however, the pole was by some accident dropped +overboard, and down the hill we flew without +brake of any kind. Near the bridge there was +a sharp curve in the line, where I was afraid +the trolley would jump the rails; still, I thought +it was better to stick to it than to risk leaping +off. A moment afterwards I felt myself flying +head first over the edge of the bridge, just missing +by a hair's breadth a projecting beam; but luckily +I landed on a sand bank at the side of the river, +the heavy trolley falling clear of me with a dull +thud close by. This accident, also, was happily +unattended by injury to anyone. + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +TROUBLES WITH THE WORKMEN + + + + +It seemed fated that the building of the Tsavo +Bridge should never be allowed to proceed in +peace for any length of time. I have already +described our troubles with the lions; and no +sooner did the beasts of prey appear to have +deserted us, for the time being at any rate, than +other troubles, no less serious, arose with the +workmen themselves. After I had discovered +the stone for the bridge, I sent down to the coast +for gangs of masons to work and dress it. The +men who were sent me for this purpose were +mostly Pathans and were supposed to be expert +workmen; but I soon found that many of them +had not the faintest notion of stone-cutting, and +were simply ordinary coolies who had posed as +masons in order to draw forty-five instead of +twelve rupees a month. On discovering this +fact, I immediately instituted a system of +piecework, and drew up a scale of pay which would +enable the genuine mason to earn his forty-five +rupees a month -- and a little more if he felt +inclined -- and would cut down the impostors to +about their proper pay as coolies. Now, as is +often the case in this world, the impostors were +greatly in the majority; and accordingly they +attempted to intimidate the remainder into coming +down to their own standard as regards output +of work, in the hope of thereby inducing me to +abandon the piece-work system of payment. +This, however, I had no intention of doing, as +I knew that I had demanded only a perfectly +fair amount of work from each man. + +These masons were continually having quarrels +and fights amongst themselves, and I had frequently +to go down to their camp to quell disturbances and +to separate the Hindus from the Mohammedans. +One particularly serious disturbance of this sort +had a rather amusing sequel. I was sitting after +dusk one evening at the door of my hut, when I +heard a great commotion in the masons' camp, +which lay only a few hundred yards away. +Presently a jemadar came rushing up to me to say +that the men were all fighting and murdering +each other with sticks and stones. I ran back +with him at once and succeeded in restoring order, +but found seven badly injured men lying stretched +out on the ground. These I had carried up to +my own boma on charpoys (native beds); and +Brock being away, I had to play the doctor myself +as best I could, stitching one and bandaging +another and generally doing what was possible. +There was one man, however, who groaned +loudly and held a cloth over his face as if he +were dying. On lifting this covering, I found +him to be a certain mason called Karim Bux, +who was well known to me as a prime +mischief-maker among the men. I examined him carefully, +but as I could discover nothing amiss, I concluded +that he must have received some internal injury, +and accordingly told him that I would send him +to the hospital at Voi (about thirty miles down +the line) to be attended to properly. He was +then carried back to his camp, groaning grievously +all the time. + +Scarcely had he been removed, when the head +jemadar came and informed me that the man +was not hurt at all, and that as a matter of fact +he was the sole cause of the disturbance. He +was now pretending to be badly injured, in order +to escape the punishment which he knew he +would receive if I discovered that he was the +instigator of the trouble. On hearing this, I gave +instructions that he was not to go to Voi in the +special train with the others; but I had not heard +the last of him yet. About eleven o'clock that +night I was called up and asked to go down to +the masons' camp to see a man who was supposed +to be dying. I at once pulled on my boots, got +some brandy and ran down to the camp, where +to my surprise and amusement I found that it was +my friend Karim Bux who was at death's door. It +was perfectly evident to me that he was only +"foxing," but when he asked for dawa (medicine), +I told him gravely that I would give him some +very good dawa in the morning. + +Next day at noon -- when it was my custom +to have evil-doers brought up for judgment -- I +asked for Karim Bux, but was told that he was too +ill to walk. I accordingly ordered him to be +carried to my boma, and in a few moments he +arrived in his charpoy, which was shouldered by +four coolies who, I could see, knew quite well +that he was only shamming. There were also +a score or so of his friends hanging around, +doubtless waiting in the expectation of seeing the +"Sahib" hoodwinked. When the bed was placed +on the ground near me, I lifted the blanket with +which he had covered himself and thoroughly +examined him, at the same time feeling him to +make sure that he had no fever. He pretended +to be desperately ill and again asked for dawa; +but having finally satisfied myself that it was as +the jemadar had said -- pure budmashi (devilment) +-- I told him that I was going to give him some +very effective dawa, and carefully covered him up +again, pulling the blanket over his head. I then +got a big armful of shavings from a carpenter's +bench which was close by, put them under the +bed and set fire to them. As soon as the sham +invalid felt the heat, he peeped over the edge of +the blanket; and when he saw the smoke and +flame leaping up round him, he threw the blanket +from him, sprang from the bed exclaiming +"Beiman shaitan!" ("Unbelieving devil!"), and +fled like a deer to the entrance of my boma, +pursued by a Sikh sepoy, who got in a couple +of good whacks on his shoulders with a stout +stick before he effected his escape. His amused +comrades greeted me with shouts of "Shabash, +Sahib!" ("Well done, sir"), and I never had +any further trouble with Karim Bux. He came +back later in the day, with clasped hands imploring +forgiveness, which I readily granted, as he was a +clever workman. + +A few days after this incident I was returning +home one morning from a tree in which I had +been keeping watch for the man-eaters during +the previous night. Coming unexpectedly on the +quarry, I was amazed to find dead silence reigning +and my rascals of workmen all stretched out in +the shade under the trees taking it very easy +-- some sleeping, some playing cards. I watched +their proceedings through the bushes for a little +while, and then it occurred to me to give them +a fright by firing my rifle over their heads. +On the report being heard, the scene changed +like magic: each man simply flew to his particular +work, and hammers and chisels resounded merrily +and energetically, where all had been silence a +moment before. They thought, of course, that I +was still some distance off and had not seen them, +but to their consternation I shouted to them that +they were too late, as I had been watching them +for some time. I fined every man present heavily, +besides summarily degrading the Headman, who +had thus shown himself utterly unfit for his +position. I then proceeded to my hut, but had +scarcely arrived there when two of the scoundrels +tottered up after me, bent almost double and +calling Heaven to witness that I had shot them +both in the back. In order to give a semblance +of truth to an otherwise bald and unconvincing +narrative, they had actually induced one of their +fellow workmen to make a few holes like shot +holes in their backs, and these were bleeding +profusely. Unfortunately for them, however, I +had been carrying a rifle and not a shot gun, and +they had also forgotten to make corresponding +holes in their clothing, so that all they achieved +by this elaborate tissue of falsehood was to bring +on themselves the derision of their comrades +and the imposition of an extra fine. + +Shortly after this, when the masons realised that +I intended to make each man do a fair day's work +for his money, and would allow nothing to +prevent this intention from being carried out, they +came to the conclusion that the best thing to do +would be to put me quietly out of the way. +Accordingly they held a meeting one night, all +being sworn to secrecy, and after a long palaver it +was arranged that I was to be murdered next +day when I made my usual visit to the quarry. +My body was to be thrown into the jungle, +where of course it would soon be devoured by +wild beasts, and then they were to say that I had +been killed and eaten by a lion. To this cheerful +proposal every man present at the meeting agreed, +and affixed his finger-mark to a long strip of paper +as a binding token. Within an hour after the +meeting had dispersed, however, I was aroused +by one of the conspirators, who had crept into my +camp to give me warning. I thanked him for his +information, but determined to go to the quarry +in the morning all the same, as at this stage of +affairs I really did not believe that they were +capable of carrying out such a diabolical scheme, +and was rather inclined to think that the informant +had been sent merely to frighten me. + +Accordingly the next morning (September 6) +I started off as usual along the trolley line to +the lonely quarry. As I reached a bend in the +line, my head mason, Heera Singh, a very good +man, crept cautiously out of the bushes and +warned me not to proceed. On my asking him +the reason, he said that he dared not tell, but +that he and twenty other masons were not going +to work that day, as they were afraid of trouble +at the quarry. At this I began to think that +there was something in the story I had heard +overnight, but I laughingly assured him there +would be no trouble and continued on my way. +On my arrival at the quarry, everything seemed +perfectly peaceful. All the men were working +away busily, but after a moment or two I noticed +stealthy side glances, and felt that there was +something in the wind. As soon as I came up +to the first gang of workmen, the jemadar, a +treacherous-looking villain, informed me that the +men working further up the ravine had refused +to obey his orders, and asked me if I would go +and see them. I felt at once that this was a +device to lure me into the narrow part of the +ravine, where, with gangs in front of me and +behind me, there would be no escape; still I +thought I would see the adventure through, +whatever came of it, so I accompanied the jemadar +up the gully. When we got to the further gang, +he went so far as to point out the two men who, +he said, had refused to do what he told them -- I +suppose he thought that as I was never to leave +the place alive, it did not matter whom he +complained of. I noted their names in my +pocket-book in my usual manner, and turned to +retrace my steps. Immediately a yell of rage +was raised by the whole body of some sixty men, +answered by a similar shout from those I had +first passed, and who numbered about a hundred. +Both groups of men, carrying crowbars and +flourishing their heavy hammers, then closed in +on me in the narrow part of the ravine. I stood +still, waiting for them to act, and one man rushed +at me, seizing both my wrists and shouting out +that he was going to "be hung and shot for me" -- +rather a curious way of putting it, but that was his +exact expression. I easily wrenched my arms +free, and threw him from me; but by this time +I was closely hemmed in, and everywhere I looked +I could see nothing but evil and murderous-looking +faces. One burly brute, afraid to be the +first to deal a blow, hurled the man next him at +me; and if he had succeeded in knocking me +down, I am certain that I should never have got +up again alive. As it was, however, I stepped +quickly aside, and the man intended to knock +me down was himself thrown violently against +a rock, over which he fell heavily. + +This occasioned a moment's confusion, of which +I quickly took advantage. I sprang on to the +top of the rock, and before they had time to +recover themselves I had started haranguing them +in Hindustani. The habit of obedience still held +them, and fortunately they listened to what I had +to say. I told them that I knew all about their +plot to murder me, and that they could certainly +do so if they wished; but that if they did, many +of them would assuredly be hanged for it, as the +Sirkar (Government) would soon find out the +truth and would disbelieve their story that I had +been carried off by a lion. I said that I knew +quite well that it was only one or two scoundrels +among them who had induced them to behave +so stupidly, and urged them not to allow themselves +to be made fools of in this way. Even +supposing they were to carry out their plan of +killing me, would not another "Sahib "at once be +set over them, and might he not be an even +harder task-master? They all knew that I was +just and fair to the real worker; it was only the +scoundrels and shirkers who had anything to +fear from me, and were upright, self-respecting. +Pathans going to allow themselves to be led away +by men of that kind? Once having got them +to listen to me, I felt a little more secure, and I +accordingly went on to say that the discontented +among them would be allowed to return at once +to Mombasa, while if the others resumed work +and I heard of no further plotting, I would take +no notice of their foolish conduct. Finally I +called upon those who were willing to return +to work to hold up their hands, and instantly +every hand in the crowd was raised. I then +felt that for the moment the victory was mine, +and after dismissing them, I jumped down from +the rock and continued my rounds as if nothing +had happened, measuring a stone here and there +and commenting on the work done. They were +still in a very uncertain and sullen mood, +however, and not at all to be relied upon, so it +was with feelings of great relief that an hour later +I made my way back, safe and sound, to Tsavo. + +The danger was not yet past, unfortunately, for +scarcely had I turned my back to go home when +the mutiny broke out again, another meeting +being held, and a fresh plot made to murder me +during the night. Of this I was soon informed +by my time-keeper, who also told me that he was +afraid to go out and call the roll, as they had +threatened to kill him also. At this further +outrage I lost no time in telegraphing for the +Railway Police, and also to the District Officer, +Mr. Whitehead, who immediately marched his +men twenty-five miles by road to my assistance. +I have no doubt, indeed, that his prompt action +alone saved me from being attacked that very +night. Two or three days afterwards the Railway +Police arrived and arrested the ringleaders in +the mutiny, who were taken to Mombasa and +tried before Mr. Crawford, the British Consul, +when the full details of the plots to murder me +were unfolded by one of them who turned Queen's +evidence. All the scoundrels were found guilty +and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment +in the chain-gangs, and I was never again troubled +with mutinous workmen. + + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE REIGN OF TERROR + + + + +The lions seemed to have got a bad fright the +night Brock and I sat up in wait for them in the +goods-wagon, for they kept away from Tsavo and +did not molest us in any way for some considerable +time -- not, in fact, until long after Brock had left +me and gone on safari (a caravan journey) to +Uganda. In this breathing space which they +vouchsafed us, it occurred to me that should they +renew their attacks, a trap would perhaps offer the +best chance of getting at them, and that if I could +construct one in which a couple of coolies might +be used as bait without being subjected to any +danger, the lions would be quite daring enough +to enter it in search of them and thus be +caught. I accordingly set to work at once, and +in a short time managed to make a sufficiently +strong trap out of wooden sleepers, tram-rails, +pieces of telegraph wire, and a length of heavy +chain. It was divided into two compartments -- +one for the men and one for the lion. A sliding +door at one end admitted the former, and once +inside this compartment they were perfectly safe, +as between them and the lion, if he entered the +other, ran a cross wall of iron rails only three +inches apart, and embedded both top and bottom +in heavy wooden sleepers. The door which was +to admit the lion was, of course, at the opposite +end of the structure, but otherwise the whole thing +was very much on the principle of the ordinary +rat-trap, except that it was not necessary for the +lion to seize the bait in order to send the door +clattering down. This part of the contrivance +was arranged in the following manner. A heavy +chain was secured along the top part of the +lion's doorway, the ends hanging down to the +ground on either side of the opening; and to +these were fastened, strongly secured by stout +wire, short lengths of rails placed about six inches +apart. This made a sort of flexible door which +could be packed into a small space when not in +use, and which abutted against the top of the +doorway when lifted up. The door was held in +this position by a lever made of a piece of rail, +which in turn was kept in its place by a wire +fastened to one end and passing down to a spring +concealed in the ground inside the cage. As soon +as the lion entered sufficiently far into the trap, +he would be bound to tread on the spring; his +weight on this would release the wire, and in an +instant down would come the door behind him; +and he could not push it out in any way, as it fell +into a groove between two rails firmly embedded +in the ground. + +In making this trap, which cost us a lot of +work, we were rather at a loss for want of tools +to bore holes in the rails for the doorway, so as +to enable them to be fastened by the wire to the +chain. It occurred to me, however, that a hard-nosed +bullet from my .303 would penetrate the +iron, and on making the experiment I was glad +to find that a hole was made as cleanly as if it +had been punched out. + +When the trap was ready I pitched a tent over +it in order further to deceive the lions, and built +an exceedingly strong boma round it. One +small entrance was made at the back of the +enclosure for the men, which they were to close +on going in by pulling a bush after them; and +another entrance just in front of the door of the +cage was left open for the lions. The wiseacres +to whom I showed my invention were generally +of the opinion that the man-eaters would be too +cunning to walk into my parlour; but, as will be +seen later, their predictions proved false. For +the first few nights I baited the trap myself, but +nothing happened except that I had a very sleepless +and uncomfortable time, and was badly bitten +by mosquitoes. + +As a matter of fact, it was some months +before the lions attacked us again, though from +time to time we heard of their depredations +in other quarters. Not long after our night in +the goods-wagon, two men were carried off +from railhead, while another was taken from a +place called Engomani, about ten miles away. +Within a very short time, this latter place was +again visited by the brutes, two more men being +seized, one of whom was killed and eaten, and +the other so badly mauled that he died within +few days. As I have said, however, we at +Tsavo enjoyed complete immunity from attack, +and the coolies, believing that their dreaded +foes had permanently deserted the district, +resumed all their usual habits and occupations, +and life in the camps returned to its normal +routine. + +At last we were suddenly startled out of this +feeling of security. One dark night the familiar +terror-stricken cries and screams awoke the camps, +and we knew that the "demons" had returned +and had commenced a new list of victims. On +this occasion a number of men had been sleeping +outside their tents for the sake of coolness, +thinking, of course, that the lions had gone for +good, when suddenly in the middle of the night +one of the brutes was discovered forcing its way +through the boma. The alarm was at once given, +and sticks, stones and firebrands were hurled in +the direction of the intruder. All was of no +avail, however, for the lion burst into the midst +of the terrified group, seized an unfortunate +wretch amid the cries and shrieks of his companions, +and dragged him off through the thick +thorn fence. He was joined outside by the +second lion, and so daring had the two brutes +become that they did not trouble to carry their +victim any further away, but devoured him +within thirty yards of the tent where he had +been seized. Although several shots were fired +in their direction by the jemadar of the gang +to which the coolie belonged, they took no +notice of these and did not attempt to move +until their horrible meal was finished. The few +scattered fragments that remained of the body +I would not allow to be buried at once, hoping +that the lions would return to the spot the +following night; and on the chance of this I took +up my station at nightfall in a convenient tree. +Nothing occurred to break the monotony of +my watch, however, except that I had a visit +from a hyena, and the next morning I learned +that the lions had attacked another camp about +two miles from Tsavo -- for by this time the +camps were again scattered, as I had works +in progress all up and down the line. There +the man-eaters had been successful in obtaining +a victim, whom, as in the previous instance, +they devoured quite close to the camp. How +they forced their way through the bomas without +making a noise was, and still is, a mystery to me; +I should have thought that it was next to impossible +for an animal to get through at all. Yet +they continually did so, and without a sound +being heard. + +After this occurrence, I sat up every night +for over a week near likely camps, but all in +vain. Either the lions saw me and then went +elsewhere, or else I was unlucky, for they took +man after man from different places without ever +once giving me a chance of a shot at them. +This constant night watching was most dreary +and fatiguing work, but I felt that it was a duty +that had to be undertaken, as the men naturally +looked to me for protection. In the whole of +my life I have never experienced anything more +nerve-shaking than to hear the deep roars of +these dreadful monsters growing gradually nearer +and nearer, and to know that some one or +other of us was doomed to be their victim before +morning dawned. Once they reached the vicinity +of the camps, the roars completely ceased, and +we knew that they were stalking for their prey. +Shouts would then pass from camp to camp, +"Khabar dar, bhaieon, shaitan ata" (" Beware, +brothers, the devil is coming "), but the warning +cries would prove of no avail, and sooner or later +agonising shrieks would break the silence, and +another man would be missing from roll-call next +morning. + +I was naturally very disheartened at being +foiled in this way night after night, and was +soon at my wits' end to know what to do; it +seemed as if the lions were really "devils" after +all and bore a charmed life. As I have said +before, tracking them through the jungle was a +hopeless task; but as something had to be done +to keep up the men's spirits, I spent many a +weary day crawling on my hands and knees +through the dense undergrowth of the exasperating +wilderness around us. As a matter of +fact, if I had come up with the lions on any +of these expeditions, it was much more likely +that they would have added me to their list of +victims than that I should have succeeded in +killing either of them, as everything would have +been in their favour. About this time, too, I +had many helpers, and several officers -- civil, +naval and military -- came to Tsavo from the +coast and sat up night after night in order to get +a shot at our daring foes. All of us, however, +met with the same lack of success, and the lions +always seemed capable of avoiding the watchers, +while succeeding, at the same time in obtaining a +victim. + +I have a very vivid recollection of one +particular night when the brutes seized a man from +the railway station and brought him close to +my camp to devour. I could plainly hear them +crunching the bones, and the sound of their +dreadful purring filled the air and rang in my +ears for days afterwards. The terrible thing +was to feel so helpless; it was useless to +attempt to go out, as of course the poor fellow +was dead, and in addition it was so pitch dark +as to make it impossible to see anything. +Some half a dozen workmen, who lived in a +small enclosure close to mine, became so terrified +on hearing the lions at their meal that they +shouted and implored me to allow them to come +inside my boma. This I willingly did, but soon +afterwards I remembered that one man had been +lying ill in their camp, and on making enquiry I +found that they had callously left him behind +alone. I immediately took some men with me to +bring him to my boma, but on entering his tent I +saw by the light of the lantern that the poor +fellow was beyond need of safety. He had died +of shock at being deserted by his companions. + +From this time matters gradually became +worse and worse. Hitherto, as a rule, only +one of the man-eaters had made the attack and +had done the foraging, while the other waited +outside in the bush; but now they began to +change their tactics, entering the bomas together +and each seizing a victim. In this way two +Swahili porters were killed during the last week +of November, one being immediately carried off +and devoured. The other was heard moaning +for a long time, and when his terrified companions +at last summoned up sufficient courage to go to +his assistance, they found him stuck fast in the +bushes of the boma, through which for once the +lion had apparently been unable to drag him. +He was still alive when I saw him next morning, +but so terribly mauled that he died before he could +be got to the hospital. + +Within a few days of this the two brutes made +a most ferocious attack on the largest camp in the +section, which for safety's sake was situated within +a stone's throw of Tsavo Station and close to +a Permanent Way Inspector's iron hut. Suddenly +in the dead of night the two man-eaters +burst in among the terrified workmen, and even +from my boma, some distance away, I could +plainly hear the panic-stricken shrieking of the +coolies. Then followed cries of "They've taken +him; they've taken him," as the brutes carried off +their unfortunate victim and began their horrible +feast close beside the camp. The Inspector, +Mr. Dalgairns, fired over fifty shots in the +direction in which he heard the lions, but they +were not to be frightened and calmly lay there +until their meal was finished. After examining +the spot in the morning, we at once set out to +follow the brutes, Mr. Dalgairns feeling confident +that he had wounded one of them, as there was +a trail on the sand like that of the toes of a +broken limb. After some careful stalking, we +suddenly found ourselves in the vicinity of the +lions, and were greeted with ominous growlings. +Cautiously advancing and pushing the bushes +aside, we saw in the gloom what we at first took +to be a lion cub; closer inspection, however, +showed it to be the remains of the unfortunate +coolie, which the man-eaters had evidently +abandoned at our approach. The legs, one arm +and half the body had been eaten, and it was the +stiff fingers of the other arm trailing along the +sand which had left the marks we had taken to +be the trail of a wounded lion. By this time +the beasts had retired far into the thick jungle +where it was impossible to follow them, so +we had the remains of the coolie buried and once +more returned home disappointed. + +Now the bravest men in the world, much less +the ordinary Indian coolie, will not stand +constant terrors of this sort indefinitely. The +whole district was by this time thoroughly panic-stricken, +and I was not at all surprised, therefore, +to find on my return to camp that same +afternoon (December 1) that the men had all +struck work and were waiting to speak to me. +When I sent for them, they flocked to my boma +in a body and stated that they would not remain +at Tsavo any longer for anything or anybody; +they had come from India on an agreement to +work for the Government, not to supply food for +either lions or "devils." No sooner had they +delivered this ultimatum than a regular stampede +took place. Some hundreds of them stopped +the first passing train by throwing themselves on +the rails in front of the engine, and then, +swarming on to the trucks and throwing in +their possessions anyhow, they fled from the +accursed spot. + +After this the railway works were completely +stopped; and for the next three weeks practically +nothing was done but build "lion-proof" huts for +those workmen who had had sufficient courage +to remain. It was a strange and amusing sight +to see these shelters perched on the top of +water-tanks, roofs and girders -- anywhere for +safety -- while some even went so far as to dig pits +inside their tents, into which they descended at +night, covering the top over with heavy logs of +wood. Every good-sized tree in the camp had +as many beds lashed on to it as its branches +would bear -- and sometimes more. I remember +that one night when the camp was attacked, +so many men swarmed on to one particular tree +that down it came with a crash, hurling its +terror-stricken load of shrieking coolies close to +the very lions they were trying to avoid. Fortunately +for them, a victim had already been +secured, and the brutes were too busy devouring +him to pay attention to anything else. + + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE DISTRICT OFFICER'S NARROW ESCAPE + + + +Some little time before the flight of the +workmen, I had written to Mr. Whitehead, the +District Officer, asking him to come up and assist +me in my campaign against the lions, and to +bring with him any of his askaris (native soldiers) +that he could spare. He replied accepting the +invitation, and told me to expect him about +dinner-time on December 2, which turned out to +be the day after the exodus. His train was +due at Tsavo about six o'clock in the evening, +so I sent my "boy" up to the station to meet +him and to help in carrying his baggage to the +camp. In a very short time, however, the +"boy" rushed back trembling with terror, and +informed me that there was no sign of the train +or of the railway staff, but that an enormous lion +was standing on the station platform. This +extraordinary story I did not believe in the +least, as by this time the coolies -- never remarkable +for bravery -- were in such a state of fright +that if they caught sight of a hyena or a baboon, +or even a dog, in the bush, they were sure to +imagine it was a lion; but I found out next day +that it was an actual fact, and that both stationmaster +and signalman had been obliged to take +refuge from one of the man-eaters by locking +themselves in the station building. + +I waited some little time for Mr. Whitehead, +but eventually, as he did not put in an appearance, +I concluded that he must have postponed his +journey until the next day, and so had my +dinner in my customary solitary state. During +the meal I heard a couple of shots, but paid no +attention to them, as rifles were constantly being +fired off in the neighbourhood of the camp. +Later in the evening, I went out as usual to +watch for our elusive foes, and took up my +position in a crib made of sleepers which I had +built on a big girder close to a camp which I +thought was likely to be attacked. Soon after +settling down at my post, I was surprised to +hear the man-eaters growling and purring and +crunching up bones about seventy yards from +the crib. I could not understand what they had +found to eat, as I had heard no commotion in the +camps, and I knew by bitter experience that +every meal the brutes obtained from us was +announced by shrieks and uproar. The only +conclusion I could come to was that they had +pounced upon some poor unsuspecting native +traveller. After a time I was able to make out +their eyes glowing in the darkness, and I took as +careful aim as was possible in the circumstances +and fired; but the only notice they paid to the +shot was to carry off whatever they were +devouring and to retire quietly over a slight +rise, which prevented me from seeing them. +There they finished their meal at their ease. + +As soon as it was daylight, I got out of my +crib and went towards the place where I had last +heard them. On the way, whom should I meet +but my missing guest, Mr. Whitehead, looking +very pale and ill, and generally dishevelled. + +"Where on earth have you come from?" +I exclaimed. "Why didn't you turn up to dinner +last night?" + +"A nice reception you give a fellow when +you invite him to dinner," was his only reply. + +"Why, what's up?" I asked. + +"That infernal lion of yours nearly did for +me last night," said Whitehead. + +"Nonsense, you must have dreamed it!" I +cried in astonishment. + +For answer he turned round and showed me +his back. "That's not much of a dream, is +it?" he asked. + +His clothing was rent by one huge tear from +the nape of the neck downwards, and on the +flesh there were four great claw marks, showing +red and angry through the torn cloth. Without +further parley, I hurried him off to my tent, and +bathed and dressed his wounds; and when I had +made him considerably more comfortable, I got +from him the whole story of the events of the night. + +It appeared that his train was very late, so that +it was quite dark when he arrived at Tsavo +Station, from which the track to my camp lay +through a small cutting. He was accompanied +by Abdullah, his sergeant of askaris, who walked +close behind him carrying a lighted lamp. All +went well until they were about half-way through +the gloomy cutting, when one of the lions +suddenly jumped down upon them from the high +bank, knocking Whitehead over like a ninepin, +and tearing his back in the manner I had seen. +Fortunately, however, he had his carbine with +him, and instantly fired. The flash and the loud +report must have dazed the lion for a second or +two, enabling Whitehead to disengage himself; +but the next instant the brute pounced like +lightning on the unfortunate Abdullah, with +whom he at once made off. All that the poor +fellow could say was: "Eh, Bwana, simba" +(" Oh, Master, a lion "). As the lion was dragging +him over the bank, Whitehead fired again, +but without effect, and the brute quickly disappeared +into the darkness with his prey. It was +of course, this unfortunate man whom I had heard +the lions devouring during the night. Whitehead +himself had a marvellous escape; his wounds +were happily not very deep, and caused him little +or no inconvenience afterwards. + +On the same day, December 3, the forces +arrayed against the lions were further +strengthened. Mr. Farquhar, the Superintendent of +Police, arrived from the coast with a score of +sepoys to assist in hunting down the man-eaters, +whose fame had by this time spread far and +wide, and the most elaborate precautions were +taken, his men being posted on the most +convenient trees near every camp. Several other +officials had also come up on leave to join in +the chase, and each of these guarded a likely +spot in the same way, Mr. Whitehead sharing +my post inside the crib on the girder. Further, +in spite of some chaff, my lion trap was put in +thorough working order, and two of the sepoys +were installed as bait. + +Our preparations were quite complete by nightfall, +and we all took up our appointed positions. +Nothing happened until about nine o'clock, when +to my great satisfaction the intense stillness +was suddenly broken by the noise of the door +of the trap clattering down. "At last," I thought, +"one at least of the brutes is done for." But the +sequel was an ignominious one. + +The bait-sepoys had a lamp burning inside their +part of the cage, and were each armed with +a Martini rifle, with plenty of ammunition. They +had also been given strict orders to shoot at once +if a lion should enter the trap. Instead of doing +so, however, they were so terrified when he rushed +in and began to lash himself madly against the +bars of the cage, that they completely lost their +heads and were actually too unnerved to fire. +Not for some minutes -- not, indeed, until Mr. +Farquhar, whose post was close by, shouted at +them and cheered them on -- did they at all +recover themselves. Then when at last they did +begin to fire, they fired with a vengeance -- +anywhere, anyhow. Whitehead and I were at +right angles to the direction in which they should +have shot, and yet their bullets came whizzing all +round us. Altogether they fired over a score of +shots, and in the end succeeded only in blowing +away one of the bars of the door, thus allowing +our prize to make good his escape. How they +failed to kill him several times over is, and always +will be, a complete mystery to me, as they could +have put the muzzles of their rifles absolutely +touching his body. There was, indeed, some +blood scattered about the trap, but it was small +consolation to know that the brute, whose capture +and death seemed so certain, had only been +slightly wounded. + +Still we were not unduly dejected, and when +morning came, a hunt was at once arranged. +Accordingly we spent the greater part of the day +on our hands and knees following the lions through +the dense thickets of thorny jungle, but though +we heard their growls from time to time, we +never succeeded in actually coming up with them. +Of the whole party, only Farquhar managed to +catch a momentary glimpse of one as it bounded +over a bush. Two days more were spent in +the same manner, and with equal unsuccess; +and then Farquhar and his sepoys were obliged +to return to the coast. Mr. Whitehead also +departed for his district, and once again I was +left alone with the man-eaters. + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER + + + +A day or two after the departure of my allies, +as I was leaving my boma soon after dawn on +December 9, I saw a Swahili running excitedly +towards me, shouting out "Simba! Simba!" +("Lion! Lion!"), and every now and again looking +behind him as he ran. On questioning him I +found that the lions had tried to snatch a man +from the camp by the river, but being foiled +in this had seized and killed one of the donkeys, +and were at that moment busy devouring it not +far off. Now was my chance. + +I rushed for the heavy rifle which Farquhar had +kindly left with me for use in case an opportunity +such as this should arise, and, led by the Swahili, +I started most carefully to stalk the lions, who, +I devoutly hoped, were confining their attention +strictly to their meal. I was getting on splendidly, +and could just make out the outline of one of them +through the dense bush, when unfortunately my +guide snapped a rotten branch. The wily beast +heard the noise, growled his defiance, and +disappeared in a moment into a patch of even +thicker jungle close by. In desperation at the +thought of his escaping me once again, I crept +hurriedly back to the camp, summoned the available +workmen and told them to bring all the tom-toms, +tin cans, and other noisy instruments of +any kind that could be found. As quickly as +possible I posted them in a half-circle round the +thicket, and gave the head jemadar instructions +to start a simultaneous beating of the tom-toms +and cans as soon as he judged that I had had +time to get round to the other side. I then +crept round by myself and soon found a good +position and one which the lion was most likely +to retreat past, as it was in the middle of a broad +animal path leading straight from the place where +he was concealed. I lay down behind a small +ant hill, and waited expectantly. Very soon +I heard a tremendous din being raised by the +advancing line of coolies, and almost immediately, +to my intense joy, out into the open path stepped +a huge maneless lion. It was the first occasion +during all these trying months upon which I had +had a fair chance at one of these brutes, and my +satisfaction at the prospect of bagging him was +unbounded. + +Slowly he advanced along the path, stopping +every few seconds to look round. I was only +partially concealed from view, and if his attention +had not been so fully occupied by the noise behind +him, he must have observed me. As he was +oblivious to my presence, however, I let him +approach to within about fifteen yards of me, +and then covered him with my rifle. The moment +I moved to do this, he caught sight of me, +and seemed much astonished at my sudden +appearance, for he stuck his forefeet into the +ground, threw himself back on his haunches and +growled savagely. As I covered his brain with +my rifle, I felt that at last I had him absolutely at +my mercy, but . . . . never trust an untried +weapon! I pulled the trigger, and to my horror +heard the dull snap that tells of a misfire. + +Worse was to follow. I was so taken aback +and disconcerted by this untoward accident that +I entirely forgot to fire the left barrel, and +lowered the rifle from my shoulder with the +intention of reloading -- if I should be given time. +Fortunately for me, the lion was so distracted +by the terrific din and uproar of the coolies behind +him that instead of springing on me, as might +have been expected, he bounded aside into the +jungle again. By this time I had collected my +wits, and just as he jumped I let him have the +left barrel. An answering angry growl told me +that he had been hit; but nevertheless he +succeeded once more in getting clear away, for +although I tracked him for some little distance, I +eventually lost his trail in a rocky patch of +ground. + +Bitterly did I anathematise the hour in which +I had relied on a borrowed weapon, and in my +disappointment and vexation I abused owner, +maker, and rifle with fine impartiality. On +extracting the unexploded cartridge, I found that +the needle had not struck home, the cap being +only slightly dented; so that the whole fault did +indeed lie with the rifle, which I later returned +to Farquhar with polite compliments. Seriously, +however, my continued ill-luck was most exasperating; +and the result was that the Indians were +more than ever confirmed in their belief that the +lions were really evil spirits, proof against mortal +weapons. Certainly, they did seem to bear +charmed lives. + +After this dismal failure there was, of course, +nothing to do but to return to camp. Before doing +so, however, I proceeded to view the dead donkey, +which I found to have been only slightly devoured +it the quarters. It is a curious fact that lions +always begin at the tail of their prey and eat +upwards towards the head. As their meal had +thus been interrupted evidently at the very +beginning, I felt pretty sure that one or other +of the brutes would return to the carcase at +nightfall. Accordingly, as there was no tree of +any kind close at hand, I had a staging erected +some ten feet away from the body. This machan +was about twelve feet high and was composed +of four poles stuck into the ground and inclined +towards each other at the top, where a plank +was lashed to serve as a seat. Further, as the +nights were still pitch dark, I had the donkey's +carcase secured by strong wires to a neighbouring +stump, so that the lions might not be able to drag +it away before I could get a shot at them. + +At sundown, therefore, I took up my position +on my airy perch, and much to the disgust of my +gun-bearer, Mahina, I decided to go alone. I +would gladly have taken him with me, indeed, but +he had a bad cough, and I was afraid lest he +should make any involuntary noise or movement +which might spoil all. Darkness fell almost +immediately, and everything became extraordinarily +still. The silence of an African jungle on a dark +night needs to be experienced to be realised; +it is most impressive, especially when one is +absolutely alone and isolated from one's fellow +creatures, as I was then. The solitude and +stillness, and the purpose of my vigil, all had +their effect on me, and from a condition of strained +expectancy I gradually fell into a dreamy mood +which harmonised well with my surroundings. +Suddenly I was startled out of my reverie by +the snapping of a twig: and, straining my ears +for a further sound, I fancied I could hear the +rustling of a large body forcing its way through +the bush. "The man-eater," I thought to +myself; "surely to-night my luck will change +and I shall bag one of the brutes." Profound +silence again succeeded; I sat on my eyrie like +a statue, every nerve tense with excitement. +Very soon, however, all doubt as to the presence +of the lion was dispelled. A deep long-drawn +sigh -- sure sign of hunger -- came up from the +bushes, and the rustling commenced again as he +cautiously advanced. In a moment or two a +sudden stop, followed by an angry growl, told +me that my presence had been noticed; and I +began to fear that disappointment awaited me +once more. + +But no; matters quickly took an unexpected +turn. The hunter became the hunted; and +instead of either making off or coming for the +bait prepared for him, the lion began stealthily +to stalk me! For about two hours he horrified +me by slowly creeping round and round my +crazy structure, gradually edging his way nearer +and nearer. Every moment I expected him to +rush it; and the staging had not been constructed +with an eye to such a possibility. If one of the +rather flimsy poles should break, or if the lion +could spring the twelve feet which separated me +from the ground . . . the thought was scarcely +a pleasant one. I began to feel distinctly +"creepy," and heartily repented my folly in having +placed myself in such a dangerous position. I +kept perfectly still, however, hardly daring even +to blink my eyes: but the long-continued strain +was telling on my nerves, and my feelings may +be better imagined than described when about +midnight suddenly something came flop and struck +me on the back of the head. For a moment I +was so terrified that I nearly fell off the plank, as +I thought that the lion had sprung on me from +behind. Regaining my senses in a second or two, +I realised that I had been hit by nothing more +formidable than an owl, which had doubtless +mistaken me for the branch of a tree -- not a +very alarming thing to happen in ordinary circumstances, +I admit, but coming at the time it did, +it almost paralysed me. The involuntary start +which I could not help giving was immediately +answered by a sinister growl from below. + +After this I again kept as still as I could, +though absolutely trembling with excitement; and +in a short while I heard the lion begin to creep +stealthily towards me. I could barely make out +his form as he crouched among the whitish undergrowth; +but I saw enough for my purpose, and +before he could come any nearer, I took careful +aim and pulled the trigger. The sound of the +shot was at once followed by a most terrific roar, +and then I could hear him leaping about in all +directions. I was no longer able to see him, +however, as his first bound had taken him into +the thick bush; but to make assurance doubly +sure, I kept blazing away in the direction in which +I heard him plunging about. At length came a +series of mighty groans, gradually subsiding into +deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether; and I +felt convinced that one of the "devils" who +had so long harried us would trouble us no more. + +As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring +voices was borne across the dark jungle from the +men in camp about a quarter of a mile away. +I shouted back that I was safe and sound, and +that one of the lions was dead: whereupon such a +mighty cheer went up from all the camps as +must have astonished the denizens of the jungle +for miles around. Shortly I saw scores of lights +twinkling through the bushes: every man in camp +turned out, and with tom-toms beating and horns +blowing came running to the scene. They +surrounded my eyrie, and to my amazement +prostrated themselves on the ground before me, +saluting me with cries of "Mabarak! Mabarak!" +which I believe means "blessed one" or "saviour." +All the same, I refused to allow any search to be +made that night for the body of the lion, in case +his companion might be close by; besides, it was +possible that he might be still alive, and capable +of making a last spring. Accordingly we all +returned in triumph to the camp, where great +rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of +the night, the Swahili and other African natives +celebrating the occasion by an especially wild +and savage dance. + +For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn; +and even before it was thoroughly light I was +on my way to the eventful spot, as I could not +completely persuade myself that even yet the +"devil" might not have eluded me in some +uncanny and mysterious way. Happily my fears +proved groundless, and I was relieved to find +that my luck -- after playing me so many +exasperating tricks -- had really turned at last. +I had scarcely traced the blood for more than +a few paces when, on rounding a bush, I was +startled to see a huge lion right in front of me, +seemingly alive and crouching for a spring. +On looking closer, however, I satisfied myself +that he was really and truly stone-dead, +whereupon my followers crowded round, laughed and +danced and shouted with joy like children, and +bore me in triumph shoulder-high round the +dead body. These thanksgiving ceremonies being +over, I examined the body and found that two +bullets had taken effect -- one close behind the left +shoulder, evidently penetrating the heart, and the +other in the off hind leg. The prize was indeed +one to be proud of; his length from tip of +nose to tip of tail was nine feet eight inches, +he stood three feet nine inches high, and it took +eight men to carry him back to camp. The only +blemish was that the skin was much scored by the +boma thorns through which he had so often forced +his way in carrying off his victims. + +The news of the death of one of the notorious +man-eaters soon spread far and wide over the +country: telegrams of congratulation came pouring +in, and scores of people flocked from up and down +the railway to see the skin for themselves. + + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE DEATH OF THE SECOND MAN-EATER + + + +It must not be imagined that with the death +of this lion our troubles at Tsavo were at an end; +his companion was still at large, and very soon +began to make us unpleasantly aware of the fact. +Only a few nights elapsed before he made an +attempt to get at the Permanent Way Inspector, +climbing up the steps of his bungalow and prowling +round the verandah. The Inspector, hearing +the noise and thinking it was a drunken coolie, +shouted angrily "Go away!" but, fortunately +for him, did not attempt to come out or to +open the door. Thus disappointed in his attempt +to obtain a meal of human flesh, the lion +seized a couple of the Inspector's goats and +devoured them there and then. + +On hearing of this occurrence, I determined +to sit up the next night near the Inspector's +bungalow. Fortunately there was a vacant iron +shanty close at hand, with a convenient loophole +in it for firing from; and outside this I placed +three full-grown goats as bait, tying them to a +half-length of rail, weighing about 250 lbs. The +night passed uneventfully until just before daybreak, +when at last the lion turned up, pounced +on one of the goats and made off with it, at +the same time dragging away the others, rail +and all. I fired several shots in his direction, +but it was pitch dark and quite impossible to +see anything, so I only succeeded in hitting one +of the goats. I often longed for a flash-light on +such occasions. + +Next morning I started off in pursuit and was +joined by some others from the camp. I found +that the trail of the goats and rail was easily +followed, and we soon came up, about a quarter +of a mile away, to where the lion was still busy +at his meal. He was concealed in some thick +bush and growled angrily on hearing our approach; +finally, as we got closer, he suddenly made a +charge, rushing through the bushes at a great +pace. In an instant, every man of the party +scrambled hastily up the nearest tree, with the +exception of one of my assistants, Mr. Winkler, +who stood steadily by me throughout. The +brute, however, did not press his charge home: +and on throwing stones into the bushes where +we had last seen him, we guessed by the silence +that he had slunk off. We therefore advanced +cautiously, and on getting up to the place +discovered that he had indeed escaped us, leaving +two off the goats scarcely touched. + +Thinking that in all probability the lion would +return as usual to finish his meal, I had a very +strong scaffolding put up a few feet away from +the dead goats, and took up my position on it +before dark. On this occasion I brought my +gun-bearer, Mahina, to take a turn at watching, +as I was by this time worn out for want of sleep, +having spent so many nights on the look-out. I +was just dozing off comfortably when suddenly I +felt my arm seized, and on looking up saw +Mahina pointing in the direction of the goats. +"Sher!" ("Lion!") was all he whispered. I +grasped my double smooth-bore, which, I had +charged with slug, and waited patiently. In a +few moments I was rewarded, for as I watched +the spot where I expected the lion to appear, +there was a rustling among the bushes and I saw +him stealthily emerge into the open and pass +almost directly beneath us. I fired both barrels +practically together into his shoulder, and to +my joy could see him go down under the +force of the blow. Quickly I reached for +the magazine rifle, but before I could use it, +he was out of sight among the bushes, and I had +to fire after him quite at random. Nevertheless +I was confident of getting him in the morning, +and accordingly set out as soon as it was +light. For over a mile there was no difficulty +in following the blood-trail, and as he had +rested several times I felt sure that he had +been badly wounded. In the end, however, my +hunt proved fruitless, for after a time the traces +of blood ceased and the surface of the ground +became rocky, so that I was no longer able +to follow the spoor. + +About this time Sir Guilford Molesworth, +K.C.I.E., late Consulting Engineer to the +Government of India for State Railways, passed +through Tsavo on a tour of inspection on behalf +of the Foreign Office. After examining the +bridge and other works and expressing his +satisfaction, he took a number of photographs, +one or two of which he has kindly allowed me +to reproduce in this book. He thoroughly +sympathised with us in all the trials we had +endured from the man-eaters, and was delighted +that one at least was dead. When he asked +me if I expected to get the second lion soon, +I well remember his half-doubting smile as I +rather too confidently asserted that I hoped to +bag him also in the course of a few days. + +As it happened, there was no sign of our enemy +for about ten days after this, and we began to +hope that he had died of his wounds in the bush. +All the same we still took every precaution at +night, and it was fortunate that we did so, as +otherwise at least one more victim would have +been added to the list. For on the night of +December 27, I was suddenly aroused by +terrified shouts from my trolley men, who slept +in a tree close outside my boma, to the effect +that a lion was trying to get at them. It would +have been madness to have gone out, as the +moon was hidden by dense clouds and it was +absolutely impossible to see anything more than +a yard in front of one; so all I could do was to fire +off a few rounds just to frighten the brute away. +This apparently had the desired effect, for the men +were not further molested that night; but the +man-eater had evidently prowled about for some +time, for we found in the morning that he had +gone right into every one of their tents, and +round the tree was a regular ring of his +footmarks. + +The following evening I took up my position +in this same tree, in the hope that he would make +another attempt. The night began badly, as, +while climbing up to my perch I very nearly +put my hand on a venomous snake which was +lying coiled round one of the branches. As may +be imagined, I came down again very quickly, but +one of my men managed to despatch it with a +long pole. Fortunately the night was clear and +cloudless, and the moon made every thing almost +as bright as day. I kept watch until about 2 a.m., +when I roused Mahina to take his turn. For +about an hour I slept peacefully with my back to +the tree, and then woke suddenly with an uncanny +feeling that something was wrong. Mahina, +however, was on the alert, and had seen nothing; +and although I looked carefully round us on all +sides, I too could discover nothing unusual. Only +half satisfied, I was about to lie back again, when +I fancied I saw something move a little way off +among the low bushes. On gazing intently at +the spot for a few seconds, I found I was not +mistaken. It was the man-eater, cautiously +stalking us. + +The ground was fairly open round our tree, +with only a small bush every here and there; +and from our position it was a most fascinating +sight to watch this great brute stealing stealthily +round us, taking advantage of every bit of cover +as he came. His skill showed that he was an +old hand at the terrible game of man-hunting: +so I determined to run no undue risk of losing +him this time. I accordingly waited until he got +quite close -- about twenty yards away -- and then +fired my .303 at his chest. I heard the bullet +strike him, but unfortunately it had no +knockdown effect, for with a fierce growl he turned and +made off with great long bounds. Before he +disappeared from sight, however, I managed to +have three more shots at him from the magazine +rifle, and another growl told me that the last +of these had also taken effect. + +We awaited daylight with impatience, and at +the first glimmer of dawn we set out to hunt him +down. I took a native tracker with me, so that I +was free to keep a good look-out, while Mahina +followed immediately behind with a Martini +carbine. Splashes of blood being plentiful, we +were able to get along quickly; and we had +not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile +through the jungle when suddenly a fierce +warning growl was heard right in front of us. +Looking cautiously through the bushes, I could +see the man-eater glaring out in our direction, +and showing his tusks in an angry snarl. I at +once took careful aim and fired. Instantly he +sprang out and made a most determined charge +down on us. I fired again and knocked him +over; but in a second he was up once more and +coming for me as fast as he could in his crippled +condition. A third shot had no apparent effect, +so I put out my hand for the Martini, hoping to +stop him with it. To my dismay, however, it was +not there. The terror of the sudden charge had +proved too much for Mahina, and both he and +the carbine were by this time well on their way up +a tree. In the circumstances there was nothing +to do but follow suit, which I did without loss of +time: and but for the fact that one of my shots +had broken a hind leg, the brute would most +certainly have had me. Even as it was, I had +barely time to swing myself up out of his reach +before he arrived at the foot of the tree. + +When the lion found he was too late, he +started to limp back to the thicket; but by this +time I had seized the carbine from Mahina, and +the first shot I fired from it seemed to give him +his quietus, for he fell over and lay motionless. +Rather foolishly, I at once scrambled down from +the tree and walked up towards him. To my +surprise and no little alarm he jumped up and +attempted another charge. This time, however, +a Martini bullet in the chest and another in the +head finished him for good and all; he dropped +in his tracks not five yards away from me, and +died gamely, biting savagely at a branch which +had fallen to the ground. + +By this time all the workmen in camp, attracted +by the sound of the firing, had arrived on the +scene, and so great was their resentment against +the brute who had killed such numbers of their +comrades that it was only with the greatest +difficulty that I could restrain them from tearing +the dead body to pieces. Eventually, amid the +wild rejoicings of the natives and coolies, I had +the lion carried to my boma, which was close at +hand. On examination we found no less than +six bullet holes in the body, and embedded only +a little way in the flesh of the back was the slug +which I had fired into him from the scaffolding +about ten days previously. He measured nine +feet six inches from tip of nose to tip of tail, +and stood three feet eleven and a half inches +high; but, as in the case of his companion, +the skin was disfigured by being deeply scored +all over by the boma thorns. + +The news of the death of the second "devil" +soon spread far and wide over the country, and +natives actually travelled from up and down the +line to have a look at my trophies and at the +"devil-killer", as they called me. Best of all, the +coolies who had absconded came flocking back to +Tsavo, and much to my relief work was resumed +and we were never again troubled by man-eaters. +It was amusing, indeed, to notice the change +which took place in the attitude of the workmen +towards me after I had killed the two lions. +Instead of wishing to murder me, as they once +did, they could not now do enough for me, and as +a token of their gratitude they presented me with +a beautiful silver bowl, as well as with a long +poem written in Hindustani describing all our +trials and my ultimate victory. As the poem +relates our troubles in somewhat quaint and +biblical language, I have given a translation of it +in the appendix. The bowl I shall always +consider my most highly prized and hardest won +trophy. The inscription on it reads as follows:-- + +SIR, -- We, your Overseer, Timekeepers, +Mistaris and Workmen, present you with this +bowl as a token of our gratitude to you for your +bravery in killing two man-eating lions at great +risk to your own life, thereby saving us from +the fate of being devoured by these terrible +monsters who nightly broke into our tents and +took our fellow-workers from our side. In +presenting you with this bowl, we all add our +prayers for your long life, happiness and +prosperity. We shall ever remain, Sir, Your +grateful servants, + +Baboo PURSHOTAM HURJEE PURMAR, +Overseer and Clerk of Works, +on behalf of your Workmen. +Dated at Tsavo, January 30, 1899. + +Before I leave the subject of "the man-eaters +of Tsavo," it may be of interest to mention that +these two lions possess the distinction, probably +unique among wild animals, of having been +specifically referred to in the House of Lords by +the Prime Minister of the day. Speaking of the +difficulties which had been encountered in the +construction of the Uganda Railway, the late +Lord Salisbury said:-- + +"The whole of the works were put a stop to +for three weeks because a party of man-eating +lions appeared in the locality and conceived a +most unfortunate taste for our porters. At last +the labourers entirely declined to go on unless +they were guarded by an iron entrenchment. Of +course it is difficult to work a railway under +these conditions, and until we found an +enthusiastic sportsman to get rid of these lions, our +enterprise was seriously hindered." + +Also, The Spectator of March 3, 1900, had +an article entitled "The Lions that Stopped +the Railway," from which the following extracts +are taken:-- + +"The parallel to the story of the lions which +stopped the rebuilding of Samaria must occur +to everyone, and if the Samaritans had quarter +as good cause for their fears as had the railway +coolies, their wish to propitiate the local deities +is easily understood. If the whole body of lion +anecdote, from the days of the Assyrian Kings +till the last year of the nineteenth century, were +collated and brought together, it would not equal +in tragedy or atrocity, in savageness or in sheer +insolent contempt for man, armed or unarmed, +white or black, the story of these two beasts. + +"To what a distance the whole story carries +us back, and how impossible it becomes to +account for the survival of primitive man against +this kind of foe! For fire -- which has hitherto +been regarded as his main safeguard against the +carnivora -- these cared nothing. It is curious +that the Tsavo lions were not killed by poison, +for strychnine is easily used, and with effect. +(I may mention that poison was tried, but without effect. The +poisoned carcases of transport animals which had died from the +bite of the tsetse fly were placed in likely spots, but the wily man-eaters +would not touch them, and much preferred live men to dead +donkeys.) +Poison may have been used early in the history +of man, for its powers are employed with strange +skill by the men in the tropical forest, both in +American and West Central Africa. But there +is no evidence that the old inhabitants of Europe, +or of Assyria or Asia Minor, ever killed lions or +wolves by this means. They looked to the King +or chief, or some champion, to kill these monsters +for them. It was not the sport but the duty of. +Kings, and was in itself a title to be a ruler of +men. Theseus, who cleared the roads of beasts +and robbers; Hercules, the lion killer; St. +George, the dragon-slayer, and all the rest of +their class owed to this their everlasting fame. +From the story of the Tsavo River we can +appreciate their services to man even at this +distance of time. When the jungle twinkled +with hundreds of lamps, as the shout went on +from camp to camp that the first lion was dead, +as the hurrying crowds fell prostrate in the +midnight forest, laying their heads on his feet, +and the Africans danced savage and ceremonial +dances of thanksgiving, Mr. Patterson must have +realised in no common way what it was to have +been a hero and deliverer in the days when +man was not yet undisputed lord of the creation, +and might pass at any moment under the savage +dominion of the beasts." + +Well had the two man-eaters earned all this +fame; they had devoured between them no less +than twenty-eight Indian coolies, in addition to +scores of unfortunate African natives of whom +no official record was kept. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE + + + +When all the excitement had died down +and there was no longer any dread of the +man-eaters, work went on briskly, and the bridge +over the Tsavo rapidly neared completion. As +the piers and abutments progressed in height, +the question of how to lift the large stones into +their positions had to be solved. We possessed +no cranes for this purpose, so I set to work +and improvised a shears made of a couple of +thirty-foot rails. These were bolted together at +the top, while the other ends were fixed at a +distance of about ten feet apart in a large block +of wood. This contrivance acted capitally, and +by manipulation of ropes and pulleys the heavy +stones were swung into position quickly and +without difficulty, so that in a very short time +the masonry of the bridge was completed. + +The next business was to span the sixty-foot +distance between the piers with iron girders. As +I had neither winches nor sufficient blocks and +tackle to haul these over into position, I was +driven to erect temporary piers in the middle of +each span, built up crib-shape of wooden sleepers. +Great wooden beams were stretched across from +the stone piers to these cribs, and laid with +rails; and the girder was run over its exact +place, while still on the trucks in which it had +been brought up from the coast. It was next +"jacked" up from the trucks, which were hauled +away empty, the temporary bridge was +dismantled, and the girder finally lowered gently +into position. When the last girder was thus +successfully placed, no time was lost in linking up +the permanent way, and very soon I had the +satisfaction of seeing the first train cross the +finished work. + +Curiously enough, only a day or so after the +bridge had been completed and the intermediate +cribs cleared away, a tremendous rain-storm +broke over the country. The river started to +rise rapidly, soon flooding its banks and becoming +a raging murky torrent, tearing up trees by the +roots and whirling them along like straws. +Steadily higher and higher rose the flood, and +standing on my bridge, I watched expectantly +for the two temporary trolley bridges -- which, it +will be remembered, we had built across the +stream in order to bring stone and sand to the +main work -- to give way before the ever-rising +volume of water. Nor had I long to wait; for +I soon caught sight of a solid mass of palm +stems and railway sleepers sweeping with almost +irresistible force round the bend of the river +some little distance above the bridge. This I +knew was the debris of the trolley crossing +furthest up the river. On it came, and with it +an additional bank of stormy-looking water. I +held my breath for the space of a moment as it +actually leaped at the second frail structure; there +was a dull thud and a rending and riving of +timbers, and then the flood rolled on towards me, +leaving not a vestige of the two bridges behind +it. The impact, indeed, was so great that the +rails were twisted round the broken tree-trunks +as if they had been so much ordinary wire. The +double tier of wreckage now swept forward, +and hurled itself with a sullen plunge against +the cutwaters of my stone piers. The shock was +great, but to my immense satisfaction the bridge +took it without a tremor, and I saw the remnant +of the temporary crossings swirl through the +great spans and quickly disappear on its journey +to the ocean. I confess that I witnessed the +whole occurrence with a thrill of pride. + +We were never long without excitement of some +kind or another at Tsavo. When the camp was +not being attacked by man-eating lions, it was +visited by leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, wild cats, +and other inhabitants of the jungle around us. +These animals did a great deal of damage to the +herds of sheep and goats which were kept to +supply the commissariat, and there was always +great rejoicing when a capture was made in one +of the many traps that were laid for them. + +Leopards especially are most destructive, often +killing simply for pleasure and not for food: and +I have always harboured animosity towards them +since the night when one wantonly destroyed a +whole herd of mine. I happened at the time +to have a flock of about thirty sheep and goats +which I kept for food and for milk, and which +were secured at sundown in a grass hut at one +corner of my boma. One particularly dark night +we were startled by a tremendous commotion +in this shed, but as this was before the man-eaters +were killed, no one dared stir out to investigate +the cause of the disturbance. I naturally thought +that the intruder was one of the "demons," but +all I could do was to fire several shots in the +direction of the hut, hoping to frighten him away. +In spite of these, however, it was some time before +the noise died down and everything became still +again. As soon as it was dawn I went to the +shed to see what had happened, and there, to +my intense anger, I found every one of my sheep +and goats lying stretched dead, on the ground +with its throat bitten through. A hole had been +made through the frail wall of the shed, and I +saw from this and from the tracks all round +that the author of the wholesale slaughter had +been a leopard. He had not eaten one of the +flock, but had killed them all out of pure love of +destruction. + +I hoped that he would return the next night +to make a meal; and should he do so, I determined +to have my revenge. I accordingly left the +carcases exactly as they lay, and having a very +powerful steel trap -- like an enormous rat-trap, +and quite strong enough to hold a leopard if +he should put his foot in it -- I placed this in the +opening into the shed and secured it by a stout +chain to a long stake driven into the ground +outside. Darkness found everyone in my boma +on the alert and listening anxiously to hear the +noise the leopard would make the moment he was +caught in the trap. Nor were we disappointed, +for about midnight we heard the click of the +powerful spring, followed immediately by frantic +roaring and plunging. I had been sitting all +evening with my rifle by my side and a lantern +lighted, so I immediately rushed out, followed by +the chaukidar (watchman) carrying the lamp. +As we approached the shed, the leopard made +a frantic spring in our direction as far as the +chain would allow him, and this so frightened +the chaukidar that he fled in terror, leaving me +in utter darkness. The night was as black as +had been the previous one, and I could see +absolutely nothing; but I knew the general +direction in which to fire and accordingly emptied +my magazine at the beast. As far as I could +make out, he kept dodging in and out through the +broken wall of the goat-house; but in a short +time my shots evidently told, as his struggles +ceased and all was still. I called out that he +was dead, and at once everyone in the boma +turned out, bringing all the lanterns in the place. +With the others came my Indian overseer, who +shouted that he too wanted revenge, as some of +the goats had belonged to him. Whereupon +he levelled his revolver at the dead leopard, +and shutting his eyes tightly, fired four shots in +rapid succession. Naturally not one of these +touched the beast, but they caused considerable +consternation amongst the onlookers, who +scattered rapidly to right and left. Next morning +a party of starving Wa Kamba happened to +be passing just as I was about to skin the leopard, +and asked by means of signs to be allowed to +do the job for me and then to take the meat. I +of course assented to this proposal, and in a very +few minutes the skin had been neatly taken off, +and the famishing natives began a ravenous meal +on the raw flesh. + +Wild dogs are also very destructive, and often +caused great losses among our sheep and goats. +Many a night have I listened to these animals +hunting and harrying some poor creature of the +wilds round my camp; they never relinquish +a chase, and will attack anything, man or beast, +when really driven by hunger. I was at Tsavo +Station one day -- unfortunately without my rifle -- +when one of these dogs came up and stood +within about thirty yards of me. He was a +fine-looking beast, bigger than a collie, with +jet-black hair and a white-tipped bushy tail. +I was very sorry that I had not brought my +rifle, as I badly wanted a specimen and never +had another chance of obtaining one. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE SWAHILI AND OTHER NATIVE TRIBES + + + + +I have always been very keenly interested in +the different native races of Africa, and +consequently availed myself of every opportunity +of studying their manners and customs. I had +little scope for this at Tsavo, however, as the +district around us was practically uninhabited. +Still there was of course a good number of +Swahili among my workmen, together with a few +Wa Kamba, Wa N'yam Wezi, and others, so I +soon became more or less acquainted with the +habits of these tribes. The Swahili live principally +along the coast of British East Africa and at +Zanzibar. They are a mixed race, being the +descendants of Arab fathers and negro mothers. +Their name is derived from the Arabic word +suahil, coast; but it has also been said, by some +who have found them scarcely so guileless as +might have been expected, to be really a corruption +of the words sawa hili, that is, "those who +cheat all alike." However that may be, the men +are as a rule of splendid physique and well +qualified for the calling that the majority of +them follow, that of caravan porters. They are +a careless, light-hearted, improvident people, and +are very fond of all the good things of this +world, enjoying them thoroughly whenever they +get the chance. Their life is spent in journeying +to and from the interior, carrying heavy loads of +provisions and trade-goods on the one journey, +and returning with similar loads of ivory or +other products of the country. They are away +for many months at a time on these expeditions, +and consequently -- as they cannot spend money +on the march -- they have a goodly number of +rupees to draw on their return to Mombasa. +These generally disappear with wonderful rapidity, +and when no more fun can be bought, they join +another caravan and begin a new safari to the +Great Lakes, or even beyond. Many a time +have I watched them trudging along the old +caravan road which crossed the Tsavo at a +ford about half a mile from the railway station: +here a halt was always called, so that they might +wash and bathe in the cool waters of the river. + +Nothing ever seems to damp the spirits of +the Swahili porter. Be his life ever so hard, his +load ever so heavy, the moment it is off his back +and he has disposed of his posho (food), he +straightway forgets all his troubles, and begins +to laugh and sing and joke with his fellows as if +he were the happiest and luckiest mortal alive. +Such was my cook, Mabruki, and his merry laugh +was quite infectious. I remember that one day +he was opening a tin of biscuits for me, and +not being able to pull off the under-lid with his +fingers, he seized the flap in his magnificent teeth +and tugged at it. I shouted to him to stop, +thinking that he might break a tooth; but he +misunderstood my solicitude and gravely assured +me that he would not spoil the tin! + +The Swahili men wear a long white cotton +garment, like a night-shirt, called a kanzu; the +women -- who are too liberally endowed to be +entirely graceful -- go about with bare arms and +shoulders, and wear a long brightly-coloured +cloth which they wind tightly round their bosoms +and then allow to fall to the feet. All are +followers of the Prophet, and their social customs +are consequently much the same as those of +any other Mohammedan race, though with a good +admixture of savagedom. They have a happy +knack of giving a nickname to every European +with whom they have to do, such nickname +generally making reference to something peculiar +or striking in his habits, temper, or appearance. +On the whole, they are a kindly, generous folk, +whom one cannot help liking. + +Of the many tribes which are to be seen about +the railway on the way up from the coast, perhaps +the most extraordinary-looking are the Wa Nyika, +the people who inhabit the thorny nyika (wilderness) +which borders on the Taru Desert. They +are exceedingly ugly and of a low type. The men +wear nothing in the way of dress but a scanty and +very dirty cloth thrown over the shoulders, while +the women attire themselves only in a short kilt +which is tied round them very low at the waist. +Both men and women adorn themselves with brass +chains round the neck and coils of copper and iron +wire round the arms. + +The nearest native inhabitants to Tsavo are +the Wa Taita, who dwell in the mountains near +N'dii, some thirty miles away. My work often +took me to this place, and on one of my visits, +finding myself with some spare time on my hands, +I set out to pay a long promised visit to the +District Officer. A fairly good road ran from +N'dii Station to his house at the foot of the +mountains, about four miles away, and on my +arrival I was not only most hospitably entertained +but was also introduced to M'gogo, the Head +Chief of the Wa Taita, who had just come in for +a shauri (consultation) about some affair of State. +The old fellow appeared delighted to meet me, +and promptly invited me to his kraal, some way +up the hills. I jumped at the prospect of seeing +the Wa Taita at home, so presently off we +started on our heavy climb, my Indian servant, +Bhawal, coming with us. After a couple of hours' +steady scramble up a steep and slippery goatpath, +we arrived at M'gogo's capital, where I was +at once introduced to his wives, who were busily +engaged in making pombe (a native fermented +drink) in the hollowed-out stump of a tree. I +presented one of them with an orange for her +child, but she did not understand what it was +for on tasting it she made a wry face and would +not eat it. Still she did not throw it away, but +carefully put it into a bag with her other treasures +-- doubtless for future investigation. As soon as +the women saw Bhawal, however, he became +the centre of attraction, and I was eclipsed. +He happened to have on a new puggaree, with +lots of gold work on it, and this took their fancy +immensely; they examined every line most +carefully and went into ecstasies over it -- just as +their European sisters would have done over the +latest Parisian creation. + +We made a short halt for rest and refreshment, +and then started again on our journey to the top +of the hills. After a stiff climb for another two +hours, part of it through a thick black forest, we +emerged on the summit, where I found I was well +rewarded for my trouble by the magnificent views +we obtained on all sides. The great Kilima +N'jaro stood out particularly well, and made a +very effective background to the fine panorama. +I was surprised to find a number of well-fed cattle +on the mountain top, but I fancy M'gogo thought +I was casting an evil spell over them when he +saw me taking photographs of them as they +grazed peacefully on the sweet grass which +covered the plateau. + +Like most other natives of Africa, the Wa Taita +are exceedingly superstitious, and this failing is +turned to good account by the all-powerful "witch-doctor" +or "medicine-man." It is, for instance, +an extraordinary sight to see the absolute faith +with which a Ki Taita will blow the simba-dawa, +or "lion medicine ", to the four points of the +compass before lying down to sleep in the +open. This dawa -- which is, of course, +obtainable only from the witch-doctor -- consists simply +of a little black powder, usually carried in a +tiny horn stuck +through a slit in +the ear; but the +Ki Taita firmly +believes that a +few grains of this +dust blown round him from the palm of the hand +is a complete safeguard against raging lions +seeking whom they may devour; and after the +blowing ceremony he will lie down to sleep in +perfect confidence, even in the midst of a man-eater's +district. In the nature of things, moreover, +he never loses this touching faith in the +efficacy of the witch-doctor's charm; for if he is +attacked by a lion, the brute sees to it that he +does not live to become an unbeliever, while if +he is not attacked, it is of course quite clear that +it is to the dawa that he owes his immunity. + +For the rest, the Wa Taita are essentially a +peace-loving and industrious people; and, indeed, +before the arrival of the British in the country, they +hardly ever ventured down from their mountain +fastnesses, owing to their dread of the warlike +Masai. Each man has as many wives as he can +afford to pay for in sheep or cattle; he provides +each spouse with a separate establishment, but +the family huts are clustered together, and as a +rule all live in perfect harmony. The most +curious custom of the tribe is the filing of the +front teeth into sharp points, which gives the +whole face a most peculiar and rather diabolical +expression. As usual, their ideas of costume +are rather primitive; the men sometimes wear +a scrap of cloth round the loins, while the women +content themselves with the same or with a short +kilt. Both sexes adorn themselves with a great +quantity of copper or iron wire coiled round their +arms and legs, and smear their bodies all over +with grease, the men adding red clay to the +mixture. Many of the women also wear dozens +of rows of beads, while their ears are hung with +pieces of chain and other fantastic ornaments. +The men always carry bows and poisoned arrows, +as well as a seemie (a short, roughly-fashioned +sword) hung on a leathern thong round the waist. +A three-legged stool is also an important part +of their equipment, +and is slung on the +shoulder when on the +march. + +The next people +met with on the road +to the Great Lakes +are the Wa Kamba, +who inhabit the +Ukambani province, +and may be seen from +M'toto Andei to the +Athi River. They +are a very large tribe, +but have little cohesion, +being split up, +into many clans under +chiefs who govern in +a patriarchal kind of +way. In appearance +and dress -- or the want of it -- they are very like +the Wa Taita, and they have the same custom +of filing the front teeth. As a rule, too, they are a +peace-loving people, though when driven to it by +hunger they will commit very cruel and treacherous +acts of wholesale murder. While the railway +was being constructed, a severe famine occurred +in their part of the country, when hundreds +of them died of starvation. During this period +they several times swooped down on isolated +railway maintenance gangs and utterly annihilated +them, in order to obtain possession of the food +which they knew would be stored in the camps. +These attacks were always made by night. Like +most other native races in East Africa, their only +arms are the bow and poisoned arrow, but in +the use of these primitive weapons they are +specially expert. The arrow-head remains in the +flesh when the shaft is withdrawn, and if the +poison is fresh, paralysis and death very quickly +follow, the skin round the wound turning yellow +and mortifying within an hour or two. This +deadly poison is obtained, I believe, by boiling +down a particular root, the arrow-heads being +dipped in the black, pitchy-looking essence which +remains. I am glad to say, however, that owing +to the establishment of several Mission Stations +amongst them, the Wa Kamba are quickly +becoming the most civilised natives in the +country; and the missionaries have adopted the +sensible course of teaching the people husbandry +and the practical arts and crafts of everyday life, +in addition to caring for their spiritual needs. + + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO + + + + +During my stay at Tsavo I made many +little excursions into the surrounding country, +and used to go off on a short shooting and +exploring expedition whenever I had the +opportunity. I was especially anxious to bag +a hippopotamus, so I made up my mind to try +my luck on the banks of the Sabaki. +Unfortunately, I possessed no heavy rifle, which is +almost a necessity for hippo shooting, but it +occurred to me to supply the deficiency by +manufacturing a few cartridges for my +smoothbore. In these I had double charges of powder +and a hardened bullet made of lead mixed +with about an eighth part of tin. I well +remember the anxiety with which I fired the first +round of my home-made ammunition. As I more +than half expected that the barrel would burst, I +lashed the gun in the fork of a tree, tied a piece +of string a hundred feet long to the trigger, and +then -- taking shelter behind a friendly stump -- +pulled off. To my great satisfaction the barrel +stood the test perfectly. More than that, on +trying the penetrative effect of my bullets, I found +that they would smash through a steel plate an +eighth of an inch thick at thirty yards' range. +This was quite good enough for my purpose, +and gave me great confidence in the weapon. +All the same, I had a very narrow escape one +day while manufacturing some of this ammunition. +My plan was to remove the shot from the cartridge, +put in the additional powder, and ram this well +in before replacing the wad and putting in the +bullet. I had clamped my refilling machine to +my rough-hewn table, and was stamping the +double charge of powder well down into the +cartridge, when suddenly, for some unknown +reason, the whole charge exploded right into +my face. Everything became pitch dark to +me, and I groped my way about the little hut +in agony of mind as well as of body, for I thought +I had been blinded. I am thankful to say, +however, that gleams of light soon began to +return to my eyes, and in a few hours' time I +was almost all right again and able to go on with +my cartridge making. + +All my preparations having been made, I set +out for the Sabaki, taking with me my Indian +gun-bearer Mahina, my cook Mabruki, a bhisti +(water-carrier), and a couple of natives to carry +our odds and ends. On these occasions I usually +took no tent, but bivouacked in the open. We +took some bread and a few tinned provisions +with us, but I could always depend upon getting +a paa, guinea-fowl, partridge or rock-rabbit for +the larder on the march. These rock-rabbits +are more like big rats than rabbits, and are found +in great numbers among the rocks along the banks +of the rivers. They are not at all bad eating, but +the Swahili will not touch them. They call them +tupu (shameless, naked things), owing to their +lack of a tail, of which indeed they possess not +even a vestige. + +Our route lay by the always interesting Tsavo +River. Along the banks everything within reach +of its moisture is delightfully fresh and green. +Palms and other trees, festooned with brilliant +flowering creepers, flourish along its course; +all kinds of monkeys chatter and jabber in the +shade overhead as they swing themselves from +branch to branch, while birds of the most +gorgeous plumage flutter about, giving a very +tropical aspect to the scene. On the other hand, +if one is tempted to stray away from the river, be +it only for a few yards, one comes immediately +into the parched, thorny wilderness of stunted, +leafless trees. Here the sun beats down pitilessly, +and makes the nyika of the Tsavo valley almost +intolerable. The river has its source at the foot +of snow-crowned Kilima N'jaro, whence it flows +for about eighty miles in a northerly direction +until it joins the Athi River, about seven miles +below Tsavo Station. From this point the united +streams take the name of Sabaki and flow more +or less eastwards until they reach the Indian Ocean +at Malindi, some seventy miles north of Mombasa. + +A narrow and tortuous Masai warpath winds +along its whole length, but although we followed +this trail our journey was nevertheless a very slow +one, owing to the overhanging branches and +creepers, from which we had constantly to be +disengaged. The march was full of interest, +however, for it was not long before we came upon +fresh tracks both of hippo and rhino. Every +now and again, also, we caught glimpses of +startled bush-buck and water-buck, while +occasionally the sound of a splash in the water told of a +wary crocodile. We had gone about half the +distance to the Sabaki when we came upon an +unexpected obstacle in the shape of a great ridge +of barren, rugged rock, about a hundred feet high, +which extended for about a mile or so on both +banks of the river. The sides of this gorge went +sheer down into the water, and were quite +impossible to scale. I therefore determined to +make a detour round it, but Mahina was confident +that he could walk along in the river itself. I +hinted mildly at the possibility of there being +crocodiles under the rocky ledges. Mahina +declared, however, that there was no danger, +and making a bundle of his lower garments, he +tied it to his back and stepped into the water. +For a few minutes all went well. Then, in an +instant, he was lifted right off his feet by the +rush of the water and whirled away. The river +took a sharp bend in this gorge, and he was round +it and out of our sight in no time, the last glimpse +we caught of him showing him vainly trying to +catch hold of an overhanging branch. Although +we at once made all the haste we could to get +round the ridge of rocks, it took us nearly half an +hour to do it. I had almost given up hope of +ever seeing Mahina again, and was much relieved, +therefore, when we reached the river-side once +more, to find him safe and sound, and little +the worse for his adventure. Luckily he had +been dashed up against a rushy bank, and had +managed to scramble out with no more serious +damage than a bruised shin. + +Eventually we arrived at the junction of the +rivers and proceeded some way down the Sabaki, +beside which the Tsavo looks very insignificant. +Several islands are dotted about in mid-stream +and are overgrown with tall reeds and rushes, +in which hippo find capital covert all the year +round. As with the Tsavo, the banks of the +Sabaki are lined with trees of various kinds, +affording most welcome shade from the heat of +the sun: and skirting the river is a caravan road +from the interior -- still used, I believe, for +smuggling slaves and ivory to the coast, where +dhows are in readiness to convey them to Persia +or Arabia. + +After an early dinner, which Mabruki soon got +ready, I left my followers encamped in a safe +boma a mile away from the river, and started +out with Mahina to find a suitable tree, near +a hippo "run", in which to spend the night. +Having some difficulty in finding a likely spot, +we crossed to the other side of the river -- +rather a risky thing to do on account of the +number of crocodiles in it: we found a fairly +shallow ford, however, and managed to get safely +over. Here, on what was evidently an island +during flood time, we found innumerable traces of +both hippo and rhino -- in fact the difficulty was +to decide which track was the best and freshest. +At length I picked out a tree close to the river +and commanding a stretch of sand which was all +flattened down and looked as if at least one hippo +rolled there regularly every night. + +As there was still about an hour before sundown, +we did not take up our station at once, but +proceeded along the bank to see if any other game +was about. We had not gone very far when +Mahina, who was a little way ahead, signalled to +me, and on joining him I saw a splendid-looking +water-buck standing in a shallow pool of the +river. It was the first time I had seen one of +these fine antelope, and I was delighted with +the sight. I might have got twenty yards or +so nearer, but I thought I had better not risk +moving, so I aimed at the shoulder and fired. +The buck gave one leap into the air, and then +turned and galloped quickly behind an island +which completely hid him from view. We +waited for him to clear the rushes at the other +end of this island, but as he did not appear I +got impatient and plunged into the river, +regardless of crocodiles or anything else. On rounding +the island, however, he was nowhere to be seen, +and had evidently turned off while in the shelter +of the reeds and so gained the opposite bank. I +was keenly disappointed at my failure, for it was +impossible to follow him up: to do so we should +have had to make a long detour to get across +the river, and by that time darkness would +have set in. This incident shows the great +drawback to the .303 -- namely, that it has very +little knock-down effect unless it strikes a vital +part; and even then, in a bush country, an +animal may manage to go far enough to be +lost. On the other hand, an animal wounded +with a hard bullet is likely to make a speedy +recovery, which is a great blessing. + +Mahina was even more upset at the escape of +the buck than I was, and as we trudged back +through the sand to our tree, he was full of gloomy +forebodings of an unlucky night. By the light +of a splendid full moon we settled ourselves on +a great outspreading branch, and commenced +our vigil. Soon the jungle around us began +to be alive with its peculiar sounds -- a night +bird would call, a crocodile shut his jaws with +a snap, or a rhino or hippo crash through the +bushes on its way to the water: now and again +we could even hear the distant roar of the lion. +Still there was nothing to be seen. + +After waiting for some considerable time, a +great hippo at last made his appearance and +came splashing along in our direction, but +unfortunately took up his position behind a tree which, +in the most tantalising way, completely hid him +from view. Here he stood tooting and snorting +and splashing about to his heart's content. For +what seemed hours I watched for this ungainly +creature to emerge from his covert, but as he +seemed determined not to show himself I lost +patience and made up my mind to go down after +him. I therefore handed my rifle to Mahina to +lower to me on reaching the ground, and began +to descend carefully, holding on by the creepers +which encircled the tree. To my intense vexation +and disappointment, just as I was in this helpless +condition, half-way to the ground, the great +hippo suddenly came out from his shelter and +calmly lumbered along right underneath me. I +bitterly lamented my ill-luck and want of patience, +for I could almost have touched his broad back +as he passed. It was under these exasperating +conditions that I saw a hippo for the first time, +and without doubt he is the ugliest and most +forbidding looking brute I have ever beheld. + +The moment the great beast had passed our tree, +he scented us, snorted loudly, and dived into +the bushes close by, smashing through them like a +traction engine. In screwing myself round to +watch him go, I broke the creepers by which I +was holding on and landed on my back in the +sand at the foot of the tree -- none the worse for +my short drop, but considerably startled at the +thought that the hippo might come back at any +moment. I climbed up to my perch again without +loss of time, but he was evidently as much +frightened as I was, and returned no more. +Shortly after this we saw two rhino come down +to the river to drink; they were too far off for +a shot, however, so I did not disturb them, and +they gradually waddled up-stream out of sight. +Then we heard the awe-inspiring roar of a hungry +lion close by, and presently another hippo gave +forth his tooting challenge a little way down +the river. As there seemed no likelihood of +getting a shot at him from our tree, I made up +my mind to stalk him on foot, so we both descended +from our perch and made our way slowly through +the trees in the semi-darkness. There were +numbers of animals about, and I am sure that +neither of us felt very comfortable as we crept +along in the direction of the splashing hippo; for +my own part I fancied every moment that I saw +in front of me the form of a rhino or a lion ready +to charge down upon us out of the shadow of +the bush. + +In this manner, with nerves strung to the +highest pitch, we reached the edge of the river +in safety, only to find that we were again baulked +by a small rush-covered island, on the other side +of which our quarry could be heard. There was +a good breeze blowing directly from him, however, +so I thought the best thing to do was to attempt +to get on to the island and to have a shot at +him from there. Mahina, too, was eager for the +fray, so we let ourselves quietly into the water, +which here was quite shallow and reached only +to our knees, and waded slowly across. On +peering cautiously through the reeds at the corner +of the island, I was surprised to find that I could +see nothing of the hippo; but I soon realised +that I was looking too far ahead, for on lowering +my eyes there he was, not twenty-five yards away, +lying down in the shallow water, only half covered +and practically facing us. His closeness to us +made me rather anxious for our safety, more +especially as just then he rose to his feet and +gave forth the peculiar challenge or call which +we had already heard so often during the night. +All the same, as he raised his head, I fired at it. +He whirled round, made a plunge forward, +staggered and fell, and then lay quite still. To +make assurance doubly sure, I gave him a couple +more bullets as he lay, but we found afterwards +that they were not needed, as my first shot had +been a very lucky one and had penetrated +the brain. We left him where he fell and got +back to our perch, glad and relieved to be in +safety once more. + +As soon as it was daylight we were joined by +my own men and by several Wa Kamba, who +had been hunting in the neighbourhood. The +natives cut out the tusks of the hippo, which +were rather good ones, and feasted ravenously +on the flesh, while I turned my attention with +gratitude to the hot coffee and cakes which +Mabruki had meanwhile prepared. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A DAY ON THE N'DUNGU ESCARPMENT + + + + +Immediately after breakfast camp was struck, +and accompanied by a few of the Wa Kamba, we +started off for the N'dungu Escarpment -- a +frowning ridge which runs for a great distance parallel +to the Sabaki, some three or four miles from +its northern bank. We had not gone very far +before I caught sight of a fine waterbuck and +successfully bowled him over -- a good omen for +the day, which put us all in excellent spirits. +Mabruki cut off several strips of the tough meat +and impaled them on a sharp stick to dry in the +sun as he went along. I warned him that he had +better be careful that a lion did not scent the +meat, as if it did it would be sure to follow up and +kill him. Of course I did not mean this seriously; +but Mabruki was a great glutton, and by no +means courageous, so I wanted to frighten him. + +As we trudged along towards the hill, I heard a +peculiar noise behind a small rising on our right, +and on looking over the crest, I was delighted +to see two beautiful giraffe feeding peacefully a +little distance away and straining their long necks +to get at the tops of some mimosa-like trees, while +a young one was lying down in the grass quite +close to me. For some time I remained +concealed, watching the full-grown pair with great +interest: they had evidently just come up from +the river, and were slowly making their way back +to their home on the escarpment. They seemed +on the most affectionate terms, occasionally +entwining their great long necks and gently +biting each other on the shoulders. Much as I +should have liked to have added a giraffe to +my collection of trophies, I left them undisturbed, +as I think it a pity to shoot these rather rare and +very harmless creatures, unless one is required for +a special purpose. + +We pushed on, accordingly, towards the +escarpment, for I was very impatient to get to the top +and explore a place where I felt convinced no +other white man had ever set foot. From the +river the ground rose gently upwards to the foot +of the ridge, and was covered more or less densely +with stunted trees and bushes, and of course +the inevitable "wait-a-bit" thorns. I was +fortunate enough, however, to find a rhino path +which afforded a fairly comfortable and open road, +on which we could walk upright the greater +part of the way. The climb up the escarpment +itself was a stiff one, and had to be negotiated +principally on all-fours, but on the way up I +discovered that there was an enormous cleft some +miles to the right which would probably have +afforded an easier ascent. I had not time to +explore it on this particular day, but I made +a mental note to do so on some future occasion. + +After a two hours' journey from the river we sat +panting on the summit after our scramble and +surveyed the valley of the Tsavo, which lay +spread out like a map about five hundred feet +below us. Our home tents, the bridge, Tsavo +Station and other buildings were plainly visible, +and the railway itself, like a shining snake, could +be seen for many miles winding its way through +the parched wilderness. Having taken a few +photographs of the scene, we turned and struck +through the N'dungu Plateau. Here I found +the same kind of nyika as that round Tsavo, the +only difference being that there were more green +trees about. The country, moreover, was +somewhat more open, and was intersected by hundreds +of broad and well-beaten animal paths, along +which we could walk upright in comfort. I was +leading the way, followed closely by Mahina and +Mabruki, when suddenly we almost walked upon +a lion which was lying down at the side of +the path and which had probably been asleep. +It gave a fierce growl and at once bounded off +through the bush; but to Mabruki -- who +doubtless recalled then the warning I had given him +in fun earlier in the day -- the incident appeared +so alarming that he flung down his stick-load of +meat and fled for his life, much to the +amusement of the others, even the usually silent Wa +Kamba joining in the general laughter as they +scrambled for the discarded meat. We saw +nothing more of the lion, though a few steps +further on brought us to the remains of a zebra +which he had recently killed and feasted on; +but after this Mabruki kept carefully in the +rear. Curiously enough, only a short while later +we had an exactly similar adventure with a +rhino, as owing to the tortuous nature of the +path, we walked right into it before we were +aware. Like the lion, however, it was more +frightened than we, and charged away from us +through the jungle. + +For about two hours we pursued our journey +into the plateau, and saw and heard a wonderful +variety of game, including giraffe, rhino, +bush-buck, the lesser kudu, zebra, wart-hog, baboons +and monkeys, and any number of paa, the last +being of a redder colour than those of the Tsavo +valley. Of natives or of human habitations, +however, we saw no signs, and indeed the whole +region was so dry and waterless as to be quite +uninhabitable. The animals that require water +have to make a nightly journey to and from the +Sabaki, which accounts for the thousands of +animal paths leading from the plateau to the +river. + +By this time we were all beginning to feel +very tired, and the bhisti's stock of water was +running low. I therefore climbed the highest +tree I could find in order to have a good look +round, but absolutely nothing could I see in any +direction but the same flat thorny wilderness, +interspersed here and there with a few green +trees; not a landmark of any sort or kind +as far as the eye could reach; a most hopeless, +terrible place should one be lost in it, with certain +death either by thirst or by savage beasts staring +one in the face. Clearly, then, the only thing +to do was to return to the river; and in order to +accomplish this before dark it was necessary that +no time should be lost. But we had been winding +in and out so much through the animal paths that +it was no easy matter to say in which direction the +Sabaki lay. First I consulted my Wa Kamba +followers as to the route back, they simply shook +their heads. Then I asked Mahina, who pointed +out a direction exactly opposite to that which I +felt confident was the right one. Mabruki, of +course, knew nothing, but volunteered the helpful +and cheering information that we were lost +and would all be killed by lions. In these +circumstances, I confirmed my own idea as to +our way by comparing my watch and the sun, +and gave the order to start at once. For two +solid hours, however, we trudged along in the +fearful heat without striking a single familiar +object or landmark. Mabruki murmured loudly; +even Mahina expressed grave doubts as to whether +the "Sahib" had taken the right direction; only +the Wa Kamba stalked along in reassuring +silence. For some time we had been following +a broad white rhino path, and the great footmarks, +of one of these beasts were fresh and plainly +visible in the dust. He had been travelling in +the opposite direction to us, and I felt sure that +he must have been returning from drinking in +the river. I accordingly insisted on our keeping +to this path, and very soon, to my great relief, +we found that we were at the edge of the +escarpment, a couple of miles away from the +place where we had made the ascent. Here a +halt was called; a sheet was spread over some of +the stunted trees, and under its shade we rested +for half an hour, had some food, and drank the last +of our water. After this we pushed on with +renewed vigour, and arrived at the Sabaki in +good time before sundown, having bagged a +couple of guinea-fowl and a paa on the way to +serve for dinner. After the long and fatiguing +day my bathe in a clear shady pool was a real +delight, but I might not have enjoyed it quite +so much if I had known then of the terrible +fate which awaited one of my followers in the +same river the next day. By the time I got +back to camp supper was ready and fully +appreciated. The tireless Mahina had also +collected some dry grass for my bed, and I turned +in at once, with my rifle handy, and slept the sleep +of the just, regardless of all the wild beasts in +Africa. + +At dawn Mabruki roused me with a cup of +steaming hot coffee and some biscuits, and a start +was at once made on our return journey to Tsavo. +The place where we had struck the Sabaki the +previous evening was some miles further down +the stream than I had ever been before, so I +decided to take advantage of the Masai trail +along its bank until the Tsavo River was reached. +I did not think we should meet with any further +adventure on our way home, but in the wilds +the unexpected is always happening. Shortly +after we started one of the Wa Kamba went +down to the river's edge to fill his calabash +with water, when a crocodile suddenly rose up +out of the stream, seized the poor fellow and in a +moment had dragged him in. I was on ahead at +the time and so did not witness the occurrence, +but on hearing the cries of the others I ran back +as quickly as possible -- too late, however, to see +any sign of either crocodile or native. Mahina +philosophically remarked that after all it was only +a washenzi (savage), whose loss did not much +matter; and the other three Wa Kamba certainly +did not appear to be affected by the incident, +but calmly possessed themselves of their dead +companion's bow and quiver of poisoned arrows, +and of the stock of meat which he had left +on the bank. + +I have since learned that accidents of this +kind are of fairly frequent occurrence along the +banks of these rivers. On one occasion while +I was in the country a British officer had a very +lucky escape. He was filling his water bottle +at the river, when one of these brutes caught +him by the hand and attempted to draw him +in. Fortunately one of his servants rushed to +his assistance and managed to pull him out of +the crocodile's clutches with the loss only of two +of his fingers. + +As we made our way up the Sabaki, we +discovered a beautiful waterfall about a hundred +and fifty feet high -- not a sheer drop, but a series +of cascades. At this time the river was in low +water, and the falls consequently did not look their +best; but in flood time they form a fine sight, +and the thunder of the falling water can then be +plainly heard at Tsavo, over seven miles away, +when the wind is in the right direction. We +crossed the river on the rocks at the head of +these falls, and after some hours' hard marching +reached camp without further incident. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE FINDING OF THE MAN-EATERS' DEN + + + + +There were some rocky-looking hills lying to +the south-west of Tsavo which I was particularly +anxious to explore, so on one occasion when +work had been stopped for the day owing to +lack of material, I set off for them, accompanied +by Mahina and a Punjaubi coolie, who was so +stout that he went by the name of Moota +(i.e. "Fattie"). In the course of my little +excursions round Tsavo I gradually discovered +that I was nearly always able to make my way +to any required point of the compass by following +certain well-defined animal paths, which I mapped +out bit by bit during my explorations. On this +occasion, for instance, as soon as we had crossed +the river and had struck into the jungle, we were +fortunate enough to find a rhino path leading in +the right direction, which greatly facilitated our +progress. As we were making our way along +this path through the dry bed of a nullah, I +happened to notice that the sandy bottom sparkled +here and there where the sunbeams penetrated +the dense foliage. This at once filled my head +with thoughts of precious stones, and as the spot +looked likely enough, I started to dig vigorously at +the gravel with my hunting knife. After a few +minutes of this work, I came across what I at first +took to be a magnificent diamond sparkling in +the damp sand: it was about half an inch long, +and its facets looked as if they had been cut +by an Amsterdam expert. I tested the stone +on my watch glass and found that it cut my +initials quite easily, and though I knew that +quartz would do this as well, it did not seem +to me to have either the general appearance or +angles of any quartz I had ever seen. For a +moment or two I was greatly delighted with my +discovery, and began to have rosy dreams of a +diamond mine; but I am sorry to say that on +closer examination and testing I was forced to +the conclusion that my find was not a diamond, +though unlike any other mineral I had ever come +across. + +My hopes of rapidly becoming a millionaire +having thus been dashed to the ground, we +proceeded on our way, getting further and further +into the depths of a gloomy forest. A little +distance on, I noticed through a break in the +trees a huge rhino standing in full view near the +edge of a ravine. Unfortunately he caught sight +of us as well, and before I could take aim, he +snorted loudly and crashed off through the tangled +undergrowth. As I followed up this ravine, +walking stealthily along in the delightful shade of +the overhanging palms, I observed on my left +a little nullah which opened out of the main +channel through a confused mass of jungle and +creeper. Through this tangle there was a +well-defined archway, doubtless made by the regular +passage of rhino and hippo, so I decided to +enter and explore what lay beyond. I had not +gone very far when I came upon a big bay +scooped out of the bank by the stream when in +flood and carpeted with a deposit of fine, soft +sand, in which were the indistinct tracks of +numberless animals. In one corner of this bay, +close under an overhanging tree, stood a little +sandy hillock, and on looking over the top of +this I saw on the other side a fearsome-looking +cave which seemed to run back for a considerable +distance under the rocky bank. Round the +entrance and inside the cavern I was +thunderstruck to find a number of human bones, with +here and there a copper bangle such as the natives +wear. Beyond all doubt, the man-eaters' den! +In this manner, and quite by accident, I stumbled +upon the lair of these once-dreaded "demons", +which I had spent so many days searching +for through the exasperating and interminable +jungle during the time when they terrorised +Tsavo. I had no inclination to explore the +gloomy depths of the interior, but thinking that +there might possibly still be a lioness or cub +inside, I fired a shot or two into the cavern +through a hole in the roof. Save for a swarm of +bats, nothing came out; and after taking a +photograph of the cave, I gladly left the horrible +spot, thankful that the savage and insatiable +brutes which once inhabited it were no longer at +large. + +Retracing my steps to the main ravine, I +continued my journey along it. After a little +while I fancied I saw a hippo among some tall +rushes growing on the bank, and quickly signed +to Mahina and Moota to stay perfectly still. I +then made a careful stalk, only to discover, after +all my trouble, that my eyes had deceived me +and made me imagine a black bank and a few +rushes to be a living animal. We now left the +bed of the ravine, and advanced along the top. +This turned out to be a good move, for soon +we heard the galloping of a herd of some +animal or other across our front. I rushed round +a corner in the path a few yards ahead, and +crouching under the bushes saw a line of startled +zebras flying past. This was the first time I +had seen these beautifully marked animals in +their wild state, so I selected the largest and +fired, and as I was quite close to them he dropped +in his tracks stone-dead. When I stood over the +handsome creature I was positively sorry for +having killed him. Not so Moota, however, who +rushed up in ecstasy, and before I could stop +him had cut his throat. This was done, as he +remarked, "to make the meat lawful," for Moota +was a devout follower of the Prophet, and no +true Mohammedan will eat the flesh of any +animal unless the throat has been cut at the +proper place and the blood allowed to flow. +This custom has often caused me great annoyance, +for Mohammedan followers rush in so quickly +when an animal is shot and cut the head off so +short that it is afterwards quite useless as a +trophy. + +By the time the zebra was skinned, darkness +was fast approaching, so we selected a suitable +tree in which to pass the night. Under it +we built a goodly fire, made some tea, and roasted +a couple of quails which I had shot early in +the day and which proved simply delicious. We +then betook ourselves to the branches -- at least, +Mahina and I did; Moota was afraid of nothing, +and said he would sleep on the ground. He +was not so full of courage later on, however, for +about midnight a great rhino passed our way, +winded us and snorted so loudly that Moota +scrambled in abject terror up our tree. He was +as nimble as a monkey for all his stoutness, and +never ceased climbing until he was far above +us. We both laughed heartily at his extraordinary +haste to get out of danger, and Mahina chaffed +him unmercifully. + +The rest of the night passed without incident, +and in the early morning, while the boys were +preparing breakfast, I strolled off towards the +rocky hills which I had seen from Tsavo, and +which were now only about half a mile distant. +I kept a sharp look-out for game, but came across +nothing save here and there a paa and a few +guinea-fowl, until, just as I was about half-way +round the hill, I saw a fine leopard lying on a +rocky ledge basking in the morning sun. But +he was too quick for me, and made off before +I could get a shot; I had not approached +noiselessly enough, and a leopard is too wary a +beast to be caught napping. Unfortunately I had +no more time at my disposal in which to explor +these hills, as I was anxious to resume work +at Tsavo as soon as possible; so after breakfast +we packed up the zebra skin and began to retrace +our steps through the jungle. It was an intensely +hot day, and we were all very glad when at +length we reached the home camp. + +Most of my little trips of this sort, however, +were made in a northerly direction, towards the +ever-interesting Athi or Sabaki rivers. After a +long and tiring walk through the jungle what a +pleasure it was to lie up in the friendly shelter +of the rushes which line the banks, and watch +the animals come down to drink, all unconscious +of my presence. I took several photographs of +scenes of this kind, but unfortunately many of +the negatives were spoiled. Often, too, on a +brilliant moonlight night have I sat on a rock +out in the middle of the stream, near a favourite +drinking place, waiting for a shot at whatever +fortune might send my way. How exasperating +it was, when the wind changed at the critical +moment, and gave me away to the rhino or other +animal I had sat there for hours patiently awaiting! +Occasionally I would get heartily tired of my +weary vigil and would wade ashore through +the warm water, to make my bed in the +soft sand regardless of the snap, snap of the crocodiles +which could plainly be heard from the deeper pools +up and down the river. At the time, being new +to the country, I did not realise the risks I ran; but +later on -- after my poor Wa Kamba follower had +been seized and dragged under, as I have already +described -- I learned to be much more cautious. + +The shortest way of reaching the Athi river +from Tsavo was to strike through the jungle in +a north-westerly direction, and here there was +luckily a particularly well-defined rhino path +which I always made use of. I discovered it +quite by accident on one occasion when I had +asked some guests, who were staying with me +at Tsavo, to spend a night on the banks of the +river. As we were making our way slowly and +painfully through the dense jungle, I came across +this well-trodden path, which appeared to lead +in the direction in which I wished to go, and as +I felt convinced that at any rate it would bring +us to the river somewhere, I followed it with +confidence. Our progress was now easy, and +the track led through fairly open glades where +traces of bush-buck and water-buck were numerous; +indeed once or twice we caught glimpses of these +animals as they bounded away to the shelter of +the thicket, warned by the sound of our approach. +In the end, as I anticipated, the old rhino path +proved a true guide, for it struck the Athi at an +ideal spot for a camping ground, where some lofty +trees close to the bank of the river gave a most +grateful and refreshing shade. We had a delightful +picnic, and my guests greatly enjoyed their night +in the open, although one of them got rather +a bad fright from a rhino which suddenly snorted +close to our camp, evidently very annoyed at our +intrusion on his domain. + +In the morning they went off as soon as it was +light to try their luck along the river, while +I remained in camp to see to breakfast. After +an hour or more, however, they all returned, +empty-handed but very hungry; so when they +had settled down to rest after a hearty meal, I +thought I would sally forth and see if I could +not meet with better success. I had gone only a +short distance up the right bank of the river, +when I thought I observed a movement among +the bushes ahead of me. On the alert, I stopped +instantly, and the next moment was rewarded by +seeing a splendid bush-buck advance from the +water in a most stately manner. I could only +make out his head and neck above the +undergrowth, but as he was only some fifty yards off, +I raised my rifle to my shoulder to fire. This +movement at once caught his eye, and for the +fraction of a second he stopped to gaze at me, +thus giving me time to aim at where I supposed +his shoulder to be. When I fired, he disappeared +so suddenly and so completely that I felt sure that +I had missed him, and that he had made off +through the bush. I therefore re-loaded, and +advanced carefully with the intention of following +up his trail; but to my unbounded delight I came +upon the buck stretched out dead in his tracks, +with my bullet through his heart. I lost no time +in getting back to camp, the antelope swinging +by his feet from a branch borne by two sturdy +coolies: and my unlucky friends were very much +astonished when they saw the fine bag I had +secured in so short a time. The animal was soon +skinned and furnished us with a delicious roast for +lunch; and in the cool of the evening we made +our way back to Tsavo without further adventure. + +Some little time after this, while one of these +same friends (Mr. C. Rawson) happened to be +again at Tsavo, we were sitting after dark +under the verandah of my hut. I wanted +something from my tent, and sent Meeanh, my Indian +chaukidar, to fetch it. He was going off in the +dark to do so, when I called him back and +told him to take a lantern for fear of snakes. +This he did, and as soon as he got to the door of +the tent, which was only a dozen yards off, he +called out frantically, "Are, Sahib, burra sanp +hai!" ("Oh, Master, there is a big snake here!) + +"Where?" I shouted. + +"Here by the bed," he cried, "Bring the gun, +quickly." + +I seized the shot-gun, which I always kept +handy, and rushed to the tent, where, by the +light of the lantern, I saw a great red snake, about +seven feet long, gazing at me from the side of my +camp-bed. I instantly fired at him, cutting him +clean in half with the shot; the tail part remained +where it was, but the head half quickly wriggled +off and disappeared in the gloom of the tent. +The trail of blood, however, enabled us to track +it, and we eventually found the snake, still full of +fight, under the edge of the ground-sheet. He +made a last vicious dart at one of the men who +had run up, but was quickly given the happy +despatch by a blow on the head. Rawson now +picked it up and brought it to the light. He +then put his foot on the back of its head and +with a stick forced open the jaws, when suddenly +we saw two perfectly clear jets of poison spurt +out from the fangs. An Indian baboo (clerk), who +happened to be standing near, got the full benefit +of this, and the poor man was so panic-stricken +that in a second he had torn off every atom of his +clothing. We were very much amused at this, +as of course we knew that although the poison was +exceedingly venomous, it could do no harm unless +it penetrated a cut or open wound in the flesh. +I never found out the name of this snake, which, +as I have said, was of a dark brick-red colour +all over; and I only saw one other of the same +kind all the time I was in East Africa. I came +upon it suddenly one day when out shooting. It +was evidently much startled, and stood erect, +hissing venomously; but I also was so much +taken aback at its appearance that I did not think +about shooting it until it had glided off and +disappeared in the thick undergrowth. + + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS + + + +Although the jungle round Tsavo was a +network of rhino paths I had never so far been +successful in my efforts to obtain one of these +animals, nor was my ambition yet to be realised. +One day I was out exploring in the dense bush +some six or seven miles away from camp, and +found my progress more than usually slow, owing +to the fact that I had to spend most of my time +crawling on all-fours through the jungle. I was +very pleased, therefore, to emerge suddenly on a +broad and well-beaten track along which I could +walk comfortably in an upright position. In this +were some fresh rhino footprints which seemed +barely an hour old, so I determined to follow +them up. The roadway was beaten in places +into a fine white dust by the passage of many +heavy animals; and as I pushed cautiously +forward I fully expected to come face to face with +a rhino at every corner I turned. After having +gone a little way I fancied that I really did see +one lying at the foot of a tree some distance +ahead of me, but on approaching cautiously found +that it was nothing more than a great brown heap +of loose earth which one of the huge beasts +had raised by rolling about on the soft ground. +This, however, was evidently a resting-place +which was regularly used, so I made up my +mind to spend a night in the overhanging branches +of the tree. + +The next afternoon, accordingly, Mahina and +I made our way back to the place, and by +dusk we were safely but uncomfortably perched +among the branches directly over the path. +We had scarcely been there an hour when to +our delight we heard a great rhino plodding +along the track in our direction. Unfortunately +the moon had not yet risen, so I was unable +to catch sight of the monster as he approached; +I knew, however, that there was light enough +for me to see him when he emerged from the +bushes into the little clearing round the foot of +our tree. Nearer and nearer we heard him +coming steadily on, and I had my rifle ready, +pointing it in the direction in which I expected +his head to appear. But, alas, just at that moment +the wind veered round and blew straight from +us towards the rhino, who scented us immediately, +gave a mighty snort and then dived madly +away through the jungle. For some considerable +time we could hear him crashing ponderously +through everything that came in his way, and +he must have gone a long distance before he +recovered from his fright and slowed down to his +usual pace. At any rate we neither heard nor +saw anything more of him, and spent a wakeful +and uncomfortable night for nothing. + +My next attempt to bag a rhino took place some +months later, on the banks of the Sabaki, and was +scarcely more successful. I had come down from +Tsavo in the afternoon, accompanied by Mahina, +and finding a likely tree, within a few yards of the +river and with fresh footprints under it, I at once +decided to take up my position for the night in +its branches. Mahina preferred to sit where he +could take a comfortable nap, and wedged himself +in a fork of the tree some little way below me, +but still some eight or ten feet from the ground. +It was a calm and perfect night, such as can be +seen only in the tropics; everything looked +mysteriously beautiful in the glorious moonlight, +and stood out like a picture looked at through +a stereoscope. From my perch among the +branches I watched first a water-buck come to +drink in the river; then a bush-buck; later, a +tiny paa emerged from the bushes and paused +at every step with one graceful forefoot poised +in the air -- thoroughly on the alert and looking +round carefully and nervously for any trace of a +possible enemy. At length it reached the brink +of the river in safety, and stooped to drink. Just +then I saw a jackal come up on its trail and +begin carefully to stalk it, not even rustling a +fallen leaf in its stealthy advance on the poor +little antelope. All of a sudden, however, the +jackal stopped dead for a second, and then made +off out of sight as fast as ever he could go. I +looked round to discover the cause of this hurried +exit, and to my surprise saw a large and very +beautiful leopard crouching down and moving +noiselessly in the direction of our tree. At first +I thought it must be stalking some animal on the +ground below us, but I soon realised that it was +Mahina that the brute was intent on. Whether, +if left to himself, the leopard would actually have +made a spring at my sleeping gun-bearer, I do +not know; but I had no intention of letting him +have a chance of even attempting this, so I +cautiously raised my rifle and levelled it at him. +Absolutely noiseless as I was in doing this, +he noticed it -- possibly a glint of moonlight on +the barrel caught his eye -- and immediately +disappeared into the bush before I could get in a +shot. I at once woke Mahina and made him +come up to more secure quarters beside me. + +For a long time after this nothing disturbed +our peace, but at last the quarry I had hoped for +made his appearance on the scene. Just below +us there was an opening in the elephant grass +which lined the river's edge, and through this the +broad stream shone like silver in the moonlight. +Without warning this gap was suddenly filled by +a huge black mass -- a rhino making his way, very +leisurely, out of the shallow water. On he came +with a slow, ponderous tread, combining a certain +stateliness with his awkward strides. Almost +directly beneath us he halted and stood for an +instant clearly exposed to our view. This was +my opportunity; I took careful aim at his shoulder +and fired. Instantly, and with extraordinary +rapidity, the huge beast whirled round like a +peg-top, whereupon I fired again. This time I +expected him to fall; but instead of that I had +the mortification of seeing him rush off into the +jungle and of hearing him crash through it like +a great steam-roller for several minutes. I +consoled myself by thinking that he could not +go far, as he was hard hit, and that I should +easily find him when daylight arrived. Mahina, +who was in a wild state of excitement over the +burra janwar (great animal), was also of this +opinion, and as there was no longer any reason +for silence, he chatted to me about many strange +and curious things until the grey dawn appeared. +When we got down from our perch, we found the +track of the wounded rhino clearly marked by +great splashes of blood, and for a couple of miles +the spoor could thus be easily followed. At +length, however, it got fainter and fainter, and +finally ceased altogether, so that we had to abandon +the search; the ground round about was rocky, +and there was no possibility of telling which +way our quarry had gone. I was exceedingly +sorry for this, as I did not like to leave him +wounded; but there was no help for it, so we +struck out for home and arrived at Tsavo in the +afternoon very tired, hungry and disappointed. + +Rhinos are extraordinary animals, and not +in any way to be depended upon. One day +they will sheer off on meeting a human being +and make no attempt to attack; the next day, for +no apparent reason, they may execute a most +determined charge. I was told for a fact by an +official who had been long in the country that on +one occasion while a gang of twenty-one slaves, +chained neck to neck as was the custom, was +being smuggled down to the coast and was +proceeding in Indian file along a narrow path, a +rhinoceros suddenly charged out at right angles +to them, impaled the centre man on its horns +and broke the necks of the remainder of the party +by the suddenness of his rush. These huge beasts +have a very keen sense of smell, but equally +indifferent eyesight, and it is said that if a hunter +will only stand perfectly still on meeting a rhino, +it will pass him by without attempting to molest +him. I feel bound to add, however, that I have +so far failed to come across anybody who has +actually tried the experiment. On the other hand, +I have met one or two men who have been +tossed on the horns of these animals, and they +described it as a very painful proceeding. It +generally means being a cripple for life, if one even +succeeds in escaping death. Mr. B. Eastwood, +the chief accountant of the Uganda Railway, +once gave me a graphic description of his +marvellous escape from an infuriated rhino. He +was on leave at the time on a hunting expedition +in the neighbourhood of Lake Baringo, about +eighty miles north of the railway from Nakuru, +and had shot and apparently killed a rhino. +On walking up to it, however, the brute rose +to its feet and literally fell on him, breaking four +ribs and his right arm. Not content with this, +it then stuck its horn through his thigh and tossed +him over its back, repeating this operation once or +twice. Finally, it lumbered off, leaving poor +Eastwood helpless and fainting in the long grass +where he had fallen. He was alone at the time, +and it was not for some hours that he was found +by his porters, who were only attracted to the +spot by the numbers of vultures hovering about, +waiting in their ghoulish manner for life to be +extinct before beginning their meal. How he +managed to live for the eight days after this +which elapsed before a doctor could be got +to him I cannot imagine; but in the end he +fortunately made a good recovery, the only +sign of his terrible experience being the absence +of his right arm, which had to be amputated. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A WIDOW'S STORY + + + +Very shortly before I left Tsavo I went +(on March 11, 1899) on inspection duty to Voi, +which, as I have already mentioned, is about +thirty miles on the Mombasa side of Tsavo. +At this time it was a miserable, swampy spot, +where fever, guinea-worm, and all kinds of horrible +diseases were rampant; but this state of affairs +has now been completely altered by drainage +and by clearing away the jungle. Dr. Rose +was in medical charge of the place at the time +of my visit, and as it was the good old custom to +put up with any friend one came across towards +nightfall, I made him my host when my day's work +was over. We spent a very pleasant evening +together, and naturally discussed all the local +news. Amongst other things we chatted about +the new road which was being constructed from +Voi to a rather important missionary station called +Taveta, near Mount Kilima N'jaro, and Dr. Rose +mentioned that Mr. O'Hara (the engineer in +charge of the road-making), with his wife and +children, was encamped in the Wa Taita country, +about twelve miles away from Voi. + +Early next morning I went out for a stroll +with my shot-gun, but had not gone far from the +doctor's tent when I saw in the distance four +Swahili carrying something which looked like a +stretcher along the newly-made road. Fearing +that some accident had happened, I went quickly +to meet them and called out to ask what they +were carrying. They shouted back "Bwana" +("The master"); and when I asked what bwana, +they replied "Bwana O'Hara." On enquiring +what exactly had happened, they told me that +during the night their master had been killed by +a lion, and that his wife and children were +following behind, along the road. At this I +directed the men to the hospital and told them +where to find Dr. Rose, and without waiting to +hear any further particulars hurried on as fast +as possible to give what assistance I could to +poor Mrs. O'Hara. Some considerable way back +I met her toiling along with an infant in her +arms, while a little child held on to her skirt, +utterly tired out with the long walk. I helped +her to finish the distance to the doctor's tent; +she was so unstrung by her terrible night's +experience and so exhausted by her trying march +carrying the baby that she was scarcely able +to speak. Dr. Rose at once did all he could +both for her and for the children, the mother +being given a sleeping draught and made +comfortable in one of the tents. When she +appeared again late in the afternoon she was +much refreshed, and was able to tell us the +following dreadful story, which I shall give as +nearly as possible in her own words. + +"We were all asleep in the tent, my husband +and I in one bed and my two children in another. +The baby was feverish and restless, so I got +up to give her something to drink; and as +I was doing so, I heard what I thought was +a lion walking round the tent. I at once woke +my husband and told him I felt sure there +was a lion about. He jumped up and went +out, taking his gun with him. He looked round +the outside of the tent, and spoke to the Swahili +askari who was on sentry by the camp fire a little +distance off. The askari said he had seen nothing +about except a donkey, so my husband came +in again, telling me not to worry as it was +only a donkey that I had heard. + +The night being very hot, my husband threw +back the tent door and lay down again beside +me. After a while I dozed off, but was +suddenly roused by a feeling as if the pillow were +being pulled away from under my head. On +looking round I found that my husband was +gone. I jumped up and called him loudly, but +got no answer. Just then I heard a noise among +the boxes outside the door, so I rushed out and +saw my poor husband lying between the boxes. +I ran up to him and tried to lift him, but found +I could not do so. I then called to the askari +to come and help me, but he refused, saying +that there was a lion standing beside me. I +looked up and saw the huge beast glowering at +me, not more than two yards away. At this +moment the askari fired his rifle, and this +fortunately frightened the lion, for it at once +jumped off into the bush. + +"All four askaris then came forward and +lifted my husband back on to the bed. He was +quite dead. We had hardly got back into the +tent before the lion returned and prowled about +in front of the door, showing every intention of +springing in to recover his prey. The askaris +fired at him, but did no damage beyond +frightening him away again for a moment or two. He +soon came back and continued to walk round +the tent until daylight, growling and purring, +and it was only by firing through the tent +every now and then that we kept him out. At +daybreak he disappeared and I had my husband's +body carried here, while I followed with the +children until I met you." + +Such was Mrs. O'Hara's pitiful story. The +only comfort we could give her was to assure +her that her husband had died instantly and +without pain; for while she had been resting +Dr. Rose had made a post-mortem examination +of the body and had come to this conclusion. +He found that O'Hara had evidently been lying +on his back at the time, and that the lion, seizing +his head in its mouth, had closed its long tusks +through his temples until they met again in the +brain. We buried him before nightfall in a +peaceful spot close by, the doctor reading the +funeral service, while I assisted in lowering the +rude coffin into the grave. It was the saddest +scene imaginable. The weeping widow, the +wondering faces of the children, the gathering +gloom of the closing evening, the dusky forms of +a few natives who had gathered round -- all +combined to make a most striking and solemn ending +to a very terrible tragedy of real life. + +I am glad to say that within a few weeks' +time the lion that was responsible for this tragedy +was killed by a poisoned arrow, shot from a tree +top by one of the Wa Taita. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +AN INFURIATED RHINO + + + +My work at Tsavo was finished in March, +1899, when I received instructions to proceed to +railhead and take charge of a section of the +work there. For many reasons I was sorry to +say good-bye to Tsavo, where I had spent an +eventful year; but all the same I was very glad +to be given this new post, as I knew that there +would be a great deal of interesting work to be +done and a constant change of camp and scene, +as the line progressed onward to the interior. +In good spirits, therefore, I set out for my new +headquarters on March 28. By this time +railhead had reached a place called Machakos Road, +some two hundred and seventy-six miles from +Mombasa and within a few miles of the great +Athi Plains, the latter being treeless and waterless +expanses, bare of everything except grass, which +the great herds of game keep closely cropped. +After leaving Tsavo, the character of the country +remains unaltered for some considerable distance, +the line continuing to run through the thorny +nyika, and it is not until Makindu is reached -- +about two hundred miles from the coast -- that +a change is apparent. From this place, however, +the journey lies through a fairly open and +interesting tract of country, where game of all kinds +abounds and can be seen grazing peacefully +within a few hundred yards of the railway. On +the way I was lucky enough to get some fine +views of Kilima N'jaro, the whole mountain from +base to summit standing out clearly and grandly, +with the lofty peak of Kibo topping the fleecy +clouds with its snowy head. + +At Machakos Road I found the country and +the climate very different from that to which +I had grown accustomed at Tsavo. Here I could +see for miles across stretches of beautiful, open +downs, timbered here and there like an English +park; and it was a great relief to be able to +overlook a wide tract of country and to feel that +I was no longer hemmed in on all sides by the +interminable and depressing thorny wilderness. +As Machakos Road is some four thousand feet +higher above the sea level than Tsavo, the +difference in temperature was also very marked, and +the air felt fresh and cool compared with that +of the sun-baked valley in which I had spent the +previous year. + +My instructions were to hurry on the +construction of the line as fast as possible to Nairobi, +the proposed headquarters of the Railway +Administration, which lay about fifty miles +further on across the Athi Plains; and I soon +began to find platelaying most interesting work. +Everything has to move as if by clockwork. +First the earth surface has to be prepared and +rendered perfectly smooth and level; cuttings +have to be made and hollows banked up; tunnels +have to be bored through hills and bridges thrown +across rivers. Then a line of coolies moves along, +placing sleepers at regular intervals; another +gang drops the rails in their places; yet another +brings along the keys, fishplates, bolts and nuts +while following these are the men who actually +fix the rails on the sleepers and link up from +one to another. Finally, the packing gang finishes +the work by filling in earth and ballast under and +around the steel sleepers to give them the +necessary grip and rigidity. Some days we were able +to lay only a few yards, while on other days we +might do over a mile; all depended on the +nature of the country we had to cover. On one +occasion we succeeded in breaking the record +for a day's platelaying, and were gratified at +receiving a telegram of congratulation from the +Railway Committee at the Foreign Office. + +I made it my custom to take a walk each +morning for some distance ahead of rails along +the centre-line of the railway, in order to spy out +the land and to form a rough estimate of the +material that would be required in the way of +sleepers, girders for temporary bridges, etc. It +was necessary to do this in order to avoid undue +delay taking place owing to shortage of material +of any kind. About ten days after my arrival at +Machakos Road I walked in this way for five or +six miles ahead of the last-laid rail. It was +rather unusual for me to go so far, and, as it +happened, I was alone on this occasion, Mahina +having been left behind in camp. About two +miles away on my left, I noticed a dark-looking +object and thinking it was an ostrich I started off +towards it. Very soon, however, I found that it +was bigger game than an ostrich, and on getting +still nearer made out the form of a great rhinoceros +lying down. I continued to advance very +cautiously, wriggling through the short grass until +at length I got within fifty yards of where the +huge beast was resting. Here I lay and watched +him; but after some little time he evidently +suspected my presence, for rising to his feet, he +looked straight in my direction and then +proceeded to walk round me in a half-circle. The +moment he got wind of me, he whipped round +in his tracks like a cat and came for me in a +bee-line. Hoping to turn him, I fired instantly; +but unfortunately my soft-nosed bullets merely +annoyed him further, and had not the slightest +effect on his thick hide. On seeing this, I flung +myself down quite flat on the grass and threw +my helmet some ten feet away in the hope that +he would perceive it and vent his rage on it +instead of me. On he thundered, while I scarcely +dared to breathe. I could hear him snorting and +rooting up the grass quite close to me, but luckily +for me he did not catch sight of me and charged +by a few yards to my left. + +As soon as he had passed me, my courage +began to revive again, and I could not resist the +temptation of sending a couple of bullets after +him. These, however, simply cracked against +his hide and splintered to pieces on it, sending +the dry mud off in little clouds of dust. Their +only real effect, indeed, was to make him still +more angry. He stood stock-still for a moment, +and then gored the ground most viciously and +started off once more on the semi-circle round +me. This proceeding terrified me more than +ever, as I felt sure that he would come up-wind +at me again, and I could scarcely hope to escape +a second time. Unfortunately, my surmise +proved correct, for directly he scented me, up +went his nose in the air and down he charged +like a battering-ram. I fairly pressed myself into +the ground, as flat as ever I could, and luckily the +grass was a few inches high. I felt the thud of +his great feet pounding along, yet dared not move +or look up lest he should see me. My heart was +thumping like a steam hammer, and every moment +I fully expected to find myself tossed into the +air. Nearer and nearer came the heavy thudding +and I had quite given myself up for lost, when +from my lying position I caught sight, out of the +corner of my eye, of the infuriated beast rushing +by. He had missed me again! I never felt so +relieved in my life, and assuredly did not attempt +to annoy him further. He went off for good +this time, and it was with great satisfaction that +I watched him gradually disappear in the distance. +I could not have believed it possible that these +huge, ungainly-looking brutes could move so +rapidly, and turn and twist in their tracks just +like monkeys, had I not actually seen this one +do so before my eyes. If he had found me he +would certainly have pounded me to atoms, as he +was an old bull and in a most furious and vicious +mood. + +One day when Dr. Brock and I were out +shooting, shortly after this incident and not far +from where it occurred, we caught sight of two +rhinos in a hollow some little distance from us, +and commenced to stalk them, taking advantage +of every fold of the ground in doing so and +keeping about fifty yards apart in case of a charge. +In that event one or other of us would be able to +get in a broadside shot, which would probably +roll the beast over. Proceeding carefully in this +manner, we managed to get within about sixty +yards of them, and as it was my turn for a shot, I +took aim at the larger of the two, just as it was +moving its great head from one side to the other, +wondering which of us it ought to attack. When +at last it decided upon Brock, it gave me the +chance I had been waiting for. I fired instantly +at the hollow between neck and shoulder; the +brute dropped at once, and save for one or two +convulsive kicks of its stumpy legs as it lay half +on its back, it never moved again. The second +rhino proved to be a well-grown youngster which +showed considerable fight as we attempted to +approach its fallen comrade. We did not want +to kill it, and accordingly spent about two hours +in shouting and throwing stones at it before at +last we succeeded in driving it away. We then +proceeded to skin our prize; this, as may be +imagined, proved rather a tough job, but we +managed it in the end, and the trophy was well +worth the pains I had taken to add it to my +collection. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS + + + +Shortly after I took charge at railhead we +entered the Kapiti Plain, which gradually merges +into the Athi Plain, and, indeed, is hardly to be +distinguished from the latter in the appearance or +general character of the country. Together they +form a great tract of rolling downs covered with +grass, and intersected here and there by dry +ravines, along the baked banks of which a few +stunted trees -- the only ones to be seen -- struggle +to keep themselves alive. In all this expanse +there is absolutely no water in the dry season, +except in the Athi River (some forty miles away) +and in a few water-holes known only to the wild +animals. The great feature of the undulating +plains, however, and the one which gives them +a never-failing interest, is the great abundance of +game of almost every conceivable kind. Here +I myself have seen lion, rhinoceros, leopard, +eland, giraffe, zebra, wildebeeste, hartebeeste, +waterbuck, wart-hog, Granti, Thomsoni, impala, +besides ostriches, greater and lesser bustard, +marabout, and a host of other animals and birds +too numerous to name; while along the Athi and +close to its banks may be found large numbers of +hippo and crocodiles. At the time I was there, +these great plains also formed the principal +grazing ground for the immense herds of cattle +owned by the Masai. I am very glad to say that +the whole of this country on the south side of +the railway as far as the boundary of German +East Africa, from the Tsavo River on the east +to the Kedong Valley on the west, is now a +strictly protected Game Reserve; and so long, +as this huge expanse is thus maintained as a +sanctuary, there can be no danger of any of +these species becoming extinct. + +While crossing this dry expanse, the greatest +difficulty I had to contend with was the provision +of sufficient water for the three thousand +workmen employed about railhead, for not a drop +could be obtained on the way, nor could we +hope for any until we had got to the other side +of the plain and had reached the Athi River, +which could not be accomplished under a couple +of months. As we progressed onwards into the +waterless belt, this became a very serious matter +indeed, as any breakdown in the supply would +have had the most disastrous consequences among +so large a body of men working all day under +the blazing sun of a tropical climate. Every +day two trainloads of water in great tanks were +brought up from the last stream we had passed, +which, of course, daily fell further to the rear. +This was a source of considerable delay, for the +line was blocked all the time the water was being +pumped into the tanks, and consequently no +material for construction could come through; +and a good deal of time was also wasted, when +the trains returned to railhead, in distributing +the water to the workmen, who often quarrelled +and fought in their eagerness to get at it. At +first I had most of the tank-filling done by night, +but on one occasion a lion came unpleasantly +close to the men working the pump, and so +night work had to be abandoned. The coolies +themselves were so anxious, indeed, to get a +plentiful supply of water, that once or twice some +of the more daring spirits among them ventured +to go out on to the plains in search of waterholes, +which, by reason of the large herds of game, +we knew must exist somewhere. The only result +of these expeditions, however, was that three of +these men never returned; what befell them is +not known to this day. + +When we had proceeded some distance across +this dry land, and when I was experiencing to +the full the disadvantage and delay caused by +my tank trains, a native from some remote +corner of the plains -- with nothing by way of +dress but a small piece of cowhide thrown +over his left shoulder -- came to my tent door +one day and squatted down on his heels in the +native fashion. On being asked his business, "I +have heard," he replied, "that the Great Master +wants water; I can show it to him." This was +good news, if it could be relied upon; so I +questioned him closely, and ascertained that some +time previously -- exactly how long ago I could +not gather -- he had been in the locality on a +raiding expedition and had succeeded in finding +water. I asked if the place was far away, and +got the reply in Swahili "M'bali kidogo" (" A +little distance "). Now, I had had experience of +M'bali kidogo before; it is like the Irishman's +"mile and a bit." So I decided to start very +early next morning on a search for this pond -- +for such my informant described it to be. In +the meantime the poor fellow, who appeared +starving -- there was a sore famine among the +natives of the district at the time -- was given +food and drink, and made a ravenous meal. In +the evening I had a long talk with him in +broken Swahili round the camp fire, and obtained +some insight into many of the strange and +barbarous customs of the Masai, to which +interesting tribe he belonged. + +In the morning I started off betimes, taking +my .303 rifle and being accompanied by Mahina +with the 12-bore shot-gun, and by another Indian +carrying the necessary food and water. Our +Masai guide, whose name we found to be Lungow, +seemed to be quite certain of his way, and led us +across the rolling plains more or less in the +direction in which the railway was to run, but +some miles to the right of its centre-line. The +march was full of interest, for on the way we +passed within easy range of herds of wildebeeste, +hartebeeste, gazelle, and zebra. I was out strictly +on business, however, and did not attempt a +shot, reserving that pleasure for the homeward +trip. Late in the forenoon we arrived at Lungow's +pond -- a circular dip about eighty yards in +diameter, which without doubt had contained +water very recently, but which, as I expected +to find, was now quite dry. A considerable +number of bones lay scattered round it, whether +of "kills" or of animals which had died of thirst +I could not say. Our guide appeared very much +upset when he found the pond empty, and gave +vent to many exclamations in his peculiar +language, in which the letter "r" rolled like a +kettledrum. + +Our search for water having thus proved a +failure, I determined to try my luck with the +game. The Masai and the Indian were sent +back to camp, while Mahina and I made a +big detour from the dried-up water-hole. Game +abounded in all directions, but the animals were +much more shy than they had been in the +morning, and it was in vain that I stalked -- if +it can be called "stalking," when as a matter of +fact one has to move in the open -- splendid +specimens of Thomson's and Grant's gazelle. +I might have attempted a shot once or twice, +but the probability was that owing to the long +range it would have resulted only in a wound, +and I think there is nothing so painful as to see +an animal limping about in a crippled condition. +In this fruitless manner we covered several miles, +and I was beginning to think that we should have +to return to camp without so much as firing a +shot. Just then, however, I saw a herd of +wildebeeste, and with much care managed to get +within three hundred yards of them. I singled +out the biggest head and waiting for a favourable +moment, fired at him, dropping him at once. I +ran up to the fallen beast, which appeared to be +dying, and told Mahina to drive the hunting knife +right through his heart so as to put him quickly +out of all pain. As Mahina was not doing this +as skilfully or as quickly as I thought it might be +done, and seemed unable to pierce the tough hide, +I handed him my rifle and took the knife in +order to do it myself. Just as I raised the knife +to strike, I was startled by the wildebeeste +suddenly jumping to his feet. For a moment +he stood looking at me in a dazed and tottery +kind of way, and then to my amazement he +turned and made off. At first he moved with +such a shaky and uncertain gait that I felt +confident that he could only go a few yards +before dropping; so, as I did not wish to disturb +the other game around us by firing a second +shot, I thought it best just to wait. To my +utter astonishment, however, after he had +staggered for about sixty yards he seemed to +revive suddenly, broke into his ordinary gallop +and quickly rejoined the herd. From that time +I lost all trace of him, though I followed up +for four or five miles. + +The wildebeeste, in fact, is like Kipling's +Fuzzy-Wuzzy -- "'e's generally shammin' when +'e's dead"; and my friend Rawson about this +time had an experience very similar to mine, +but attended with more serious results. He had +knocked his wildebeeste over in much the same +way, and thought it was dead; and as he was +very keen on obtaining photographs of game, +he took his stand-camera from the Indian who +carried it and proceeded to focus it on the animal's +head. When he was just about to take the +picture, he was thunderstruck to see the +wildebeeste jump up and come charging down upon him. +He sprang quickly aside, and in an instant up +went the camera into the air, followed the next +moment by the unfortunate Indian, the wildebeeste +having stuck its horn right through the man's +thigh and tossed him over its back. Fortunately +the brute fell dead after this final effort, leaving +Rawson grateful for his escape. + +After abandoning the chase of my wildebeeste, +we had not gone far on our way towards the +home camp when I thought I observed something +of a reddish colour moving in a patch of long +grass, a good distance to our left front. I asked +Mahina if he could make out what it was, but +he was unable to do so, and before I could get +my field-glasses to bear, the animal, whatever it +was, had disappeared into the grass. I kept my +eye on the spot, however, and we gradually +approached it. When we were about a hundred +yards off, the reddish object again appeared; +and I saw that it was nothing less than the shaggy +head of a lion peeping over the long grass. +This time Mahina also saw what it was, and called +out, "Dekko, Sahib, sher!" ("Look, Master, a +lion!"). I whispered to him to be quiet and to +take no notice of him, while I tried my best to +follow my own advice. So we kept on, edging up +towards the beast, but apparently oblivious of his +presence, as he lay there grimly watching us. +As we drew nearer, I asked Mahina in a whisper +if he felt equal to facing a charge from the +sher if I should wound him. He answered +simply that where I went, there would he go +also; and right well he kept his word. + +I watched the lion carefully out of the corner +of my eye as we closed in. Every now and +then he would disappear from view for a moment; +and it was a fascinating sight to see how he +slowly raised his massive head above the top of +the grass again and gazed calmly and steadily +at us as we neared him. Unfortunately I could +not distinguish the outline of his body, hidden +as it was in the grassy thicket. I therefore +circled cautiously round in order to see if the +cover was sufficiently thin at the back to make +a shoulder shot possible; but as we moved, the +lion also twisted round and so always kept his +head full on us. When I had described a +half-circle, I found that the grass was no thinner +and that my chances of a shot had not improved. +We were now within seventy yards of the +lion, who appeared to take the greater interest +in us the closer we approached. He had lost +the sleepy look with which he had at first +regarded us, and was now fully on the alert; +but still he did not give me the impression +that he meant to charge, and no doubt if we +had not provoked him, he would have allowed +us to depart in peace. I, however, was bent on +war, in spite of the risk which one must always +run by attacking a lion at such close quarters +on an open plain as flat as the palm of the hand; +so in a standing position I took careful aim at +his head, and fired. The distance was, as I +have said, a bare seventy yards; yet I must +confess to a disgraceful miss. More astonishing +still, the beast made not the slightest movement +-- did not even blink an eye, so far as I could +see -- but continued his steadfast, questioning gaze. +Again I took aim, this time for a spot below the +tip of his nose, and again I fired -- with more +success, the lion turning a complete somersault +over his tail. I thought he was done for, +but he instantly sprang to his feet again, and +to my horror and astonishment was joined by +a lioness whose presence we had never even +thought of or suspected. + +Worse was still to follow, for to our dismay +both made a most determined charge on us, +bounding along at a great pace and roaring angrily +as they came. Poor Mahina cried out, "Sahib, +do sher ata hai!" ("Master, two lions are +coming!"), but I told him to stand stock-still +and for his life not to make the slightest +movement. In the twinkling of an eye the two +beasts had covered about forty yards of the +distance towards us. As they did not show the +least sign of stopping, I thought we had given the +experiment of remaining absolutely motionless a +fair trial, and was just about to raise the rifle to +my shoulder as a last resort, when suddenly the +wounded lion stopped, staggered, and fell to the +ground. The lioness took a couple of bounds +nearer to us, and then to my unmeasured relief +turned to look round for her mate, who had by +this time managed to get to his feet again. There +they both stood, growling viciously and lashing +their tails, for what appeared to me to be a +succession of ages. The lioness then made up +her mind to go back to the lion, and they both +stood broadside on, with their heads close together +and turned towards us, snarling in a most +aggressive manner. Had either of us moved hand or foot +just then, it would, I am convinced, have at once +brought on another and probably a fatal charge. + +As the two great brutes stood in this position +looking at us, I had, of course, a grand opportunity +of dropping both, but I confess I did not feel +equal to it at the moment. I could only devoutly +hope that they would not renew their attack, +and was only too thankful to let them depart +in peace if they would, without any further +hostility on my part. Just at this juncture +the lion seemed to grow suddenly very weak. +He staggered some ten yards back towards his +lair, and then fell to the ground; the lioness +followed, and lay down beside him -- both still +watching us, and growling savagely. After a few +seconds the lion struggled to his feet again and +retreated a little further, the lioness accompanying +him until he fell once more. A third time the +same thing took place, and at last I began to +breathe more freely, as they had now reached +the thicket from which they had originally +emerged. Accordingly I took a shot at the +lioness as she lay beside her mate, partly concealed +in the long grass. I do not think I hit her, but +anyhow she at once made off and bounded away +at a great rate on emerging into the open. + +I sent a few bullets after her to speed her on +her way, and then cautiously approached the +wounded lion. He was stretched out at full +length on his side, with his back towards me, +but I could see by the heaving of his flanks that +he was not yet dead, so I put a bullet through +his spine. He never moved after this; but for +safety's sake, I made no attempt to go up to him +for a few minutes, and then only after Mahina had +planted a few stones on his body just to make +sure that he was really dead. + +We both felt very pleased with ourselves as +we stood over him and looked at his fine head, +great paws, and long, clean, sharp tusks. He +was a young, but full-grown lion in fine condition, +and measured nine feet eight and a half inches +from tip of nose to tip of tail. My last shot had +entered the spine close to the shoulder, and had +lodged in the body; the first shot was a miss; +as I have already said; but the second had +caught him on the forehead, right between the +eyes. The bullet, however, instead of traversing +the brain, had been turned downwards by the +frontal bone, through which it crashed, finally +lodging in the root of the tongue, the lead +showing on both sides. I cut out the tongue +and hung it up to dry, intending to keep it as +a trophy; but unfortunately a vulture swooped +down when my back was turned, and carried +it off. + +From the time I knocked the lion over until +he first staggered and fell not more than a +minute could have elapsed -- quite long enough, +however, to have enabled him to cover the +distance and to have seized one or other of us. +Unquestionably we owed our lives to the fact +that we both remained absolutely motionless; and +I cannot speak too highly of Mahina for the +splendid way in which he stood the charge. Had +he acted as did another gun-boy I know of, the +affair might not have had so happy an ending. +This gun-boy went out with Captain G---- in +this very neighbourhood, and not long after our +adventure. G---- came across a lion just as +we did, and wounded it. It charged down on +them, but instead of remaining absolutely still, +the terrified gun-boy fled, with the result that the +lion came furiously on, and poor G---- met +with a terrible death. + +While Mahina was scouring the neighbourhood +in search of some natives to carry the skin back +to camp, I took a good look round the place +and found the half-eaten body of a zebra, +which I noticed had been killed out in the open +and then dragged into the long grass. The tracks +told me, also, that all the work had been done +by the lion, and this set me thinking of the +lioness. I accordingly swept the plain with my +glasses in the direction in which she had bounded +off, and after some searching I discovered her +about a mile away, apparently lying down in +the midst of a herd of hartebeeste, who grazed +away without taking any notice of her. I felt +much inclined to follow her up, but I was afraid +that if I did so the vultures that were already +hovering around would settle on my lion and +spoil the skin, for the destruction of which these +ravenous birds are capable, even in the space of +only a few minutes, is almost beyond belief. I +accordingly returned to the dead beast and sat +down astride of him. I had read that a frontal +shot at a lion was a very risky one, and on +carefully examining the head it was easy to see the +reason; for owing to the sharp backward slope +of the forehead it is almost impossible for a +bullet fired in this manner to reach the brain. As +there were lots of lions about in this district and +as I wanted to bag some more, I set myself to +think out a plan whereby the risk of a frontal +shot might be got rid of. About a fortnight +afterwards I had an opportunity of putting +my scheme into practice, happily with most +excellent results; this, however, is another story, +which will be told later on. + +I next commenced to skin my trophy and found +it a very tough job to perform by myself. He +proved to be a very fat beast, so I knew that +Mahina would make a few honest and well-earned +rupees out of him, for Indians will give +almost anything for lion fat, believing that it is +an infallible cure for rheumatism and various +other diseases. When at length the skinning +process was completed, I waited impatiently +for the return of Mahina, who had by this time +been gone much longer than I expected. It is +rather a nerve shattering thing -- I am speaking +for myself -- to remain absolutely alone for hours +on a vast open plain beside the carcase of a +dead lion, with vultures incessantly wheeling +about above one, and with nothing to be seen or +heard for miles around except wild animals. It +was a great relief, therefore, when after a long +wait I saw Mahina approaching with half-a-dozen +practically naked natives in his train. It turned +out that he had lost his way back to me, so that +it was lucky he found me at all. We lost no time +in getting back to camp, arriving there just at +sundown, when my first business was to rub +wood ashes into the skin and then stretch it on +a portable frame which I had made a few days +previously. The camp fire was a big one that +night, and the graphic and highly coloured +description which Mahina gave to the eager circle +of listeners of the way in which we slew the +lion would have made even "Bahram, that great +Hunter," anxious for his fame. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE STRICKEN CARAVAN + + + + +Not long after this adventure the permanent +way reached the boundary of the Kapiti Plains, +where a station had to be built and where +accordingly we took up our headquarters for a +week or two. A few days after we had settled +down in our new camp, a great caravan of some +four thousand men arrived from the interior +with luggage and loads of food for a Sikh regiment +which was on its way down to the coast, after +having been engaged in suppressing the mutiny +of the Sudanese in Uganda. The majority of +these porters were Basoga, but there were also +fair numbers of Baganda (i.e. people of Uganda) +and of the natives of Unyoro, and various +other tribes. Of course none of these wild men of +Central Africa had either seen or heard of a +railway in all their lives, and they consequently +displayed the liveliest curiosity in regard to it, +crowding round one of the engines which happened +to be standing at the station, and hazarding +the wildest guesses as to its origin and use in +a babel of curious native languages. I thought +I would provide a little entertainment for them, +so I stepped on to the footplate and blew off the +steam, at the same time sounding the whistle. +The effect was simply magical. The whole crowd +first threw themselves flat on the ground howling +with fear, and then -- with heads well down and +arms well spread out -- they fled wildly in all +directions; nor did the stampede cease until I +shut off steam and stopped the whistle. Then, +their curiosity gradually overpowering them, very +cautiously they began to return, approaching +the locomotive stealthily as though it were some +living monster of the jungle. Eventually, two of +their chiefs summoned up courage enough to climb +on to the engine, and afterwards thoroughly +enjoyed a short run which I had to make down +the line in order to bring up some construction +material. + +Just after this caravan had moved on we were +subjected to some torrential rain-storms, which +transformed the whole plain into a quaking +bog and stopped all railway work for the time +being. Indeed, the effect of a heavy downpour +of rain in this sun-baked district is extraordinary. +The ground, which is of a black sub-soil, becomes +a mass of thick mud in no time, and on attempting +to do any walking one slides and slips about in +the slush in a most uncomfortable manner. +Innocent-looking dongas, where half an hour +previously not one drop of water was to be seen, +become roaring torrents from bank to bank in an +incredibly short time; while for many hours or +even a few days the rivers become absolutely +impassable in this land of no bridges. On this +account it is the custom of the wise traveller +in these parts always to cross a river before +camping, for otherwise a flood may come down +and detain him and his caravan on the wrong +side of the stream for perhaps a week. Of +course when the rain ceases, the floods as quickly +subside, the rivers and dongas dry up, and +the country once more resumes its normal +sun-cracked appearance. + +On leaving my tent one morning when work +was at a standstill owing to the rain, I noticed +a great herd of zebra about a couple of miles +away on the north side of the railway. Now, +it had long been my ambition to capture one of +these animals alive; so I said to myself, "Here +is my chance!" The men could do nothing +owing to the rain, and the ground was very +boggy, so I thought that if we could surround +the herd judiciously and chase the zebra up and +down from point to point through the heavy +ground, some of them would soon get exhausted +and we should then be able to catch them. I +selected for the hunt a dozen fleet-footed Indians +who were employed on the earth works, and who +at once entered with great zest into the spirit of +the scheme. After having partially surrounded +the herd, the half-circle of coolies began to +advance with wild shouts, whereupon the zebras +galloped madly about from side to side, and then +did just what we wished them to do -- made +straight for an exceptionally boggy part of the +ground, where they soon became more or less +helpless. We singled out a few young ones and +succeeded in running them to an absolute +standstill, when we threw them down and sat on their +heads until the other men came up with ropes. +In this way we captured no less than six: they +were very wild and fractious, giving us a great +deal of trouble in getting them along, but +eventually we managed to bring them in triumph to +the camp, where they were firmly secured. The +whole expedition lasted little more than a couple +of hours. + +Three of the captured zebras I kept for myself, +while the other three were given to the Surfacing +Engineer, whose men had assisted in the hunt. +Two of my three unfortunately died very shortly +after; but the third, a sturdy two-year-old, +flourished splendidly. At first he was +exceedingly vicious, biting and kicking everyone who +approached him; indeed, he once planted both +his hind feet on my chest, but did me no serious +damage beyond throwing me heavily to the +ground. In time, however, he became very +tame and domesticated, allowing himself to be +led about by a rope and head collar, and would +drink from a bucket and eat from my hand. +He used to be left to graze picketed by a long +rope to a stake in the ground; but one +afternoon on returning to camp I found, much to +my annoyance, that he had disappeared. On +making enquiry, I learned from my servants that +a herd of wild zebra had galloped close by, and +that this had so excited him that he managed to +tear the picketing peg out of the ground and so +rejoin his brethren in freedom. + +Some few days after our successful sortie +against the zebra, the great caravan of Basoga +porters returned from the coast on their way back +to their own country; but alas, with what a terrible +difference in their appearance! All their gaiety +and lightheartedness was gone, and the poor +fellows were in a pitiable state. A frightful +epidemic of dysentery had broken out amongst +them, doubtless caused by their having eaten +food to which they were entirely unaccustomed, +their simple diet in their own homes consisting +almost entirely of bananas, from which they also +make a most refreshing and stimulating drink. +The ranks of the caravan were terribly decimated, +and dozens of men were left dead or dying along +the roadside after each march. It was a case of +the survival of the fittest, as of course it was quite +impossible for the whole caravan to halt in the +wilderness where neither food nor water was to +be had. There was only one European with the +party, and although he worked like a slave he +could do very little among such a number, while +the Basoga themselves seemed quite indifferent +to the sufferings of their comrades. Thirteen +poor wretches fell out to die close to my tent; +they were in the most hopeless condition and far +too weak to be able to do anything at all for +themselves. As soon as I discovered them, I boiled +a bucketful of water, added some tins of +condensed milk and the greater part of a bottle of +brandy to it, and fed them with the mixture. +Their feeble cries for some of this nourishment +were heartrending; some could only whisper, +"Bwana, Bwana" ("Master, Master"), and then +open their mouths. One or two of them, indeed, +could hardly do even this, and were so weak as +to be unable to swallow the spoonful of milk +which I put between their lips. In the end six +proved to be beyond all help, and died that night; +but the remaining seven I managed to nurse into +complete recovery in about a fortnight's time. +As our camp was moved on, they were brought +along from place to place on the top of trucks, +until finally they were well enough to resume their +journey to Usoga, very grateful indeed for the +care which we had taken of them. + +The day after I first found these stricken +natives I had arranged to ride on my pony for +some miles in advance of the railway, in order to +make arrangements for the building of a +temporary bridge over the Stony Athi River -- a +tributary of the Athi, and so-called on account of +the enormous numbers of stones in its bed and +along its banks. I ordered my tent to follow +me later in the day, and left directions for the +care of the sick Basoga, as I knew I should be +away all night. My road lay along the route +taken by the home-returning caravan, and every +hundred yards or so I passed the swollen corpse +of some unfortunate porter who had fallen out +and died by the wayside. Before very long I +came up with the rearguard of this straggling +army, and here I was witness of as unfeeling +an act of barbarism as can well be imagined. A +poor wretch, utterly unable to go a step further, +rolled himself up in his scarlet blanket and lay +down by the roadside to die; whereupon one of +his companions, coveting the highly-coloured and +highly-prized article, turned back, seized one end +of the blanket, and callously rolled the dying man +out of it as one would unroll a bale of goods. +This was too much for me, so I put spurs to +my pony and galloped up to the scoundrel, +making as if to thrash him with my kiboko, +or whip made of rhinoceros hide. In a moment +he put his hand on his knife and half drew +it from its sheath, but on seeing me dismount +and point my rifle at him, he desisted and tried +to run away. I made it clear to him by signs, +however, that I would fire if he did not at once +go back and replace the blanket round his +dying comrade. This he eventually did, though +sullenly enough, and I then marched him in front +of me to the main camp of the caravan, some +little distance further on. Here I handed him +over to the officer in charge, who, I am glad to +say, had him soundly thrashed for his brutality +and theft. + +After performing this little act of retributive +justice, I pushed on towards the Stony Athi. On +the way -- while still not far from the caravan +camp -- I spied a Grant's gazelle in the distance, +and by the aid of my glasses discovered that it +was a fine-looking buck with a capital pair of +horns. A few Basoga from the caravan had +followed me, doubtless in the hope of obtaining +meat, of which they are inordinately fond; so, +handing them my pony, I wriggled from tuft to +tuft and crawled along in the folds of the ground +until eventually I got near enough for a safe +shot, which bowled the antelope over stone-dead. +Scarcely had he dropped when the Basoga +swooped down on him, ripped him open, and +devoured huge chunks of the raw and still +quivering flesh, lapping up the warm blood in the +palms of their hands. In return for the meat +which I gave them, two of them willingly agreed +to go on with me and carry the head and haunch +of the gazelle. When we had got very nearly +to the place where I intended to camp for the +night, a great wart-hog suddenly jumped up +almost at my horse's feet, and as he had very fine +and exceptionally long tusks, I dismounted at +once and bagged him too. The Basoga were +delighted at this, and promptly cut off the head; +but my own people, who arrived with my tent +just at this juncture, and who were all good +Mohammedans, were thoroughly disgusted at the +sight of this very hideous-looking pig. + +I camped for the night on the banks of the +Stony Athi, close to where the railway was to +cross, and made my notes of what was necessary +for the temporary bridge. At the time the river +was absolutely dry, but I knew that it might at +any moment become a roaring torrent if rain +should set in; it would therefore be necessary +to span it with a forty-foot girder in order +to prevent constant "washouts" during the rainy +season. The next morning I started early on +my return to railhead. On my way I had to +pass the camp which the Basoga caravan had +just left, but the spectacle of about a dozen +newly-made graves which the hyenas had already +torn open caused me to put spurs to my horse +and to gallop as fast as possible through the +pestilential spot. When I had almost got back +to railhead I happened to notice a huge serpent +stretched out on the grass, warming himself, his +skin of old gold and bright green sparkling +brilliantly in the sunshine. He appeared to take +little notice of me as I cautiously approached, +and was probably drowsy and sated with a heavy +meal. I shot him through the head as he lay, +and the muscular contortions after death +throughout his long body gave me a very vivid idea +of the tremendous squeezing power possessed by +these reptiles. Skinning him was an easy process, +but unfortunately his beautiful colouring soon +disappeared, the old gold turning to white and +the bright green to lustreless black. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER + + + +In spite of all our difficulties, rapid progress +continued to be made with the line. Each day +railhead crept a mile or so further across the +Plains, and on April 24 we reached the Stony Athi +River, where our great camp was pitched for a +few days while the temporary bridge was being +thrown across the dry bed of the stream. Still +another temporary bridge had to be arranged for +the Athi itself, which was some eight miles further +on, so I had to make one or two expeditions +to this river in order to select a suitable place +for the crossing and to make various other +arrangements. On one of these occasions I was +busy attending to the pitching of my tent after +arriving at the Athi late in the evening, when +on looking round I was very much surprised to +see two European ladies sitting under the shade +of some trees on the river bank. As I knew +that this was anything but a safe place in which +to rest, owing to the number of lions about, I +went up to them to see if I could be of any +assistance, and found that they were American +missionaries journeying to their stations further +inland. They were waiting for their camp +equipment to arrive, but their porters had been +considerably delayed by some very heavy rain, which +of course made the roads bad and the tents about +double their usual weight. The men of the +party were expected every moment with the +porters, but there was as yet no sign of the little +caravan, and as a matter of fact it did not arrive +until long after nightfall. In these circumstances +it was perhaps a great blessing that I happened +to be there; and as the ladies were both very +tired and hungry, I was glad to be able to place +my tent at their disposal and to offer them as +good a dinner as it was possible to provide in +the wilds. It is indeed wonderful what dangers +and hardships these delicately nurtured ladies +will face cheerfully in order to carry out their +self-appointed mission. + +When they had left next morning to resume +their journey, I started out and made a search +up and down the river for the proper position +for my temporary bridge. After a thorough +examination of all the possible situations, I +chose the most suitable and pitched my tent close +to it for a night or two while I made the necessary +calculations for carrying out the work. The +crossing on which I had decided had to be +approached by a somewhat sharp curve in the +line, and in laying this out with the theodolite +I experienced considerable difficulty, as for some +reason or other I could not make the last peg +on the curve come anywhere near the tangent +point where the curve should link up with +the straight. I repeated the whole operation +time after time, but always with the same result. +Eventually I came to the conclusion that there +must be some mistake in the table of angles from +which I had been working, so I started to work +them out for myself and soon discovered a serious +misprint. This being rectified in my calculations, +I proceeded to lay out the curve again, when at +last everything came out accurately and to my +satisfaction. + +After I had pegged out this temporary +diversion of the line, I thought I richly deserved a few +hours' play, and accordingly determined to try my +luck after lions up-stream towards the source +of the Athi. The river -- which runs almost due +north here, before taking a turn eastward to the +Indian Ocean -- forms part of the western boundary +of the Athi Plains, and is fringed all along its +course by a belt of thorny hardwood trees. In +some places this fringe is quite narrow, while in +others it is about a quarter of a mile wide, with +grassy glades here and there among the trees. +Every now and again, too, the stream itself +widens out into a broad stretch of water, nearly +always covered over with tall reeds and elephant +grass, while along the banks are frequent patches +of stunted bushes, which struck me as very likely +places for the king of beasts to sleep in after +having drunk at the river. I had noticed that +after having eaten and drunk well, a lion would +throw himself down quite without caution in the +first shady spot he came to; of course nothing +except man ever disturbs him, and even of man +the lions in this part of the country had as yet +no fear, for they had rarely if ever been hunted +previous to my time. + +As I felt rather tired after my morning's work, +I decided to use my pony on this expedition, +although as a rule I went on foot. Mahina and +half-a-dozen natives to beat the belt of trees were +to accompany me, and after a hasty lunch off we +started up the left bank of the river. I walked +for some distance at first, partly because the +ground was very stony and partly because I +thought a lion might suddenly bound out of +some likely patches in front of the beaters; but +after having gone about six miles in this way +without adventure of any kind, I decided to +mount again. At this time the beaters were in +line about a hundred yards behind me, shouting +and halloing with all their might as they advanced +through the scrub and undergrowth, while I rode +well to the flank so as to be ready for any +emergency. Just as the men got up to a rather +thicker piece of jungle than usual, I fancied I +saw a movement among the bushes and pulled +up suddenly to watch the spot, but did not +dismount. The next moment out bounded a lioness, +who raced straight across the open strip into the +next patch of jungle, quickly followed by another. +Throwing myself off my pony, I seized my rifle +to get a shot at the second lioness as she galloped +past, and was just about to pull the trigger, when +to my utter amazement out sprang a huge black-maned +lion, making all haste after his mates. +Before he could reach the further thicket, +however, I fired, and had the satisfaction of hearing +the deep growl that tells of a serious hit. + +The beaters and I now advanced with great +care, taking advantage of every bit of cover and +keeping a sharp look-out for the wounded animal +as we crept from tree to tree. Fully a quarter +of an hour must have elapsed in this slow yet +exciting search, before one of the men, some fifty +or sixty yards to my left, and a little ahead of +the line, called out that he could see the lion +awaiting our approach, with his head just visible +in a large bed of rushes only a short distance +in front of where I then was. Almost at the +same moment I found blood marks left by the +wounded animal, leading apparently to a kind of +gap in the bank of the river, which had evidently +been worn down by a rhino going to and fro to +drink. I accordingly made for this with the +greatest caution, ordering all the men, except +Mahina, to remain behind; and as noiselessly +as possible I slipped from cover to cover in my +endeavour to obtain a peep over the bank. I +saw that it was no use to attempt to climb a +tree, as the overspreading foliage would have +prevented me from obtaining any view ahead; so +I continued my slow advance with a fast-beating +heart, not knowing where the huge brute was +and expecting every moment that he would +charge out at me over the bank from his reedy +refuge. Emboldened to a certain extent, +however, by the fact that up till then I had heard +no movement on the part of my enemy, I crept +steadily forward and at last, from the shelter +of a friendly tree behind the bole of which I +hid myself, I was able to look over the bank. +And there, not twenty yards from me, crouched +the lion -- luckily watching, not me, but the native +who had first seen him and who had directed me +to where he was. I raised my rifle very cautiously, +without making the slightest sound, and +steadying the barrel against the trunk of the tree and +standing on tip-toe in order to get a better view, +I fired plump at the side of his head. It was +as if he had suddenly been hit with a +sledgehammer, for he fell over instantly and lay like a +log. + +On my calling out that the lion was done for, +the beaters came running up shouting with joy; +and although I warned them to be careful, as +the two lionesses were probably still close at +hand, they did not seem to care in the slightest +and in a twinkling had the dead lion lifted from +the reeds on to the dry bank. Before I allowed +anything further to be done, however, I had the +patch of rushes thoroughly beaten out: but as +no traces of the lionesses could be found, we +commenced to skin my fine trophy. When this +was about half done, I decided to let Mahina +finish the operation, while I went on ahead to +try my luck either with more lions or with any +other game that might come my way. I +followed up the river almost to its source, but no +more lions crossed my path. Once indeed I +felt convinced that I saw one, and gave chase +to it with all my might as it rushed through +the long grass: but a nearer view showed me +nothing more than a huge wart-hog. As I +wanted the tusks, which I noticed were very fine +ones, I fired but only badly hipped him: so I +ran up as fast as I could and at ten yards +fired again. This time I missed him entirely, +and was puzzled to account for my failure until +I looked at my back sight and found that by +some accident it had got raised and that I had +the 200-yards sight up. On rectifying this, +another shot quickly put the wounded animal +out of pain. + +Still my day's sport was not yet over. While +rambling back through the trees I caught sight +of a graceful-looking antelope in the distance, +and on cautiously approaching closer saw that +it was an impala. My stalk was crowned with +success, the beautiful animal being bagged +without much trouble; and on reaching my prize I +was delighted to find that its horns were much +above the average. On another occasion I was +fortunate enough to get a successful snapshot of +an impala just after it had been shot by a friend, +and the photograph gives a very good idea of +what mine was like. + +As it was now growing late, I made all haste +back to where I had left Mahina skinning the lion, +but to my astonishment he was nowhere to be +seen. I fired several shots and shouted myself +hoarse, all without response; and the only +conclusion I could come to was that he had +returned to the camp at the temporary bridge. I +accordingly pushed on, reaching home long after +dark; and there I found Mahina safe and sound, +with the lion's skin already pegged out to dry, so +that I could not find it in my heart to give him +the severe scolding he deserved for having +returned without me. Next morning I packed +up my trophies and returned to my work +at railhead. On my way back I happened to +meet one of the other engineers, who called +out, "Hallo! I hear you have got a fine +line." + +My thoughts being full of my adventures of +the day before, I answered: "Yes, I did; but +how on earth did you hear of it?" + +"Oh!" he said, "Reynolds told me." + +"Good heavens," I replied, "why, he left before +I shot it." + +"Shot?" he exclaimed, "whatever do you +mean?" + +"Didn't you say," I asked, "that you heard +I had got a fine lion?" + +"No, no," was his reply; "a fine line for the +temporary bridge over the river." + +We both laughed heartily at the +misunderstanding, and when he saw my trophy, which was being +carried by my man just behind me, he agreed +that it was quite fine enough to monopolise my +thoughts and prevent me from thinking of +anything else. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE MASAI AND OTHER TRIBES + + + +A few Masai may still be seen on the Athi +Plains, but as a rule they keep away from the +railway, the majority of the tribe being now +settled on the Laikipia Plateau. Formerly they +were by far the most powerful native race in East +Africa, and when on the war-path were the terror +of the whole country from the furthest limits of +Uganda to Mombasa itself. Their numbers have +latterly become greatly reduced through famine +and small-pox, but the remnant of the tribe, +more especially the men, are still a fine, lithe, +clean-limbed people. While I was stationed in +the Plains I managed to have an interview with +the chief, Lenana, at one of his "royal residences," +a kraal near Nairobi. He was affability itself, +presenting me with a spear and shield as a +memento of the occasion; but he had the reputation +of being a most wily old potentate, and I found +this quite correct, as whenever he was asked an +awkward question, he would nudge his Prime +Minister and command him to answer for him. +I managed to induce him and his wives and +children to sit for their photograph, and they +made a very fine group indeed; but unfortunately +the negative turned out very badly. I also got +Lenana's nephew and a warrior to engage in +combat with the spear and shield, and both +made fine play with their long keen blades, +which more than once penetrated the opponent's +shield. + +The Masai have a wonderfully well-organised +military system. The warriors (elmorani) of the +tribe must attend strictly to their duties, and +are not allowed to marry or to smoke or to +drink until after their term of active service is +completed. Besides the spear and shield they +generally carry a sword or knobkerrie, suspended +from a raw-hide waist-belt; and they certainly +look very ferocious in their weird-looking +headdress when on the warpath. Once or twice I +met detachments out on these expeditions, but +they were always quite friendly to me, even +though I was practically alone. Before the +advent of British rule, however, sudden raids +were constantly being made by them on the +weaker tribes in the country; and when a kraal +was captured all the male defenders-were instantly +killed with the spear, while the women were +put to death during the night with clubs. The +Masai, indeed, never made slaves or took prisoners, +and it was their proud boast that where a party +of elmorani had passed, nothing of any kind was +left alive. The object of these raids was, of +course, to capture live stock, for the Masai are +not an agricultural people and their wealth +consists entirely in their herds of cattle, sheep +and goats. Curiously enough they do not hunt +game, although the country abounds with it, but +live principally on beef and milk; and it is also +a common custom for them to drink daily a pint +or so of blood taken from a live bullock. As +they thus live entirely on cattle, and as cattle +cannot thrive without good pasture, it is not +unnatural to find that they have a great reverence +for grass. They also worship a Supreme Being +whom they call N'gai, but this term is also +applied to anything which is beyond their +understanding. + +Perhaps the most curious of the customs of +the Masai is the extraction of the two front teeth +from the lower jaw. It is said that this habit +originated at a time when lockjaw was very +prevalent among the tribe, and it was found +that if these teeth were pulled out food could still +be taken. This explanation seems scarcely +satisfactory or sufficient, and I give it only for what +it is worth: but whatever the reason for the +custom, the absence of these two teeth constitutes +a most distinctive identifying mark. I remember +once being out with a Masai one day when we +came across the bleached skull of a long defunct +member of his tribe, of course easily recognisable +as such by the absence of the proper teeth. The +Masai at once plucked a handful of grass, spat +upon it, and then placed it very carefully within +the skull; this was done, he said, to avert evil +from himself. The same man asked me among +many other questions if my country was nearer to +God than his. I am afraid I was unable +conscientiously to answer him in the affirmative. +Formerly the Masai used to spit in the face as +a mark of great friendship, but nowadays -- like +most other native races -- they have adopted our +English fashion of shaking hands. + +Another very common custom amongst them +is that of distorting the lobe of the ear by +stretching it until it hangs down quite five or six +inches. It is then pierced and decorated in various +ways -- by sticking through it a piece of wood +two or three inches in diameter, or a little round +tin canister, and by hanging to it pieces of chain, +rings, beads, or bunches of brass-headed nails, +according to fancy. Nearly all the men wear +little bells on their ankles to give notice of their +approach, while the women are very fond of +covering themselves with large quantities of +iron or copper wire. Their limbs, indeed, are +often almost completely encased with these rings, +which I should think must be very heavy and +uncomfortable: but no Masai woman considers +herself a lady of fashion without them, and the +more she possesses the higher does she stand +in the social scale. + +As a rule, the Masai do not bury their dead, +as they consider this custom to be prejudicial to +the soil; the bodies are simply carried some +little distance from the village and left to be +devoured by birds and wild beasts. The honour +of burial is reserved only for a great chief, +over whose remains a large mound is also raised. +I came across one of these mounds one day +near Tsavo and opened it very carefully, but +found nothing: possibly I did not pursue my +search deep enough into the earth. In general, +the Masai are an upright and honourable savage +race, and it is a great pity that they are gradually +dying out. + +More or less serfs of the Masai are the +Wa N'derobbo, who, unlike their over-lords, are a +race of hunters. They are seldom to be met with, +however, as they hide away in caves and thickets, +and keep constantly moving from place to place +following the game. Not long ago I saw a few of +them in the neighbourhood of the Eldama Ravine: +but these were more or less civilised, and the +girls, who were quite graceful, had abandoned the +native undress costume for flowing white robes. + +In the district from Nairobi to the Kedong +River, and in the Kenya Province, dwell the +Wa Kikuyu, who are similar to the Masai in +build, but not nearly so good-looking. Like the +latter, they use the spear and shield, though +of a different shape; their principal weapon, +however, is the bow and poisoned arrow. They +also frequently carry a rudely made two-edged +short sword in a sheath, which is slung round +the waist by a belt of raw hide. Their front +teeth are filed to a sharp point in the same +manner as those of nearly all the other native +tribes of East Africa, with the exception of the +Masai. They live in little villages composed +of beehive huts and always situated in the very +thickest patches of forest that they can find, and +their cattle kraals are especially strongly built +and carefully hidden. On one occasion I managed +after a great deal of difficulty and crawling on +all-fours to make my way into one of these +kraals, and was much amazed to notice what +labour and ingenuity had been expended on its +construction. Unlike the Masai, the Wa Kikuyu +have a fairly good idea of agriculture, and grow +crops of m'tama (a kind of native grain from +which flour is made), sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, +and tobacco. + +The Wa Kikuyu have the reputation of being +a very cowardly and treacherous people, and +they have undoubtedly committed some very +cruel deeds. A friend of mine, Captain Haslem, +with whom I lived for a few months at Tsavo, +was barbarously murdered by some members of +this tribe. He left me to go up to the Kikuyu +country in charge of the transport, and as he +was keenly interested in finding out all about +the tropical diseases from which the animals +suffered, he made it his custom to dissect the +bodies of those that died. The superstitious +Wa Kikuyu were fully convinced that by this +he bewitched their cattle, which at the time were +dying in scores from rinderpest. So -- instigated +no doubt by the all-powerful witch-doctor -- they +treacherously killed him. For my part, however, +I found them not nearly so black as they had been +painted to me. I had about four hundred of them +working at one thing or another at Nairobi and +never had any trouble with them. On the contrary +I found them well-behaved and intelligent and +most anxious to learn. + +As is the case with all other African races, +the women of the Wa Kikuyu do the manual +labour of the village and carry the heavy loads +for their lords and masters, the bundles being +held in position on their back by a strap passing +round the forehead. + +Notwithstanding this some of them are quite +pleasant looking, and once they have overcome +their fear of the European, do not object to being +photographed. + +Of the other tribes to be met with in this part +of the world, the Kavirondo are the most +interesting. They are an industrious, simple people, +devoted to agriculture and hospitable in the +extreme -- a little addicted to thieving, perhaps, +but then that is scarcely considered a sin in the +heart of Africa. They are clothed (to use Mark +Twain's expression) in little but a smile, a bead +or two here and there being considered ample +raiment; nevertheless they are modest in their +ways and are on the whole about the best of +the East African tribes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE + + + +On May 12 railhead reached the Athi River, +where, as there was a great deal of miscellaneous +work to be done, our headquarters remained +established for some little time. One day not +long after we had settled down in our new camp, +I was joined quite unexpectedly by my friend Dr. +Brock, who had shared the exciting adventure +with me at Tsavo the night we were attacked +in the goods-wagon by one of the man-eaters. +Now Brock had so far not been fortunate enough +to bag a lion, and was consequently most anxious +to do so. Shortly after his arrival, accordingly, +he suggested that we should go for a shooting +expedition on the morrow, and that I should trot +out for his benefit one of the local lions. Of +course I said I should be delighted -- I was always +ready for a hunt when it was possible for me +to get away, and as just at the time we were +"held up" by the Athi River, I could manage +a day off quite easily. So we made the usual +preparations for a day's absence from camp -- +filled our water-bottles with tea, put a loaf of +bread and a tin of sardines in our haversacks, +looked carefully to our rifles and ammunition; +and warned the "boys" who were to accompany +us as beaters to be ready before dawn. I decided +to make a very early start, as I knew that the +most likely place for lions lay some distance away, +and I wanted to get there if possible by daybreak. +We should thus have a better chance of catching +one of the lords of the plain as he returned +from his nightly depredations to the kindly shelter +of the tall grass and rushes which fringed the +banks of the river. We therefore retired to rest +early, and just as I was dozing off to sleep, one +of my Indian servants, Roshan Khan, put his +head through the slit at my tent door and asked +leave to accompany the "Sahibs" in the morning +so that he might see what shikar (hunting) was +like. This request I sleepily granted, thinking +that it could make little difference whether he +came with us or stayed behind in camp. As +things turned out, however, it made all the +difference in the world, for if he had not accompanied +us, my shikar would in all probability have ended +disastrously next day. He was a very dusky-coloured +young Pathan about twenty years of +age, lithe and active, and honest and pleasant-looking, +as Pathans go. He had been my "boy" +for some time and was much attached to me, +besides having a touching faith in my prowess in +shikar: probably, indeed, this was the reason +why he stuck so close to me throughout the +hunt. + +We breakfasted by candle light and managed +to get several miles on our way towards the +source of the Athi before dawn. As soon as +it was thoroughly daylight, we extended in line, +Dr. Brock, as the guest, being placed in the most +likely position for a shot, while Roshan Khan +followed close behind me with the day's +provisions. In this order we trudged steadily +forward for a couple of miles without coming across +anything, though we advanced through many +patches of rushes and long grass likely to conceal +our expected quarry. It was most interesting +and exciting work all the same, as we never +knew but that a lion might the next moment +jump up at our very feet. We had just beaten +through a most hopeful-looking covert without +success and had come out on to a beautiful open +grassy glade which stretched away for some +distance ahead of us, when I noticed a big herd of +wildebeeste browsing quietly some distance to +our right. I knew that Brock also wanted a +wildebeeste, so I whistled softly to him, and +pointed out the weird-looking, bison-like antelopes. +He came across at once and started off towards +the herd, while I sat down to watch the +proceedings. He made a beautiful stalk, which was +rendered really very difficult by the open nature +of the country, but still the wildebeeste quickly +noticed his approach and kept steadily moving +on, until at last they disappeared over one of +the gentle rises which are such a feature of the +Athi Plains. + +I still sat and waited, expecting every moment +to hear the sound of Brock's rifle. Some time +elapsed without a shot, however, and I was just +about to follow him up and find out how things +were going, when Roshan Khan suddenly +exclaimed excitedly:-- " Dekko, Sahib, shenzi ata +hain!" ("Look, Sahib, the savages are +coming!"). I was not in the least alarmed at +this somewhat startling announcement, as the +Indians called all the natives of the interior of +Africa shenzi, or savages; and on looking round +I saw five tall, slim Masai approaching in Indian +file, each carrying a six-foot spear in his right +hand. On coming nearer, the leader of the party +eagerly asked in Swahili, "What does the Bwana +Makubwa ("Great Master") desire?" + +"Simba" ("Lions"), said I. + +"Come," he replied, "I will show you many." + +This filled me with interest at once. "How +far away are they?" I asked. + +"M'bali kidogo" (" A little distance "), came +the stereotyped reply. + +I immediately had a good look round for +Brock, but could see no sign of him, so, in case the +"many" lions should get away in the meantime, +I told the Masai to lead the way, and off we +started. + +As usual, the m'bali kidogo proved a good +distance -- over two miles in this case. Indeed, +I began to get impatient at the long tramp, and +called out to the Masai to know where his lions +were; but he vouchsafed me no answer and +continued to walk steadily on, casting keen glances +ahead. After a little I again asked, "Where are +the lions?" This time he extended his spear +in a most dramatic manner, and pointing to a +clump of trees just ahead, exclaimed: "Look, +Master; there are the lions." I looked, and +at once caught sight of a lioness trotting off +behind the bushes. I also saw some suspicious-looking +thing at the foot of one of the big trees, +but came to the conclusion that it was only a +growth of some kind projecting from the trunk. +I was soon to be undeceived, however, for as +I started to run towards the trees in order to +cut off the fast disappearing lioness from a stretch +of rushes for which she was making, a low and +sinister growl made me look closer at the object +which had first aroused my suspicions. To my +surprise and delight I saw that it was the head +of a huge black-maned lion peering out from +behind the trunk of the tree, which completely +hid his body. I pulled up short and stared at +him. Although he was not seventy yards away +from me, yet owing to the nature of the +background it was very difficult to make him out, +especially as he kept his head perfectly still, +gazing steadily at me. It was only when the +great mouth opened in an angry snarl that I +could see plainly what he really was. For a few +seconds we stood thus and looked at each other; +then he growled again and made off after the +lioness. As I could not get a fair shot at him +from where I stood, I ran with all my might +for a point of vantage from which I might have +a better chance of bagging him as he passed. + +Now by this time I had almost got beyond +the surprise stage where lions were concerned; +yet I must admit that I was thoroughly startled +and brought to a full stop in the middle of my +race by seeing no less than four more lionesses +jump up from the covert which the lion had just +left. In the twinkling of an eye three of them +had disappeared after their lord in long, low +bounds, but the fourth stood broadside on, +looking, not at me, but at my followers, who by this +time were grouped together and talking and +gesticulating excitedly. This gave me a splendid +chance for a shoulder shot at about fifty yards' +distance, so I knelt down at once and fired after +taking careful aim. The lioness disappeared +from sight instantly, and on looking over the +top of the grass I saw that my shot had told, as +she was on her back, clawing the air and +growling viciously. As she looked to me to be done +for, I shouted to some of the men to remain +behind and watch her, while I set off once more +at a run to try to catch up the lion. I feared +that the check with the lioness might have lost +him to me altogether, but to my relief I soon +caught sight of him again. He had not made off +very quickly, and had probably stopped several +times to see what I was up to; indeed the men, +who could see him all the time, afterwards told +me that when he heard the growl of rage from +the lioness after she was shot, he made quite a +long halt, apparently deliberating whether he +should return to her rescue. Evidently, +however, he had decided that discretion was the better +part of valour. Fortunately he was travelling +leisurely, and I was delighted to find that I was +gaining on him fast; but I had still to run about +two hundred yards at my best pace, which, at an +altitude of more than 5,000 feet above sea-level, +leaves one very breathless at the end of it. + +When the lion perceived me running towards +him, he took up his station under a tree, where +he was half hidden by some low bushes, above +which only his head showed. Here he stood, +watching my every movement and giving vent +to his anger at my presence in low, threatening +growls. I did not at all like the look of him, +and if there had been another tree close by, I +should certainly have scrambled up it into safety +before attempting to fire. As a matter of fact, +however, there was no shelter of any kind at +hand; so, as I meant to have a try for him at +all costs, I sat down where I was, about sixty +yards from him, and covered his great head with +my rifle. I was so breathless after my run, and +my arms were so shaky, that it was all I could +do to keep the sight on the fierce-looking target +and I thought to myself, as the rifle barrel +wobbled about, "If I don't knock him over with +the first shot, he will be out of these bushes and +down on me like greased lightning -- and then I +know what to expect." It was a most exciting +moment, but in spite of the risk I would not have +missed it for the world; so, taking as steady an +aim as was possible in the circumstances, I pulled +the trigger. Instantly the shaggy head +disappeared from view, and such a succession of +angry roars and growls came up out of the +bushes that I was fairly startled, and felt keenly +anxious to finish him off before he could charge +out and cover the short distance which separated +us. I therefore fired half a dozen shots into the +bushes at the spot where I imagined he lay, and +soon the growling and commotion ceased, and +all was still. I was confident the brute was +dead, so I called up one of the men to stay and +watch the place, while I again rushed off at full +speed -- jumping over such rocks and bushes as +came in my way -- to have a shot at a lioness +that was still in sight. + +By this time my followers numbered about +thirty men, as when one is hunting in these plains +natives seem to spring from nowhere in the most +mysterious manner, and attach themselves to one +in the hope of obtaining same portion of the +kill. By signal I ordered them to advance in +line on the thicket in which the lioness had just +taken refuge, while I took up my position on one +side, so as to obtain a good shot when she broke +covert. The line of natives shouting their native +cries and striking their spears together soon +disturbed her, and out she sprang into the open, +making for a clump of rushes close to the river. +Unfortunately she broke out at the most +unfavourable spot from my point of view, as some +of the natives masked my fire, and I had +consequently to wait until she got almost to the +edge of the rushes. Whether or not I hit her +then I cannot say; at any rate, she made good +her escape into the reeds, where I decided to +leave her until Brock should arrive. + +I now retraced my steps towards the spot +where I had shot the lion, expecting, of course, +to find the man I had told to watch him still +on guard. To my intense vexation, however, +I found that my sentry had deserted his post +and had joined the other men of the party, +having become frightened when left by himself. +The result of his disobedience was that now +I could not tell where lay the dead lion -- or, +rather, the lion which I believed to be dead; but +I had no intention of losing so fine a trophy, so +I began a systematic search, dividing the jungle +into strips, and thus going over the whole place +thoroughly. The task of finding him, however, +was not so easy as might be thought; the chase +after the lioness had taken us some distance +from where I had shot him, and as there were +numbers of trees about similar to that under +which he fell, it was really a very difficult matter +to hit upon the right place. At last one of the +men sang out joyfully that he had found the lion +at the same time running away from the spot as +hard as ever he could. A number of those +nearest to him, both Indians and natives, had +more courage or curiosity, and went up to have a +look at the beast. I shouted to them as I +hurried along to be careful and not to go too +near, in case by any chance he might not be +dead; but they paid little heed to the warning, +and by the time I got up, some half-dozen of +them were gathered in a group at the lion's tail, +gesticulating wildly and chattering each in his +own language, and all very pleased and excited. +On getting near I asked if the lion was dead, +and was told that he was nearly so, but that he +still breathed. He was lying at full length on +his side, and when I saw him at close quarters I +was more delighted than I can tell, for he was +indeed a very fine specimen. For a moment or +two I stood with the group of natives, admiring +him. He still breathed regularly, as his flanks +heaved with each respiration; but as he lay +absolutely still with all the men jabbering within +a yard of him, I assumed that he was on the +point of death and unable to rise. Possessed +with this belief, I very foolishly allowed my +curiosity to run away with my caution, and +stepped round to have a look at his head. The +moment I came into his view, however, he +suddenly became possessed of a diabolical ferocity. +With a great roar he sprang to his feet, as if he +were quite unhurt; his eyes blazed with fury, +and his lips were drawn well back, exposing +his tusks and teeth in a way I hope never to +witness again. When this perilous situation so +unexpectedly developed itself, I was not more +than three paces away from him. + +The instant the lion rose, all the men fled as +if the Evil One himself were after them, and +made for the nearest trees -- with one exception, +for as I took a step backwards, keeping my eye +on the infuriated animal, I almost trod on Roshan +Khan, who had still remained close behind me. +Fortunately for me, I had approached the lion's +head with my rifle ready, and as I stepped back +I fired. The impact of the .303 bullet threw +him back on his haunches just as he was in the +act of springing, but in an instant he was up +again and coming for me so quickly that I had +not even time to raise my rifle to my shoulder, +but fired point blank at him from my hip, delaying +him for a second or so as before. He was up +again like lightning, and again at the muzzle +of my rifle; and this time I thought that nothing +on earth could save me, as I was almost within +his clutches. Help came from an unexpected +and unconscious quarter, for just at this critical +moment Roshan Khan seemed all at once to +realise the danger of the situation, and suddenly +fled for his life, screaming and shrieking with all +his might. Beyond all question this movement +saved me, for the sight of something darting away +from him diverted the lion's attention from me, +and following his natural instinct, he gave chase +instead to the yelling fugitive. + +Roshan Khan having thus unwittingly rescued +me from my perilous position, it now became my +turn to do all I could to save him, if this were +possible. In far less time than it takes to tell the +story, I had swung round after the pursuing lion, +levelled my rifle and fired; but whether because +of the speed at which he was going, or because +of my over-anxiety to save my "boy", I missed +him completely, and saw the bullet raise the +dust at the heels of a flying Masai. Like lightning +I loaded again from the magazine, but now the +lion was within a spring of his prey, and it seemed +hopeless to expect to save poor Roshan Khan +from his clutches. Just at this moment, however, +the terrified youth caught sight of the brute +over his left shoulder, and providentially made +a quick swerve to the right. As the lion turned +to follow him, he came broadside on to me, and +just as he had Roshan Khan within striking +distance and was about to seize him, he dropped +in the middle of what would otherwise assuredly +have been the fatal spring -- bowled over with a +broken shoulder. This gave me time to run up +and give him a final shot, and with a deep roar +he fell back full length on the grass, +stone-dead. + +I then looked round to see if Roshan Khan +was all right, as I was not sure whether the lion +had succeeded in mauling him or not. The sight +that met my eyes turned tragedy into comedy +in an instant, and made me roar with laughter; +indeed, it was so utterly absurd that I threw +myself down on the grass and rolled over and +over, convulsed with uncontrollable mirth. For +there was Roshan Khan, half-way up a thorn tree, +earnestly bent on getting to the very topmost +branch as quickly as ever he could climb; not +a moment, indeed, was he able to spare to cast +a glance at what was happening beneath. His +puggaree had been torn off by one thorn, and +waved gracefully in the breeze; a fancy waistcoat +adorned another spiky branch, and his long white +cotton gown was torn to ribbons in his mad +endeavour to put as great a distance as possible +between himself and the dead lion. As soon as +I could stop laughing, I called out to him to come +down, but quite in vain. There was no stopping +him, indeed, until he had reached the very top +of the tree; and even then he could scarcely be +induced to come down again. Poor fellow, he +had been thoroughly terrified, and little wonder. + +My followers now began to emerge from the +shelter of the various trees and bushes where +they had concealed themselves after their wild +flight from the resuscitated lion, and crowded +round his dead body in the highest spirits. The +Masai, especially, seemed delighted at the way in +which he had been defeated, and to my surprise +and amusement proved themselves excellent +mimics, some three or four of them beginning at +once to act the whole adventure. One played +the part of the lion and jumped growling at a +comrade, who immediately ran backwards just +as I had done, shouting "Ta, Ta, Ta" and +cracking his fingers to represent the rifle-shots. +Finally the whole audience roared with delight +when another bolted as fast as he could to +Roshan Khan's tree with the pseudo lion roaring +after him. At the end of these proceedings up +came Brock, who had been attracted to the place +by the sound of the firing. He was much +astonished to see my fine dead lion lying stretched +out, and his first remark was, "You are a lucky +beggar!" Afterwards, when he heard the full +story of the adventure, he rightly considered me +even more lucky than he had first thought. + +Our next business was to go back to the lioness +which I had first shot and left for dead. Like +her mate, however, she was still very much alive +when we reached her, so I stalked carefully +up to a neighbouring tree, from whose shelter +I gave her the finishing shot. We then left +Mahina and the other men to skin the two +beasts, and went on to the rushes where the +second lioness had taken cover. Here all our +efforts to turn her out failed, so we reluctantly +abandoned the chase and were fated to see no +more lions that day. + +Our only other adventure was with a stolid +old rhino, who gave me rather a fright and induced +Brock to indulge in some lively exercise. +Separated by about a hundred yards or so, we +were walking over the undulating ground a short +distance from the river, when, on gaining the top +of a gentle rise, I suddenly came upon the ungainly +animal as it lay wallowing in a hollow. It +jumped to its feet instantly and came for where I +stood, and as I had no wish to shoot it, I made a +dash for cover round the knoll. On reaching the +top of the rise, the rhino winded my companion +and at once changed its direction and made for +him. Brock lost no time in putting on his best +pace in an endeavour to reach the shelter of a +tree which stood some distance off, while I sat +down and watched the exciting race. I thought +it would be a pretty close thing, but felt confident +that Brock, who was very active, would manage +to pull it off. When he got about half-way to +the tree, however, he turned to see how far his +pursuer was behind, and in doing so put his foot in +a hole in the ground, and to my horror fell head +over heels, his rifle flying from his grasp. I +expected the great brute to be on him in a +moment, but to my intense relief the old rhino +stopped dead when he saw the catastrophe +which had taken place, and then, failing (I suppose) +to understand it, suddenly made off in the opposite +direction as hard as he could go. In the +meantime Brock had got to his feet again, and raced +for dear life to the tree without ever looking +round. It was a most comical sight, and I +sat on the rise and for the second time that +day laughed till my sides ached. + +After this we returned to the scene of my +morning's adventure, where we found that the +invaluable Mahina had finished skinning the two +lions. We accordingly made our way back to +camp with our trophies, all of us, with perhaps +the exception of Roshan Khan, well satisfied with +the day's outing. Whenever afterwards I wanted +to chaff this "boy", I had only to ask whether +he would like to come and see some more shikar. +He would then look very solemn, shake his head +emphatically and assure me "Kabhi nahin, Sahib" +("Never again, Sir"). + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A SUCCESSFUL LION HUNT + + + +When the Athi river had been bridged, the +section of the line to Nairobi was pushed forward +as rapidly as possible, and from dawn to dark +we all exerted ourselves to the very utmost. +One day (May 28) the weather was exceptionally +hot, and I had been out in the broiling sun ever +since daylight superintending the construction +of banks and cuttings and the erection of temporary +bridges. On returning to my hut, therefore, at +about three o'clock in the afternoon, I threw +myself into a long deck chair, too tired for +anything beyond a long cool drink. Here I +rested for an hour or so, amused by the bustle at +the small wayside station we had just built, and +idly watching our tiny construction engine forging +its way, with a great deal of clanking and puffing, +up a steep gradient just across the river. It +was touch-and-go whether it would manage to +get its heavy load of rails and sleepers to the top +of the incline or not, and I became so interested +in the contest between steam and friction and +gravity, that I did not notice that a visitor had +approached and was standing quietly beside me. + +On hearing the usual salutation, however, I +turned round and saw a lean and withered half-bred +Masai, clothed in a very inadequate piece of +wildebeeste hide which was merely slipped under +the left arm and looped up in a knot over the +right shoulder. He stood for a moment with the +right hand held out on a level with his shoulder, +the fingers extended and the palm turned towards +me -- all indicating that he came on a friendly +visit. I returned his salutation, and asked him +what he wanted. Before answering, he dropped +down on his heels, his old bones cracking as he +did so. "I want to lead the Great Master to two +lions," he said; "they have just killed a zebra and +are now devouring it." On hearing this I +straightway forgot that I had already done a +hard day's work in the full blaze of an equatorial +sun; I forgot that I was tired and hungry; in +fact, I forgot everything that was not directly +connected with the excitement of lion-hunting. +Even the old savage at my feet grinned when +he saw how keen I was about it. I plied him +with questions -- were they both lions or lionesses? +had they manes? how far away were they? and +so on. Naturally, to the last question he was +bound to answer "M'bali kidogo." Of course +they were not far away; nothing ever is to a native +of East Africa. However, the upshot was that +in a very few minutes I had a mule saddled, and +with the old Masai as guide, started off +accompanied by my faithful Mahina and another +coolie to help to bring home the skin if I +should prove successful. I also left word for my +friend Spooner, the District Engineer, who +happened to be absent from camp just at the +moment, that I had gone after two lions, but +hoped to be back by nightfall. + +We travelled at a good pace, and within an +hour had covered fully six miles; still there was +no sign of lions. On the way we were joined +by some Wa Kamba, even more scantily attired +than our guide, and soon a dispute arose between +these hangers-on and the old Masai, who refused +to allow them to accompany us, as he was afraid +that they would seize all the zebra-meat that the +lions had not already eaten. However, I told him +not to bother, but to hurry up and show me the +lions, and that I would look after him all right. +Eventually, on getting to the low crest of one of +the long swells in the ground, our guide extended +a long skinny finger and said proudly, "Tazama, +Bwana" ("See, Master"). I looked in the +direction in which he pointed, and sure enough, +about six hundred yards off were a lion and a +lioness busily engaged on the carcase of a zebra. +On using my field-glasses, I was amused to +observe a jackal in attendance on the pair. +Every now and then he would come too close to +the zebra, when the lion would make a short +rush at him and scare him away. The little jackal +looked most ridiculous, scampering off before the +huge beast with his tail well down; but no +sooner did the lion stop and return to his meal +than he crept nearer again. The natives say, +by the way, that a lion will eat every kind of +animal -- including even other lions -- except a +jackal or a hyena. I was also interested to +notice the way in which the lion got at the flesh +of the zebra; he took a short run at the body, +and putting his claws well into the skin, in this +manner tore off great strips of the hide. + +While I was thus studying the picture, my +followers became impatient at my inactivity, +and coming up to the top of the rise, showed +themselves on the sky-line. The lions saw them +at once, turning round and standing erect to stare +at them. There was not an atom of cover to +be seen, nor any chance of taking advantage +of the rolling ground, for it did not slope in +the required direction; so I started to walk in +the open in a sidelong direction towards the +formidable-looking pair. They allowed me to +come a hundred yards or so nearer them, and +then the lioness bolted, the lion following her at a +more leisurely trot. As soon as they left the +body of the zebra, my African following made a +rush for it, and began a fierce fight over the +remains, so that I had to restore order and leave +a coolie to see that our guide got the large +share, as he deserved. In the meantime the +lion, hearing the noise of the squabble, halted +on the crest of the hill to take a deliberate +look at me, and then disappeared over the brow. +I jumped on to my mule and galloped as hard as +I could after him, and luckily found the pair +still in sight when I reached the top of the rise. +As soon as they saw me following them up, +the lioness took covert in some long grass that +almost concealed her when she lay down, but +the lion continued to move steadily away. +Accordingly I made for a point which would +bring me about two hundred yards to the right +of the lioness, and which would leave a deep +natural hollow between us, so as to give me a +better chance, in the event of a charge, of +bowling her over as she came up the rise towards +me. I could plainly make out her light-coloured +form in the grass, and took careful aim and fired. +In an instant she was kicking on her back and +tossing about, evidently hard hit; in a few seconds +more she lay perfectly still, and I saw that she was +dead. + +I now turned my attention to the lion, who +meanwhile had disappeared over another rise. +By this time Mahina and the other Indian, with +three or four of the disappointed Wa Kamba, +had come up, so we started off in a body in +pursuit of him. I felt sure that he was lurking +somewhere in the grass not far off, and I knew +that I could depend upon the native eye to find +him if he showed so much as the tip of his ear. +Nor was I disappointed, for we had scarcely +topped the next rise when one of the Wa Kamba +spotted the dark brown head of the brute as he +raised it for an instant above the grass in order +to watch us. We pretended not to have seen +him, however, and advanced to within two hundred +yards or so, when, as he seemed to be getting +uneasy, I thought it best to risk a shot even at +this range. I put up the 200-yards sight and the +bullet fell short; but the lion never moved. +Raising the sight another fifty yards, I rested +the rifle on Mahina's back for the next shot, and +again missed; fortunately, however, the lion still +remained quiet. I then decided to put into +practice the scheme I had thought out the day I +sat astride the lion I had killed on the Kapiti +Plain: so I told all my followers to move off to the +right, taking the mule with them, and to make a +half-circle round the animal, while I lay motionless +in the grass and waited. The ruse succeeded +admirably, for as the men moved round so did +the lion, offering me at last a splendid shoulder +shot. I took very careful, steady aim and fired, +with the result that he rolled over and over, +and then made one or two attempts to get up but +failed. I then ran up to within a few yards of him, +and -- helpless as he was with a bullet through +both shoulders -- he was still game, and twist +round so as to face me, giving vent all the +time to savage growls. A final shot laid him +out, however, and we at once proceeded to skin +him. While we were busy doing this, one of the +Wa Kamba suddenly drew my attention to the +fact that we were actually being stalked at that +very moment by two other lions, who eventually +approached to within five hundred yards' distance +and then lay down to watch us skinning their +dead brother, their big shaggy heads rising every +now and again above the grass to give us a +prolonged stare. At the time I little knew what +a stirring adventure was in store for me next +day while in pursuit of these same brutes. + +It was almost dark when the skinning process +was finished, so without delay we started on our +way back to camp, which was about seven miles +off. The lioness I thought I should leave to be +skinned the next day; but the men I sent out +to do the job on the morrow were unable to find +any trace of her -- they probably missed the +place where she lay, for I am sure that I killed +her. It was a good two hours after night had +fallen before we got anywhere near the +railway, and the last few miles I was obliged to +do by the guidance of the stars. Tramping over +the plain on a pitch-dark night, with lions and +rhino all about, was by no means pleasant work +and I heartily wished myself and my men safely +back in camp. Indeed, I was beginning to +think that I must have lost my bearings and +was getting anxious about it, when to my relief I +heard a rifle shot about half a mile ahead of us. +I guessed at once that it was fired by my good +friend Spooner in order to guide me, so I gave +a reply signal; and on getting to the top of +the next rise, I saw the plain in front of me all +twinkling with lights. When he found that I had +not returned by nightfall, Spooner had become +nervous about me, and fearing that I had met +with some mishap, had come out with a number of +the workmen in camp to search for me in the +direction I had taken in the afternoon. He +was delighted to find me safe and sound and +with a lion's skin as a trophy, while I was equally +glad to have his escort and company back to +camp, which was still over a mile away. + +When we had settled down comfortably to +dinner that night, I fired Spooner's sporting +ardour by telling him of the fine pair of lions who +had watched us skinning their companion, and we +agreed at once to go out next day and try to +bag them both. Spooner and I had often had +many friendly arguments in regard to the +comparative courage of the lion and the tiger, he +holding the view that "Stripes" was the more +formidable foe, while I, though admitting to the +full-the courage of the tiger, maintained from lively +personal experience that the lion when once roused +was unequalled for pluck and daring, and was in +fact the most dangerous enemy one could meet +with. He may at times slink off and not show +fight; but get him in the mood, or wound him, +and only his death or yours will end the fray -- +that, at least, was my experience of East African +lions. I think that Spooner has now come round +to my opinion, his conversion taking place the next +day in a very melancholy manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +BHOOTA'S LAST SHIKAR + + + +Long after I had retired to rest that night I lay +awake listening to roar answering roar in every +direction round our camp, and realised that we +were indeed in the midst of a favourite haunt of +the king of beasts. It is one thing to hear a lion +in captivity, when one knows he is safe behind +iron bars; but quite another to listen to him when +he is ramping around in the vicinity of one's +fragile tent, which with a single blow he could +tear to pieces. Still, all this roaring was of +good omen for the next day's sport. + +According to our over-night arrangement, we +were up betimes in the morning, but as there was +a great deal of work to be done before we could +get away, it was quite midday before we made +ready to start. I ought to mention before going +further that as a rule Spooner declined my company +on shooting trips, as he was convinced that I +should get "scuppered" sooner or later if I +persisted in going after lions with a "popgun," as +he contemptuously termed my .303. Indeed, this +was rather a bone of contention between us, he +being a firm believer (and rightly) in a heavy, +weapon for big and dangerous game, while I +always did my best to defend the .303 which I +was in the habit of using. On this occasion +we effected a compromise for the day, I accepting +the loan of his spare 12-bore rifle as a second +gun in case I should get to close quarters. But +my experience has been that it is always a very +dangerous thing to rely on a borrowed gun or +rifle, unless it has precisely the same action as +one's own; and certainly in this instance it almost +proved disastrous. + +Having thus seen to our rifles and ammunition +and taken care also that some brandy was put in +the luncheon-basket in case of an accident, we +set off early in the afternoon in Spooner's tonga, +which is a two-wheeled cart with a hood over it. +The party consisted of Spooner and myself, +Spooner's Indian shikari Bhoota, my own gun-boy +Mahina, and two other Indians, one of whom, +Imam Din, rode in the tonga, while the other led +a spare horse called "Blazeaway." Now it may +seem a strange plan to go lion-hunting in a tonga, +but there is no better way of getting about country +like the Athi Plains, where -- so long as it is dry -- +there is little or nothing to obstruct wheeled +traffic. Once started, we rattled over the smooth +expanse at a good rate, and on the way bagged a +hartebeeste and a couple of gazelle, as fresh meat +was badly needed in camp; besides, they offered +most tempting shots, for they stood stock-still +gazing at us, struck no doubt by the novel +appearance of our conveyance. Next we came +upon a herd of wildebeeste, and here we allowed +Bhoota, who was a wary shikari and an old servant +of Spooner's, to stalk a solitary bull. He was +highly pleased at this favour, and did the job +admirably. + +At last we reached the spot where I had seen +the two lions on the previous day -- a slight +hollow, covered with long grass; but there was +now no trace of them to be discovered, so we +moved further on and had another good beat +round. After some little time the excitement +began by our spying the black-tipped ears of a +lioness projecting above the grass, and the next +moment a very fine lion arose from beside her +and gave us a full view of his grand head and +mane. After staring fixedly at us in an inquiring +sort of way as we slowly advanced upon them, +they both turned and slowly trotted off, the lion +stopping every now and again to gaze round in +our direction. Very imposing and majestic he +looked, too, as he thus turned his great shaggy +head defiantly towards us, and Spooner had to +admit that it was the finest sight he had ever seen. +For a while we followed them on foot; but finding +at length that they were getting away from us +and would soon be lost to sight over a bit of +rising ground, we jumped quickly into the tonga +and galloped round the base of the knoll so as +to cut off their retreat, the excitement of the +rough and bumpy ride being intensified a hundred-fold +by the probability of our driving slap into +the pair on rounding the rise. On getting to +the other side, however, they were nowhere to +be seen, so we drove on as hard as we could +to the top, whence we caught sight of them about +four hundred yards away. As there seemed to +be no prospect of getting nearer we decided to +open fire at this range, and at the third shot the +lioness tumbled over to my .303. At first I +thought I had done for her, as for a few minutes +she lay on the ground kicking and struggling; +but in the end, although evidently badly hit, she +rose to her feet and followed the lion, who had +escaped uninjured, into some long grass from +which we could not hope to dislodge them. + +As it was now late in the afternoon, and as there +seemed no possibility of inducing the lions to +leave the thicket in which they had concealed +themselves, we turned back towards camp, +intending to come out again the next day to track the +wounded lioness. I was now riding "Blazeaway" +and was trotting along in advance of the +tonga, when suddenly he shied badly at a hyena, +which sprang up out of the grass almost from +beneath his feet and quickly scampered off. I +pulled up for a moment and sat watching the +hyena's ungainly bounds, wondering whether he +were worth a shot. Suddenly I felt "Blazeaway" +trembling violently beneath me, and on +looking over my left shoulder to discover the +reason, I was startled to see two fine lions not +more than a hundred yards away, evidently the +pair which I had seen the day before and which +we had really come in search of. They looked +as if they meant to dispute our passage, for they +came slowly towards me for about ten yards or +so and then lay down, watching me steadily all +the time. I called out to Spooner, "Here are +the lions I told you about," and he whipped up +the ponies and in a moment or two was beside +me with the tonga. + +By this time I had seized my .303 and +dismounted, so we at once commenced a cautious +advance on the crouching lions, the arrangement +being that Spooner was to take the right-hand +one and I the other. We had got to within sixty +yards' range without incident and were just about +to sit down comfortably to "pot" them, when +they suddenly surprised us by turning and bolting +off. I managed, however, to put a bullet into +the one I had marked just as he crested a bank, +and he looked very grand as he reared up against +the sky and clawed the air on feeling the lead. +For a second or two he gave me the impression +that he was about to charge; but luckily he +changed his mind and followed his companion, +who had so far escaped scot free. I immediately +mounted "Blazeaway" and galloped off in hot +pursuit, and after about half a mile of very stiff +going got up with them once more. Finding +now that they could not get away, they halted; +came to bay and then charged down upon me, +the wounded lion leading. I had left my rifle +behind, so all I could do was to turn and fly as +fast as "Blazeaway" could go, praying inwardly +the while that he would not put his foot into a +hole. When the lions saw that they were unable +to overtake me, they gave up the chase and lay +down again, the wounded one being about two +hundred yards in front of the other. At once I +pulled up too, and then went back a little way, +keeping a careful eye upon them; and I continued +these tactics of riding up and down at a respectful +distance until Spooner came up with the rifles, +when we renewed the attack. + +As a first measure I thought it advisable to +disable the unhurt lion if possible, and, still using the +.303, I got him with the second shot at a range +of about three hundred yards. He seemed badly +hit, for he sprang into the air and apparently fell +heavily. I then exchanged my .303 for Spooner's +spare 12-bore rifle, and we turned our attention +to the nearer lion, who all this time had been +lying perfectly still, watching our movements +closely, and evidently just waiting to be down +upon us the moment we came within charging +distance. He was never given this opportunity, +however, for we did not approach nearer than +ninety yards, when Spooner sat down +comfortably and knocked him over quite dead with one +shot from his .577, the bullet entering the left +shoulder obliquely and passing through the +heart. + +It was now dusk, and there was no time to be +lost if we meant to bag the second lion as well. +We therefore resumed our cautious advance, +moving to the right, as we went, so as to get +behind us what light there was remaining. The +lion of course twisted round in the grass in such +a way as always to keep facing us, and looked +very ferocious, so that I was convinced that +unless he were entirely disabled by the first shot +he would be down on us like a whirlwind. All +the same, I felt confident that, even in this event, +one of us would succeed in stopping him before +he could do any damage; but in this I was +unfortunately to be proved mistaken. + +Eventually we managed to get within eighty +yards of the enraged animal, I being about five +yards to the left front of Spooner, who was +followed by Bhoota at about the same distance to +his right rear. By this time the lion was beside +himself with fury, growling savagely and raising +quite a cloud of dust by lashing his tail against +the ground. It was clearly high time that we +did something, so asking Spooner to fire, +dropped on one knee and waited. Nor was I +kept long in suspense, for the moment Spooner's +shot rang out, up jumped the lion and charged +down in a bee-line for me, coming in long, low +bounds at great speed. I fired the right barrel +at about fifty yards, but apparently missed; the +left at about half that range, still without stopping +effect. I knew then that there was no time +reload, so remained kneeling, expecting him to be +on me the next moment. Suddenly, just as he +was within a bound of me, he made a quick +turn, to my right. "Good heavens," I thought, +"he is going for Spooner." I was wrong in this, +however, for like a flash he passed Spooner also, +and with a last tremendous bound seized Bhoota +by the leg and rolled over and over with him for +some yards in the impetus of the rush. Finally +he stood over him and tried to seize him by +the throat, which the brave fellow prevented +by courageously stuffing his left arm right into +the great jaws. Poor Bhoota! By moving at +the critical moment, he had diverted the lion's +attention from me and had drawn the whole +fury of the charge on to himself. + +All this, of course, happened in only a second +or two. In the short instant that intervened, I +felt a cartridge thrust into my hand by Spooner's +plucky servant, Imam Din, who had carried the +12-bore all day and who had stuck to me gallantly +throughout the charge; and shoving it in, I +rushed as quickly as I could to Bhoota's rescue. +Meanwhile, Spooner had got there before me and +when I came up actually had his left hand on the +lion's flank, in a vain attempt to push him off +Bhoota's prostrate body and so get at the heavy +rifle which the poor fellow still stoutly clutched. +The lion, however, was so busily engaged +mauling +Bhoota's arm that +he paid not the +slightest attention +to Spooner's efforts. +Unfortunately, as +he was facing +straight in +my direction, I had to move +up in full view +of him, and the +moment I reached +his head, he stopped chewing the arm, though +still holding it in his mouth, and threw himself +back on his haunches, preparing for a spring, +at the same time curling back his lips and +exposing his long tusks in a savage snarl. I +knew then that I had not a moment to spare, so +I threw the rifle up to my shoulder and pulled +the trigger. Imagine my utter despair and horror +when it did not go off! "Misfire again," I thought, +and my heart almost stopped beating. As +took a step backwards, I felt it was all over no +for he would never give me time to extract the +cartridge and load again. Still I took another +step backwards, keeping my eyes fixed on the +lion's, which were blazing with rage; and in the +middle of my third step, just as the brute was +gathering himself for his spring, it suddenly +struck me that in my haste and excitement, I had +forgotten that I was using a borrowed rifle and +had not pulled back the hammer (my own was +hammerless). To do this and put a bullet through +the lion's brain was then the work of a moment; +and he fell dead instantly right on the top of +Bhoota. + +We did not lose a moment in rolling his great +carcase off Bhoota's body and quickly forced opening +the jaws so as to disengage the mangled arm +which still remained in his mouth. By this time +the poor shikari was in a fainting condition, and +we flew to the tonga for the brandy flask which we +had so providentially brought with us. On making +a rough examination of the wounded man, we +found that his left arm and right leg were both +frightfully mauled, the latter being broken as +well. He was lifted tenderly into the tonga -- how +thankful we now were to have it with us! -- and +Spooner at once set off with him to camp and +the doctor. + +Before following them home I made a hasty +examination of the dead lion and found him to be +a very good specimen in every way. I was +particularly satisfied to see that one of the two +shots I had fired as he charged down upon me +had taken effect. The bullet had entered below +the right eye, and only just missed the brain. +Unfortunately it was a steel one which Spooner +had unluckily brought in his ammunition bag by +mistake; still one would have thought that a +shot of this kind, even with a hard bullet, would +at least have checked the lion for the moment. +As a matter of fact, however, it went clean +through him without having the slightest stopping +effect. My last bullet, which was of soft lead, +had entered close to the right eye and embedded +itself in the brain. By this time it had grown +almost dark, so I left the two dead lions where +they lay and rode for camp, which I was lucky +enough to reach without further adventure or +mishap. I may mention here that early next +morning two other lions were found devouring +the one we had first shot; but they had not had +time to do much damage, and the head, which I +have had mounted, makes a very fine trophy +indeed. The lion that mauled Bhoota was +untouched. + +On my arrival in camp I found that everything +that was possible was being done for poor Bhoota +by Dr. McCulloch, the same who had travelled up +with me to Tsavo and shot the ostrich from the +train on my first arrival in the country, and +who was luckily on the spot. His wounds had +been skilfully dressed, the broken leg put in +splints, and under the influence of a soothing +draught the poor fellow was soon sleeping +peacefully. At first we had great hope of saving +both life and limb, and certainly for some days +he seemed to be getting on as well as could +be expected. The wounds, however, were very +bad ones, especially those on the leg where the +long tusks had met through and through the flesh, +leaving over a dozen deep tooth marks; the arm, +though dreadfully mauled, soon healed. It was +wonderful to notice how cheerfully the old shikari, +bore it all, and a pleasure to listen to his tale +of how he would have his revenge on the whole +tribe of lions as soon as he was able to get about +again. But alas, his shikar was over. The leg +got rapidly worse, and mortification setting in, +it had to be amputated half way up the thigh. + +Dr. Winston Waters performed the operation +most skilfully, and curiously enough the operating +table was canopied with the skin of the lion which +had been responsible for the injury. Bhoota made +a good recovery from the operation, but seemed +to lose heart when he found that he had only one +leg left, as according to his ideas he had now but +a poor chance of being allowed to enter Heaven. +We did all that was possible for him, and Spooner +especially could not have looked after a brother +more tenderly; but to our great sorrow he sank +gradually, and died on July 19. + +The hunt which had such a disastrous sequel +proved to be the last occasion on which I met a +lion in the open, as we got out of the hunting +country shortly afterwards and for the rest of +my stay in East Africa I had too much work +to do to be able to go any distance in search of +big game. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A MAN-EATER IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE + + + +Towards the end of my stay in British East +Africa, I dined one evening with Mr. Ryall, +the Superintendent of the Police, in his inspection +carriage on the railway. Poor Ryall! I little +thought then what a terrible fate was to overtake +him only a few months later in that very carriage +in which we dined. + +A man-eating lion had taken up his quarters at +a little roadside station called Kimaa, and had +developed an extraordinary taste for the members +of the railway staff. He was a most daring brute, +quite indifferent as to whether he carried off the +station-master, the signalman, or the pointsman; +and one night, in his efforts to obtain a meal, +he actually climbed up on to the roof of the +station buildings and tried to tear off the +corrugated-iron sheets. At this the terrified baboo in +charge of the telegraph instrument below sent the +following laconic message to the Traffic Manager: +"Lion fighting with station. Send urgent succour." +Fortunately he was not victorious in his "fight +with the station"; but he tried so hard to get in +that he cut his feet badly on the iron sheeting, +leaving large blood-stains on the roof. Another +night, however, he succeeded in carrying off the +native driver of the pumping-engine, and soon +afterwards added several other victims to his list. +On one occasion an engine-driver arranged to sit +up all night in a large iron water-tank in the hope +of getting a shot at him, and had a loop-hole cut in +the side of the tank from which to fire. But as +so often happens, the hunter became the hunted; +the lion turned up in the middle of the night, +overthrew the tank and actually tried to drag +the driver out through the narrow circular hole +in the top through which he had squeezed in. +Fortunately the tank was just too deep for the +brute to be able to reach the man at the bottom; +but the latter was naturally half paralysed with +fear and had to crouch so low down as to be +unable to take anything like proper aim. He +fired, however, and succeeded in frightening the +lion away for the time being. + +It was in a vain attempt to destroy this pest +that poor Ryall met his tragic and untimely end. +On June 6, 1900, he was travelling up in his +inspection carriage from Makindu to Nairobi, +accompanied by two friends, Mr. Huebner and +Mr. Parenti. When they reached Kimaa, which +is about two hundred and fifty miles from Mombasa, +they were told that the man-eater had been seen +close to the station only a short time before +their train arrived, so they at once made up +their minds to remain there for the night and +endeavour to shoot him. Ryall's carriage was +accordingly detached from the train and shunted +into a siding close to the station, where, owing +to the unfinished state of the line, it did not +stand perfectly level, but had a pronounced list +to one side. In the afternoon the three friends +went out to look for the lion, but, finding no +traces of him whatever, they returned to the +carriage for dinner. Afterwards they all sat +up on guard for some time; but the only +noticeable thing they saw was what they took to +be two very bright and steady glow-worms. +After-events proved that these could have been nothing +else than the eyes of the man-eater steadily +watching them all the time and studying their every +movement. The hour now growing late, and there +being apparently no sign of the lion, Ryall +persuaded his two friends to lie down, while he +kept the first watch. Huebner occupied the high +berth over the table on the one side of the +carriage, the only other berth being on the opposite +side of the compartment and lower down. This +Ryall offered to Parenti, who declined it, saying +that he would be quite comfortable on the floor +and he accordingly lay down to sleep, with his +feet towards the sliding door which gave admission +the carriage. + +It is supposed that Ryall, after watching for +some considerable time, must have come to the +conclusion that the lion was not going to make +its appearance that night, for he lay down on the +lower berth and dozed off. No sooner had he +done so, doubtless, than the cunning man-eater +began cautiously to stalk the three sleepers. In +order to reach the little platform at the end of the +carriage, he had to mount two very high steps +from the railway line, but these he managed +to negotiate successfully and in silence. The +door from this platform into the carriage was +a sliding one on wheels, which ran very easily +on a brass runner; and as it was probably not +quite shut, or at any rate not secured in any +way, it was an easy matter for the lion to thrust +in a paw and shove it open. But owing to the +tilt of the carriage and to his great extra weight +on the one side, the door slid to and snapped +into the lock the moment he got his body right +in, thus leaving him shut up with the three sleeping +me in the compartment. + + He sprang at once at Ryall, but in order to +reach him had actually to plant his feet on Parenti, +who, it will be remembered, was sleeping on the +floor. At this moment Huebner was suddenly +awakened by a loud cry, and on looking down +from his berth was horrified to see an enormous +lion standing with his hind feet on Parenti's body, +while his forepaws rested on poor Ryall. Small +wonder that he was panic-stricken at the sight. +There was only one possible way of escape, and +that was through the second sliding door +communicating with the servants' quarters, which +was opposite to that by which the lion had +entered. But in order to reach this door Huebner +had literally to jump on to the man-eater's back, +for its great bulk filled up all the space beneath +his berth. It sounds scarcely credible, but it +appears that in the excitement and horror of the +moment he actually did this, and fortunately +the lion was too busily engaged with his victim +to pay any attention to him. So he managed +to reach the door in safety; but there, to his +dismay, he found that it was held fast on the +other side by the terrified coolies, who had been +aroused by the disturbance caused by the lion's +entrance. In utter desperation he made frantic +efforts to open it, and exerting all his strength +at last managed to pull it back sufficiently far to +allow him to squeeze through, when the trembling +coolies instantly tied it up again with their +turbans. A moment afterwards a great crash was +heard, and the whole carriage lurched violently to +one side; the lion had broken through one of the +windows, carrying off poor Ryall with him. Being +now released, Parenti lost no time in jumping +through the window on the opposite side of the +carriage, and fled for refuge to one of the station +buildings; his escape was little short of miraculous, +as the lion had been actually standing on him as +he lay on the floor. The carriage itself was badly +shattered, and the wood-work of the window had +been broken to pieces by the passage of the lion +as he sprang through with his victim in his +mouth. + +All that can be hoped is that poor Ryall's death +was instantaneous. His remains were found next +morning about a quarter of a mile away in the +bush, and were taken to Nairobi for burial. I +am glad to be able to add that very shortly +afterwards the terrible brute who was responsible +for this awful tragedy was caught in an ingenious +trap constructed by one of the railway staff. He +was kept on view for several days, and then +shot. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +WORK AT NAIROBI + + + +Although the lion which caused poor Bhoota's +death was the last I managed to shoot in East +Africa, I saw several others afterwards while +travelling up and down the line at different times +on construction work. In particular, I remember +one very curious incident which happened early +on the morning of June 2, when I was travelling +towards Nairobi, accompanied by Dr. McCulloch. +The Doctor was going home on leave in the +course of a few days, and was bemoaning to me +his bad luck in never having shot or even seen a +lion all the time he had been in the country. We +were standing on the engine at the time, facing +each other, he with his back to the north. + +"My dear Mac," I said, "it is because you +don't look out for them." + +"Rubbish," he retorted; "I do nothing else +when I am out hunting." + +"Well," I replied, "are you really very anxious +to shoot one before you go home?" + +"I would rather get a lion than anything else +in the world," was the emphatic reply. + +"Very good, then. Sultan," I called to the +driver, "stop the engine." + +"Now, Mac," I continued, as the train was +quickly brought to a standstill, "here's a chance +for you. Just jump off and bag those two over +there." + +He turned round in blank astonishment and +could hardly believe his eyes when he saw two +fine lions only about two hundred yards off, busily +engaged in devouring a wildebeeste which they +had evidently just killed. I had spotted them +almost as soon as Mac had begun to talk of his +bad luck, and had only waited to tell him until we +got nearer, so as to give him a greater surprise. +He was off the engine in a second and made +directly for the two beasts. Just as he was about +to fire one of them bolted, so I called out to him +to shoot the other quickly before he too made +good his escape. This one was looking at us +over his shoulder with one paw on the dead +wildebeeste, and while he stood in this attitude +Mac dropped him with a bullet through the +heart. Needless to say he was tremendously +delighted with his success, and after the dead +lion had been carried to the train and propped +up against a carriage, I took a photograph of him +standing beside his fine trophy. + +Three days after this incident railhead reached +Nairobi, and I was given charge of the new +division of the line. Nairobi was to be the +headquarters of the Railway Administration, so there +was an immense amount of work to be done in +converting an absolutely bare plain, three hundred +and twenty-seven miles from the nearest place +where even a nail could be purchased, into a +busy railway centre. Roads and bridges had to +be constructed, houses and work-shops built, +turntables and station quarters erected, a water supply +laid on, and a hundred and one other things done +which go to the making of a railway township. +Wonderfully soon, however, the nucleus of the +present town began to take shape, and a thriving +"bazaar" sprang into existence with a mushroom-like +growth. In this, however, a case or two of +plague broke out before very long, so I gave the +natives and Indians who inhabited it an hour's +notice to clear out, and on my own responsibility +promptly burned the whole place to the ground. +For this somewhat arbitrary proceeding I was +mildly called over the coals, as I expected; but +all the same it effectually stamped out the plague, +which did not reappear during the time I was in +the country. + +With a little persuasion I managed to induce +several hundred of the Wa Kikuyu, in whose +country we now were, to come and work at +Nairobi, and very useful and capable they proved +themselves after a little training. They +frequently brought me in word that the shambas +(plantations, gardens) at the back of the hill on +which my camp was pitched were being destroyed +by elephants, but unfortunately I could never +spare time to go out in quest of them. On one +occasion, however, I passed the news on to my +friend, Dr. Winston Waters, with the result that +he had a most exciting adventure with a big bull +elephant. He set out in quest of the depredator, +and, guided by a few of the Wa Kikuyu, soon +came upon him hidden among some shady trees. +Waters was a great believer in a close shot, so +he stalked up to within a few yards of the animal +and then fired his .577, aiming for the heart. The +elephant responded by a prompt and determined +charge, and although Waters quickly let him have +the left barrel as well, it proved of no effect; and +on he came, screaming and trumpeting with rage. +There was nothing for it, therefore, but to fly for +dear life; so down a path raced Waters for all he +was worth, the elephant giving vigorous chase and +gaining rapidly. In a few seconds matters began +to look very serious for the sportsman, for the huge +monster was almost on him; but at the critical +moment he stepped on to the false cover of a +carefully-concealed game pit and disappeared +from view as if by magic. This sudden descent +of his enemy apparently into the bowels of the +earth so startled the elephant that he stopped +short in his career and made off into the jungle. +As for Waters, he was luckily none the worse for +his fall, as the pit was neither staked at the +bottom nor very deep; he soon scrambled out, +and, following up the wounded elephant, succeeded +in finishing him off without further trouble. + +Towards the end of 1899 I left for England. +A few days before I started all my Wa Kikuyu +"children", as they called themselves, came in +a body and begged to be taken with me. I +pictured to them the cold, wet climate of +England and its great distance from their native +land; but they assured me that these were +nothing to them, as they only wished to continue +my "children" and to go wherever I went. I +could hardly imagine myself arriving in London +with a body-guard of four hundred more or less +naked savages, but it was only with difficulty that +I persuaded them that they had better remain in +their own country. The ever-faithful Mahina, +my "boy" Roshan Khan, my honest chaukidar, +Meeanh, and a few other coolies who had been a +long time with me, accompanied me to the coast, +where they bade me a sorrowful farewell and left +for India the day before I sailed on my homeward +journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE FINDING OF THE NEW ELAND + + + +During the early part of last year (1906) I +revisited the scene of my former labours and +adventures on a shooting trip. Unfortunately the +train by which I travelled up from Mombasa +reached Tsavo at midnight, but all the same I +got out and prowled about as long as time would +permit, half wondering every moment if the +ghosts of the two man-eaters would spring at +me out of the bushes. I wanted very much to +spend a day or two in the old place, but my +companions were anxious to push on as quickly +as possible to better hunting-grounds. I took +the trouble, however, to wake them out of their +peaceful slumbers in order to point out to them, +by the pale moonlight, the strength and beauty +of the Tsavo bridge; but I fear this delicate little +attention was scarcely appreciated as it deserved. +Naturally I could not expect them, or anyone +else, to view the bridge quite from my point of +view; I looked on it as a child of mine, brought +up through stress and danger and troubles of all +kinds, but the ordinary traveller of course knows +nothing of this and doubtless thinks it only a +very commonplace and insignificant structure +indeed. + +We spent a few days at Nairobi, now a +flourishing town of some 6,000 inhabitants, +supplied with every modern comfort and luxury, +including a well laid-out race course; and after +a short trip to Lake Victoria Nyanza and +Uganda, we made our way back to the Eldama +Ravine, which lies some twenty miles north of +Landiani Station in the province of Naivasha. +Here we started in earnest on our big game +expedition, which I am glad to say proved to +be a most delightful and interesting one in every +way. The country was lovely, and the climate +cool and bracing. We all got a fair amount of +sport, our bag including rhino, hippo, waterbuck, +reedbuck, hartebeeste, wildebeeste, ostrich, +impala, oryx, roan antelope, etc.; but for the present +I must confine myself to a short account of how +I was lucky enough to shoot a specimen of an +entirely new race of eland. + +Our party of five, including one lady who rode +and shot equally straight, left the Eldama Ravine +on January 22, and trekked off in an easterly +direction across the Laikipia Plateau. As the +trail which we were to take was very little known +and almost impossible to follow without a guide, +Mr. Foaker, the District Officer at the Ravine, +very kindly procured us a reliable man -- a young +Uashin Gishu Masai named Uliagurma. But as +he could not speak a word of Swahili, we had +also to engage an interpreter, an excellent, cheery +fellow of the same tribe named Landaalu; and he +in his turn possessed a kinsman who insisted on +coming too, although he was no earthly use to us. +Our route took us through the Solai Swamp, over +the Multilo and Subu Ko Lultian ranges, and +across many unexpected rivers and streamlets. +On our first march I noticed that Uliagurma, +our kirongozi (guide), was suffering extremely, +though uncomplainingly, from earache, so I told +him to come to me when we got to camp and +I would see what I could do for him. Strange +to say, my doctoring proved most successful, and +Uliagurma was so grateful that he spread my +fame as a "medicine-man" far and wide among +the natives wherever we trekked. The +consequence was that men, women and children in +every state of disease and crippledom came and +besieged our camps, begging for some of the +magical dawa (medicine). I used to do what I +could, and only hope I did not injure many of +them; but it was heartrending to see some of the +quite hopeless cases I was expected to cure. + +After we had climbed the Subu Ko Lultian +and got a footing on the plateau, we pitched our +camp on the banks of the Angarua river, where +we found a big Masai kraal, the inhabitants of +which seemed much astonished at our sudden +appearance in their neighbourhood. They were +very friendly, however, and visited our camp in +swarms an hour or so after our arrival. Riding +my pony and accompanied by Landaalu as +interpreter, and my gun-bearer Juma, I returned +their call in the afternoon, when the elmorani +(warriors) gave for my entertainment an +exhibition of the gymnastic exercises which they +practise regularly in order more particularly to +strengthen their legs and render them supple. +After the performance I asked if there was any +game about and was told that some might be +found a few miles to the north of the kraal; so +I set out at once with Landaalu and Juma to +try my luck. It was a perfect afternoon, and +no sooner had I cleared the belt of scrub which +grew round the kraal, when by the aid of my +glasses I saw a herd of zebra and other game +away in the distance, feeding peacefully on the +rolling prairie. I made my way steadily towards +them, and noticed as I went that a couple of +eland were gradually drawing away from the rest +of the herd. I marked these for my own, and +carefully noting the direction they were taking, +I dismounted and made a detour round a rise +so as to lie in wait for them and cut them off. +My plan succeeded admirably, for the two fine +animals continued to come straight towards me +without suspicion, feeding quietly by the way. +When they got to within eighty yards or so, I +picked out the bigger head and was only waiting +for him to make a slight turn before pulling the +trigger, when bang went the heavy rifle of one of +my companions about half a mile away. In an +instant the two eland had bounded off, and I +decided not to risk a shot, in the hope that they +would soon settle down again and give me another +chance. + +Mentally blessing my friend for firing at this +untimely moment, I watched them make for a +belt of wood about a mile further on, hoping +against hope that they would remain on the near +side of it. No such luck, however, for they +plunged into it and were quickly swallowed up +out of my sight. Running to my pony, which +Landaalu had dexterously brought up, I galloped +in the direction of the spot in the trees where +the eland had disappeared; but imagine my +vexation when I found that I had to pull up +sharp on the edge of a nasty-looking swamp, +which at first sight appeared too boggy and +treacherous to attempt to cross. I rode up and +down it without being able to find anything like +a really safe crossing place, so in desperation I at +last determined to take the risk of crossing it +along an old rhino path where the reeds were +flattened down. My pony floundered bravely +through, and eventually succeeded in getting +safely to the other side. I then made my way +cautiously through the belt of trees, and was +relieved to find that it was only half a mile or +so broad. I dismounted as I neared the further +side, and, tying my pony to a tree, crept quietly +forward, expecting to see the eland not far off; +but to my disappointment there was no trace of +game of any kind on the whole wide stretch of +country that met my view. I therefore tried +another direction, and, taking a half turn to +my left, made my way carefully through some +open glades to the top of a little rise not +far off. + +The sight that now met my eyes fairly took +my breath away; for there, not three hundred +yards off and stalking placidly along at a slow +walk, was a herd of fully a hundred eland of all +ages and sizes. The rear of the column was +brought up by a magnificent old bull, and my +heart jumped for joy as I watched him from the +shelter of the bushes behind which I lay +concealed. The next thing to be done was to decide +on a plan of attack, and this had to be thought of +without loss of time, for the wind was blowing +from me almost in the direction of the eland, +who would certainly scent me very soon if I +did not get away. Quickly noting the +direction in which they were moving, I saw that +if all went well they ought to pass close to a +little hillock about a mile or so off; and if I +were very sharp about it, I thought I could make +a circuit through the wood and be on this rise, +in a good position for both wind and cover, +before the herd could reach it. Accordingly I +crept away with the object of finding my mount, +but to my delight -- just behind me and well +hidden -- stood the undefeated Landaalu, who in +some mysterious way had followed me up, found +the pony where I had left it tied to a tree, and +brought it on to me. With a bright grin on his +face he thrust the reins into my hand, and I was +up and galloping off in an instant. + +I soon discovered that I had further to go than +I expected, for I was forced to make a big detour +in order to keep out of sight of the herd; but on +halting once or twice and peeping through the +trees I saw that all was going well and that they +were still calmly moving on in the right direction. +The last quarter of a mile had to be negotiated +in the open, but I found that by lying flat down +on my pony's back I was completely hidden from +the advancing herd by an intervening swell in +the ground. In this manner I managed to get +unobserved to the lee of my hillock, where I +dismounted, threw the reins over a stump, and +crawled stealthily but as quickly as I could to +the top. I was in great doubt as to whether I +should be in time or not, but on peering, +hatless, over the crest, I was overjoyed to find the +whole herd just below me. One of the eland, +not twenty yards off, saw me at once, and stood +still to gaze at me in astonishment. It was a +female, however, so I took no notice of her, but +looked round to see if my great bull were +anywhere near. Yes, there he was; he had passed +the spot where I lay, but was not more than forty +yards off, moving in the same leisurely fashion as +when I first saw him. An instant later, he +noticed the general alarm caused by my +appearance, and stopped and turned half round to see +what was the matter. This gave me my +opportunity, so I fired, aiming behind the shoulder. +The way in which he jumped and kicked on +feeling the lead told me I had hit him hard, and I +got two more bullets into him from the magazine +of my .303 before he managed to gain the +shelter of a neighbouring thicket and was lost to +sight. In the meantime the whole herd had +thundered off at full gallop, disappearing in a few +minutes in a cloud of dust. + +I was confident that there would be little +difficulty in finding the wounded eland, and on +Landaalu coming up -- which, by the way, he did +almost immediately, for he was a wonderful goer +-- we started to make a rough search through the +thicket. Owing to the growing darkness, +however, we met with no success, so I decided to +return to camp, which was many miles away, and +to resume the quest at daybreak the following +morning. It turned out that we were even +further from home than I thought, and black night +came upon us before we had covered a quarter of +the distance. Fortunately the invaluable Landaalu +had discovered a good crossing over the swamp, +so we were able to press on at a good pace +without losing any time in overcoming the +obstacle. After an hour or so of hard travelling, +we were delighted to see a rocket go up, fired +by my friends to guide us on our way. Such a +sight is wonderfully cheering when one is far +away from camp, trudging along in the inky +darkness and none too certain of one's direction; +and a rocket equipment should invariably be +carried by the traveller in the wilds. Several +more were sent up before we got anywhere near +camp, and I remarked to Landaalu that we must +have gone a very long way after the eland. +"Long way," he replied; "why, Master, we +have been to Baringo!" This lake as a matter +of fact was fully fifty miles away. When finally +we arrived I fired the ardour of my companions +by relating the adventures of the afternoon and +telling them of the wonderful herd I had seen; +and it was at once agreed that we should stay +where we were for a day or two in the hope +of good sport being obtained. + +As soon as it was daylight the next morning +I sent out a party of our porters with full +instructions where to find my eland, which I was sure +must be lying somewhere in the thicket close to +the hill from where I had shot him; and very +shortly afterwards we ourselves made a start. +After a couple of hours' travelling we were lucky +enough to catch sight of a portion of the herd +of eland, when we dismounted and stalked them +carefully through the long grass. All of a sudden +one popped up its head unexpectedly about fifty +yards away. One of my companions +immediately levelled his rifle at it, but from where I +was I could see better than he that the head +was a poor one, and so called out to him not +to fire. The warning came too late, however, +for at that moment he pulled the trigger. It +was rather a difficult shot, too, as the body of +the animal could not be seen very well owing to +the height of the grass; still, as the head +instantly disappeared we hoped for the best and +ran up to the place, but no trace of the eland +could be found. Accordingly we pushed on again +and after a little rested for a short time under the +shade of some trees. We had gone about three +miles after resuming our search for game, when +one of the porters remembered that he had left +the water-bottle he was carrying at the trees +where we had halted, so he was sent back for it +with strict injunctions to make haste and to rejoin +us as quickly as possible. Curiously enough, this +trifling incident proved quite providential; for the +porter (whose name was Sabaki), after recovering +the water-bottle, found himself unable to trace us +through the jungle and accordingly struck home +for camp. On his way back he actually stumbled +over the dead body of the eland which I had shot +the previous day and which the search party I +had sent out in the morning had failed to find. +They were still looking for it close at hand, +however, so Sabaki hailed them and they at once +set to work to skin and cut up the animal, and +then carried it to the camp. + +Meanwhile, of course, we knew nothing of all +this, and continued our hunt for game. Shortly +after noon we had a light lunch, and while +we were eating it our guides, Uliagurma and +Landaalu, discovered a bees' nest in a fallen tree +and proceeded to try to extract the honey, of +which the Masai are very fond. This interference +was naturally strongly resented by the bees, and +soon the semi-naked youths ran flying past us +with the angry swarm in full pursuit. I laughed +heartily at Landaalu, and chaffed him unmercifully +for allowing himself, a Masai, to be put to flight +by a few bees. This the jolly fellow took very +good-humouredly, saying that if he only had a +jacket like mine he would soon go and get the +honey. I gave him my jacket at once, and a +most comical figure he cut in it, as it was very +short and he had practically nothing else on. +When the nest was properly examined, however, +it was found that the bees had eaten all the +honey; so after taking some photographs of +our guides at work among the bees we all +proceeded homewards, reaching camp about +dusk, with nothing to show for our long day's +hunt. + +We were met by Sabaki, who was in a great +state of excitement, and who started to explain +in very bad Swahili how he had come across the +dead eland. Misunderstanding what he said, I +told my friend that Sabaki had found the eland +which he had shot in the morning, and rejoiced +heartily with him at this piece of good luck. +On viewing the head, however, we could not +understand it, as it was very much bigger than +the one he had fired at; and it was not till +later in the evening when I visited Landaalu, +curled up at the camp fire, that the mystery was +explained. He greeted me by saying that after +all we had not gone to Baringo for nothing the +previous day, and on my asking him what he +meant he told me about the finding of the eland, +taking, it for granted that I knew it was mine. +I quickly called up Sabaki and after some trouble +got from him the whole story of how he had +found the body close to my little hillock and near +where my men were searching for it. So I broke +the truth gently to my friend, who at once +acknowledged my claim and congratulated me on +my good fortune. + +How great this good fortune was I did not +know till long after; but even then, when I came +to examine the head and skin carefully, I found +that they both differed materially from those of +any other eland that I had ever seen. For one +thing, there was no long tuft of hair on the +forehead, while from the lower corner of each +eye ran an incomplete white stripe similar to, +though smaller than, those found in the giant +eland. The sides of the forehead were of a +reddish colour, and on the lower part of the face +there was a much larger brown patch than is to +be seen on the ordinary eland. The striping on +the body was very slight, the chief markings +being three lines across the withers. On my +return to England in April. I sent the head to +Rowland Ward's to be set up, and while there it +was seen by Mr. R. Lydekker, F.R.S., of the +British Museum, the well-known naturalist and +specialist in big game, who wrote to tell me that +it possessed great zoological interest, as showing +the existence of a hitherto unknown race of eland. +Mr. Lydekker also contributed the following +notice describing the animal to The Field of +September 29, 1906: + + +"Considerable interest attaches to the head of +an eland, killed by Colonel J.H. Patterson in +Portuguese[1] East Africa, and set up by Mr. +Rowland Ward, on account of certain peculiarities +in colouring and markings, which indicate a +transition from the ordinary South African +animal in the direction of the giant eland +(Taurotragus derbianus) of the Bahr-el-Ghazal +district and West Africa. In the striped variety +(Taurotragus oryx livingstonianus) of the ordinary +South African eland, the whole middle line of +the face of the adult bull is uniformly dark, or +even blackish-brown, with a tuft of long bushy +hair on the forehead, and no white stripe from +the lower angle of the eye. On the other hand, +in the Sudani form of the giant eland (T. +derbianus gigas), as represented by a bull figured by +Mr. Rothschild in Novitates Zoologicae for 1905, +the upper part of the face has the hair rufous +and shorter than in the ordinary eland, while +from the lower angle of each eye a white stripe +runs inwards and downwards, recalling the white +chevron of the kudu, although the two stripes do +not meet in the middle line. + +"In Colonel Patterson's eland (which may well +be designated T. oryx pattersonianus) there is an +incomplete white chevron similar to, although +rather smaller than, the one found in the giant +eland, while only a narrow stripe in the middle +line of the face, above and between the eyes, is +dark-brown, the sides of the forehead being +rufous. On the lower part of the face there is +a larger dark-brown area than in the ordinary +eland, although there is a rufous fawn-coloured +patch on each side above the nostril. In both +the latter respects Colonel Patterson's specimen +recalls the giant eland, although it apparently +lacks the dark white-bordered band on the side +of the neck, characteristic of the latter. If all +the elands from that part of Portuguese East +Africa where Colonel Patterson's specimen was +obtained turn out to be of the same type, there +will be a strong presumption that the true and +the giant eland, like the various local forms of +giraffe and bonte-quagga, are only races of one +and the same species. While, even if the present +specimen be only a 'sport' (which I consider +unlikely), it will serve to show that the southern +and northern elands are more nearly related than +has hitherto been supposed." + +1 In error for "British." + + +As my eland thus proved to be of some +considerable scientific value, and as the authorities +of the British Museum expressed a desire to +possess its head, I gladly presented it to the +Trustees, so that all sportsmen and naturalists +might have an opportunity of seeing it at the +Natural History Museum at South Kensington, +where it now is. + + +APPENDIX + +I. + +SPORTSMEN who think of visiting British East Africa +on a shooting trip may be glad of a few general hints +on points of interest and importance. + +The battery, to be sufficient for all needs, should +consist of a .450 express, a .303 sporting rifle, and a +12-bore shot gun; and I should consider 250 rounds +of .450 (50 hard and 200 soft), 300 rounds of .303 (100 +hard and 200 soft), and 500 12-bore shot cartridges of +say, the 6 and 8 sizes, sufficient for a three months' trip. +Leather bandoliers to carry 50 each of these different +cartridges would also prove very useful. + +A couple of hundred rockets of various colours should +certainly be taken, as they are invaluable for signalling +to and from camp after dark. These can be obtained +so as to fire from a 12-bore shot gun or from a short +pistol, and some should always be left with the camp +neopara (Headman) for use as occasion requires. + +The rifles, cartridges, and rockets should be consigned +to an agent in Mombasa, and sent off from London in +tin-lined cases at least a month before the sportsman +himself intends to start. It must be remembered that +the Customs House at Mombasa charges a 10 per cent +duty on the value of all articles imported, so that the +invoices should be preserved and produced for inspection. + +The hunter's kit should include a good pith +sunhat, a couple of suits of khaki, leather gaiters or a +couple of pairs of puttees, wash-leather gloves to protect +the hands from the sun, and two pairs of boots with +hemp soles; long Norwegian boots will also be found +very useful. The usual underclothing worn in England is +all that is required if the shooting is to be done in the +highlands. A good warm overcoat will be much +appreciated up-country in the cool of the evenings, and a light +mackintosh for wet weather ought also to be included. +For use in rocky or thorny country, a pair of knee and +elbow pads will be found invaluable, and those who +feel the sun should also provide themselves with a spine-protector. +The latter is a most useful article of kit, for +although the air may be pretty cool, the sun strikes down +very fiercely towards midday. A well-filled medicine +chest should of course not be forgotten. + +A good field glass, a hunting and skinning knife or +two, and a Kodak with about 200 films should also be +carried. With regard to the last item, I should strongly +advise all who intend to take photographs on their trip +to pay a visit to Mr. W.D. Young on arriving at Nairobi. +He is an enthusiastic photographer, and will gladly +give advice to all as to light and time of exposure; and +as these are the two points which require most attention, +hints from some one of experience in the country are +most useful. I myself am much indebted to Mr. +Young's kindly advice, and I am sure I should not have +achieved much success in my pictures without it. I +made it a practice on my last visit to the country to +send him the exposed films for development whenever +I reached a postal station, and I should recommend +others to do the same, as films deteriorate rapidly +on the voyage home; indeed I had nearly four hundred +spoiled in this way, taken when I was in the country in +1898-99. + +As regards camp equipment, all that need be taken +out from England are a small double-fly tent, three +Jaeger blankets, a collapsible bath, a Wolseley valise, +and a good filter; and even these can be obtained just +as good locally. Chop boxes (food) and other necessary +camp gear should be obtained at Mombasa or Nairobi, +where the agents will put up just what is necessary. +About a month before sailing from England a letter +should be sent to the agents, stating the date of arrival +and what porters, etc., will be required. The sportsman +will then find everything ready for him, so that an +immediate start may be made. + +Unless money is no object, I should not advise anyone +to engage porters at Mombasa, as equally good men +can be obtained at Nairobi, thus saving 20 rupees per +head in return railway fares. It must be remembered +that for transport work men are infinitely preferable +to donkeys, as the latter are exasperatingly slow and +troublesome, especially on rough ground or on crossing +streams, where every load has to be unpacked, carried +over, and then reloaded on the animal's back. The +caravan for one sportsman -- if he intends going far +from the railway -- is usually made up as follows, though +the exact numbers depend upon many considerations: + + + 1 Headman ................ 50 rupees[1] per month. + 1 Cook ................... 35 " " + 1 Gun-bearer ............. 20 " " + 1 "Boy" (personal servant) 20 " " + 2 Askaris (armed porters). 12 " " each. +30 Porters ................ 10 " " each. + + +[1] The rupee in British East Africa is on the basis of 15 to +the pound sterling. + +The porters are all registered, the Government taking +a small fee for the registration; and according to +custom half the wages due for the whole trip are +advanced to the men before a start is made. The +sportsman is obliged to provide each porter with a jersey, +blanket and water-bottle, while the gun-bearer and +"boy" get a pair of boots in addition. A cotton +shelter-tent and a cooking pot must also be furnished +for every five men. + +The food for the caravan is mostly rice, of which +the Headman gets two kibabas (a kibaba is about 1-1/2 lb.) +per day; the cook, gun-bearer, "boy" and askaris one +and a half kibabas, and the ordinary porters, one kibaba, +each per day. + +It is the duty of the Headman to keep discipline on +the safari (caravan journey), both in camp and on the +march, and to see to the distribution and safety of the +loads, the pitching and striking of camp, the issue of +posho (food) to the porters, etc. He always brings up +the rear of the caravan, and on him depends greatly +the general comfort of the sportsman. For our trip at +the beginning of 1906, we managed to secure a splendid +neapara, and never had the least trouble with the porters +all the time. His only drawback was that he could not +speak English, but he told me when he left us that he +was going to learn. Anybody securing him as +Headman will be lucky; his name is Munyaki bin Dewani, +and he can easily be found at Mombasa. + +The cook is also an important member of the caravan, +and a good one should be procured if possible. It is +wonderful what an experienced native mpishi (cook) +can turn out in the way of a meal in a few minutes after +camp is pitched. + +As gun-bearer, most hunters prefer a Somali. I have +never tried one, but am told that they are inclined to +be troublesome; they certainly rate themselves very +highly, and demand about four times as much wages as +an equally good Swahili. + +In camp, the duties of the askaris are to keep up the +fire and watch at night, and to pitch and strike the +Bwana's (Master's) tent. On the march one leads the +caravan, the other brings up the rear; they give +assistance in the event of any trouble with the loads, +see that no desertions take place, allow no straggling +and generally do what they can to protect the caravan. +They are each armed with an old snider rifle and 10 +rounds of ball cartridge, and are generally very +dangerous men to their friends when they take it into their +heads to fire their weapons. + +The ordinary porters will carry their 60-lb. loads day +in and day out without complaint, so long as they are, +well fed; but stint them of their rice, and they at once +become sulky mutineers. In addition to carrying the +loads, they pitch and strike camp, procure firewood and +water, and build grass huts if a stay of more than a day +is intended to be made at one place. On the whole, the +Swahili porter is one of the jolliest and most willing +fellows in the world, and I have nothing but praise for him. + +It may be that our sportsman intends to confine his +shooting trip to the neighbourhood of the railway; in +this case, the best plan is to hire one of the special +carriages from the Traffic Manager of the Uganda +Railway. These carriages, which have good sleeping, +cooking, and bath accommodation, can be attached to +almost any train, and moved from station to station or +left standing in a siding at the directions of the hunter. +This is the cheapest and most comfortable way of +spending a short time in the country, as no tent, camp +equipment, or regular porters are required; and some +quite good sport can be obtained into the bargain. + +Again, if the hunter intends shooting, say, in the +Kenya Province, as many porters as he requires may be +obtained from the official in charge at Fort Hall. +The pay of the Kikuyu porter in such circumstances +is only two annas a day, while he provides his own +food; neither is the sportsman asked to furnish him +with a blanket, jersey, and water-bottle so long as he +is not taken out of his own Province. Each Province +is, in fact, governed as regards porters by its own special +conditions, which can easily be ascertained on arrival in +the country. + +There are three lines of steamers which have direct +sailings to Mombasa about once a month. Two of +these (the Union-Castle and the German East African +Lines) sail from Southampton, calling at Marseilles, +while the third (the Messageries-Maritimes) starts from +the latter port. As a rule travellers to East Africa +journey by the overland route to Marseilles and thence +on by steamer to Mombasa -- the whole journey from +London averaging about eighteen days. + +The present fares for the best accommodation from +London to Mombasa by the Union-Castle Line +(including railway ticket to Marseilles) are as follows +First-Class Single, about 48 pounds; Return (available for +one year) about 93 pounds. + +The fares by the German East African Line +(including railway ticket to Marseilles) are:-- First-Class; +Single, about 48 pounds. The Return fare (available for one; +year) is double the Single fare, less 10 per cent, of ocean +part of journey. + +By the Messageries-Maritimes Line the through +First-Class Single fare from London to Mombasa +(including railway ticket to Marseilles) is about 48 pounds. +The Return fare (available for two years) is about 72 pounds. + +Fairly good hotel accommodation can be had at both +Mombasa and Nairobi. + +Before any shooting can be done it is necessary to +take out a Game License, which may be obtained +without difficulty at either of these two centres. This +license (which costs 50 pounds) imposes an obligation on the +sportsman to make a return before he leaves the +country of every animal shot by him. By obtaining +a special license two elephants, a giraffe, greater kudu, +buffalo and eland may be shot; but there are various +stipulations and fees attaching to this license which +alter from time to time. + +Fairly good maps of the country may be obtained +at Stanford's, Long Acre, W.C., while the Game Laws +and Regulations can be procured from the Colonial +Office in Downing Street. + +Passenger trains leave Mombasa at 11 a.m. on Mondays, +Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and are timed to +arrive at Nairobi at 11:15 next morning and at Kisumu +(the railway terminus on Lake Victoria Nyanza) at 9 +o'clock on the morning following. The First-Class Return +fares from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kisumu, and Entebbe are +5 pounds 17s. 9d., 10 pounds 10s. 3d., and 13 pounds 13s. 3d. respectively. + +It is unnecessary to specify district by district when +particular species of game are to be found, for the +sportsman can easily learn this for himself and get the +latest news of game movements on his arrival at +Mombasa. As a matter of fact, the whole country +abounds in game, and there cannot be lack of sport +and trophies for the keen shikari. The heads and skins +should be very carefully sun-dried and packed in tin-lined +cases with plenty of moth-killer for shipment +home. For mounting his trophies the sportsman cannot +do better, I think, than go to Rowland Ward of +Piccadilly. I have had mine set up by this firm for +years past, and have always found their work excellent. + +I consider that 400 pounds should cover the entire cost of +a three months' shooting trip to East Africa, including +passage both ways. The frugal sportsman will +doubtless do it on less, while the extravagant man will +probably spend very much more. + +Should time be available, a trip to the Victoria Nyanza +should certainly be made. The voyage round the Lake +in one of the comfortable railway steamers takes about +eight days, but the crossing to Entebbe, the official +capital of Uganda, can be done in seventeen hours, +though it usually takes twenty-seven, as at night the +boats anchor for shelter under the lee of an island. +The steamer remains long enough in Entebbe harbour +to enable the energetic traveller to pay a flying visit in +a rickshaw to Kampala, the native capital, some twenty-one +miles off. I spent a most interesting day last year +in this way, and had a chat with the boy King of +Uganda, Daudi Chwa, at Mengo. He was then about +nine years old, and very bright and intelligent. He +made no objection to my taking his photograph, but it +unfortunately turned out a failure. + +It is curious to find the Baganda (i.e., people of +Uganda) highly civilised -- the majority are Christians +-- surrounded as they are on all sides by nations of +practically naked savages; and it is a very interesting, +sight to watch them in the "bazaar" at Kampala, clad +in long flowing cotton garments, and busily engaged in +bartering the products of the country under the shade +of tattered umbrellas. Unfortunately the great scourge +of the district round the shores of the Lake is the +sleeping sickness, which in the past few years has +carried off thousands of the natives, and has quite +depopulated the islands, which were once densely +inhabited. The disease is communicated by the bite of +an infected fly, but happily this pest is only found in +certain well-defined regions, so that if the traveller +avoids these he is quite as safe, as regards sleeping +sickness, as if he had remained in England. + +On the return journey from Entebbe, Jinja, a port on +the north side of the Victoria Nyanza, is usually called +at. This place is of great interest, as it is here that the +Lake narrows into a breadth of only a few hundred +yards, and, rushing over the Ripon Falls, forms the +long-sought-for source of the Nile. The magnificent +view of the mighty river stretching away to the north +amid enchanting scenery is most inspiring and one can +well imagine how elated Speke must have felt when +after enduring countless hardships, he at last looked +upon it and thus solved one of the great problems +the ancients. + +II. + +The following, is a literal translation of the +Hindustani poem referred to on p. 104:-- + +IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE +COMPASSIONATE: + +First must I speak to the praise and glory of God, +who is infinite and incomprehensible, + +Who is without fault or error, who is the Life, though +without body or breath. + +He has no relatives, nor father nor son, being himself +incomparable and passionless. + +His is the knowledge of the known and of the +unknown, and although without a tongue, yet does +he speak in mighty tones. + +I, Roshan, came to this country of Africa, and did +find it indeed a strange land; + +Many rocks, mountains, and dense forests abounding +in lions and leopards; + +Also buffaloes, wolves, deer, rhinoceroses, elephants, +camels, and all enemies of man; + +Gorillas, ferocious monkeys that attack men, black +baboons of giant size, spirits, and thousands of varieties +of birds; + +Wild horses, wild dogs, black snakes, and all animals +that a hunter or sportsman could desire. + +The forests are so dark and dreadful that even +the boldest warriors shrink from their awful depths. + +Now from the town of Mombasa, a railway line +extends unto Uganda; + +In the forests bordering on this line, there are +found those lions called "man-eaters," and moreover +these forests are full of thorns and prickly shrubs. + +Portions of this railway from Mombasa to Uganda +are still being made, and here these lions fell on the +workmen and destroyed them. + +Such was their habit, day and night, and hundreds +of men fell victims to these savage creatures, whose very +jaws were steeped in blood. + +Bones, flesh, skin and blood, they devoured all, and +left not a trace behind them. + +Because of the fear of these demons some seven or +eight hundred of the labourers deserted, and remained +idle; + +Some two or three hundred still remained, but they +were haunted by this terrible dread, + +And because of fear for their lives, would sit in their +huts, their hearts full of foreboding and terror. + +Every one of them kept a fire burning at night, and +none dared to close his eyes in sleep; yet would some +of them be carried away to destruction. + +The lion's roar was such that the very earth would +tremble at the sound, and where was the man who did +not feel afraid? + +On all sides arose weeping and wailing, and the people +would sit and cry like cranes, complaining of the deeds +of the lions. + +I, Roshan, chief of my people, also complained and +prayed to God, the Prophet, and to our spiritual +adviser. + +And now will I relate the story of the Engineer +in charge of the line. + +He kept some ten or twenty goats, for the sake of +their milk; + +But one night a wild beast came, and destroyed +them all, not one being left. + +And in the morning it was reported by the +watchman, who also stated that the man-eater was daily +destroying the labourers and workmen, and doing great +injury; + +And they took the Engineer with them and showed +him the footprints of the animal. + +And after seeing what the animal had done, the +Englishman spoke, and said, + +"For this damage the lion shall pay his life." +And when night came he took his gun and in very +truth destroyed the beast. + +Patterson Sahib is indeed a brave and valiant man, +like unto those Persian heroes of old -- Rustem, Zal, +Sohrab and Berzoor; + +So brave is he, that the greatest warriors stood aghast +at his action; + +Tall in stature, young, most brave and of great +strength is he. + +From the other side of the line came the noise and +cries of those who complained that these savage beasts +were eating and destroying men, + +For such has been the habit of lions from time +immemorial, and groups of people have fallen victims +to their fury. + +Those who were proud or boastful, have but sacrificed +their lives uselessly; + +But to-day Patterson Sahib will watch for the lion +himself! + +For the people have complained loudly, and the +valiant one has gone forth with his gun into the +forest. + +Soon after the people had retired at night to their +tents, the fearless lion made his appearance; + +Patterson Sahib loaded both barrels of his gun and +went forth against him. + +He fired many times in succession and totally +paralysed the animal. + +The lion roared like thunder as the bullets found their +way to his heart. + +This Englishman, Patterson, is most brave, and is +indeed the very essence of valour; + +Lions do not fear lions, yet one glance from Patterson +Sahib cowed the bravest of them. + +He fled, making for the forest, while the bullets +followed hard after him; + +So was this man-eater rendered helpless; he lay down +in despair, + +And after he had covered a chain's distance, the +savage beast fell down, a corpse. + +Now the people, bearing lights in their hands, all ran +to look at their dead enemy. + +But the Sahib said "Return, my children; the night +is dark, do not rush into danger." + +And in the morning all the people saw the lion +lying dead. + +And then the Sahib said, "Do not think of work to-day +-- make holiday, enjoy and be merry." + +So the people had holiday and made merry with +friends from whom they had been long parted, on +account of the lion: + +And the absence of those who had run away was +forgiven, and their money allowed them -- +A generous action, comparable to the forgiveness of +God and the Prophet to sinners and criminals on the +day of judgment. + +Oh! poet, leave this kind of simile, it is too deep +for thee; + +We mortals have the Devil, like unto a fierce lion, ever +after us; + +Oh! Roshan, may God, the Prophet, and your +spiritual adviser, safeguard you day and night! + +One lion, however, remained, and for fear of him all +went in dread; + +Sixteen days passed, all being well, and everyone +enjoyed a peaceful mind; + +But again, on the seventeenth day, the lion appeared +and remained from sunset to sunrise. + +He kept on roaming about in the neighbourhood like +a general reconnoitring the enemy's position. + +On the following day the Sahib sent for the +people and warned them all to be careful of their +lives; + +"Do not go out from the afternoon even until the +following morning," he said. + +Now this was the night of Shab-i-Kadr, a Muslim +festival: + +And at night when all had retired to rest, the lion +came in a rage, + +And Patterson Sahib went forth into the field to +meet him. + +And when he saw the beast, he fired quickly, bullet +after bullet. + +The lion made a great uproar, and fled for his life, but +the bullets nevertheless found a resting-place in his heart. + +And everyone began to shriek and groan in their +uneasy sleep, jumping up in fear, when unexpectedly +the roaring of the lion was heard. + +All thought of sleep was banished, and fear came in +its place: + +And the Sahib gave emphatic orders that no one +should go out, or roam about. + +And in the morning we followed the marks of blood +that had flowed from the wounded animal, + +And some five or seven chains away, we found the +lion, lying wounded and in great pain. + +And when the Sahib saw the animal he fired bullets +incessantly; + +But when the lion saw the Sahib, the savage animal, +burning with rage, and pain, + +Came by leaps and bounds close to the Sahib; +But here he was to meet his match in a brave Sahib +who loaded his gun calmly, and fired again and again, +killing the beast. + +All the Punjaubis assembled together and agreed +that the Sahib was a man who appreciated and cared +for others, so much so that he roamed about in the +forests for our sake, in order to protect us. + +Previously, many Englishmen had come here to +shoot but had been disappointed, + +Because the lion was very courageous and ferocious, +and the Sahibs were afraid; + +But for the sake of our lives, Patterson Sahib took +all this trouble, risking his own life in the forest. + +So they collected many hundreds of rupees, and +offered it as a present to the Sahib, because he had +undergone such peril, in order to save our lives. + +Oh! Roshan, all the people appeared before the +Sahib saying, "You are our benefactor"; + +But the Sahib declined to accept the present, not +taking a pice of it. + +So then again the Punjaubis assembled, and consulted +as to how the service that the Sahib had done them +could most suitably he rewarded. + +And it was agreed to send all the money to England, +in order that it might be converted into some suitable +present, + +Which should bear an engraving of the two lions, +and the name of the mistari[1], head of the workmen. + +The present should be such, and so suitably decorated, +as to be acceptable to Patterson Sahib; + +In colour it should resemble moon and sun; and that +would indeed be a fit present, so that the Sahib would +be pleased to accept it. + +Oh! Roshan, I hope that he will accept this present +for shooting the lions, as some small reward for his +action. + +My native home is at Chajanlat, in the thana of +Domli, which is in the district of Jhelum, and I have +related this story as it actually occurred. + +Patterson Sahib has left me, and I shall miss him as +long as I live, and now + +Roshan must roam about in Africa, sad and +regretful. + +[1] Foreman-mason. + +Composed by Roshan mistari, son of Kadur mistari +Bakhsh, native of the village of Chajanlat, Dakhli, Post +Office Domli, district of Jhelum. Dated 29th January, +1899. + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures +by J.H. Patterson + diff --git a/old/tsavo10.zip b/old/tsavo10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a19eec --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tsavo10.zip |