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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
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