THRILLING LION STORIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2086, 11 January 1908, Page 6 (Supplement)

THRILLING LION STORIES.

No moro thrilling record ol encounters with lions has ever been published than that written by Lieut.-Colonel J. 11. Paterson, “The Man-eaters ol TEA VO and Other East African Adventures” (Macmillan and Co. Limited), The author was engineer in charge of the construction oi the Uganda railway, and in March, 1898, arrived at Monibassa, the port uf British East Africa, whence lie proceeded to Tsavo, some distance inland, where several thousand Indian coolies and other workmen were encamped. All went well lor seine time, until the work was disturbed in an extraordinary and sensational maniiTwo voracious and insatiable man-eating lions appeared on the scene, and for over nine months waged an intermittent warfare against, cue railway and all connected with, it in tho vicinity of Tsavo. It culminated in a reign of terror in December, 1898, when work on the railway was brought to a complete standstill or about three weeks. The brutes became more- anil more d ivinj.? rikl sueeessfill in tlieir man-hunting, and they showed so much cunning tlmt tlie coolies firmly believed that they were devils in the shape of lions, and could not be shot. A few days fitter Colonel Patterson's arrival, at Tsavo, one or two eoolies. •mysteriously disappeared, md a little later a fine, powerful Sikh was seized in his tent at night, dragged off, and eaten. '1 he remains of the unfortunate victim were found next morning outside the camp. One or two incidents were less tragic. An Indian trader, riding on a donkey one night, was suddenly pounced upon by a lion and knocked over. Luckily for the mm, ilist as it was about to seize him, its claws became entangled in a rope, by which two empty oil-cans were strung across the donkey’s neck. The clatter made by them so terrified the lion that it turned tail and bolted. Shortly afterwards a lion broke into tlie tent of a Greek contrictor, but, instead of seizing the man, walked off with the mattress.

The man-eaters became emboldened by success. One of tlieni' broke into a hospital tent, where eight patients were lying. Two were badly wounded, while a third was seized and carried off'. An attack wis made on a goods waggon, and Colonel Patterson and Dr. Block had a very narrow escape. There was no safety any where, as the brutes could force tlieir way into a tent or hut. On one occasion a lion got its head under the tent canvas, seized the hospital water-car-rier by the foot, dragged him out, and killed him. A trail was set, but it was of no avail, and for some reason or other the lions kept away for some months. Then they recommenced their depredations, .sometimes entering the camp together and eacii carrying off a victim. The coolies were seized with a panic, struck work, and left by the lirst train for the coast. For three weeks nothing was done but building lion-proof huts for tiie few who remained. Mr. Whitehead, the district officer, had a very narrow escape, being severely clawed oil the back. At length the tables were turned. Colonel Patterson shot one of the man-eaters, though ho nearly fell « victim at the first attempt, as his rifle missed lire. He writes:—“l took careful aim and pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot was at once- followed b,v a most terrific roar* uul then 1 could bear him leaping about in all direct ions. I was not long able to see Jiiin/ however, as lii.s first bound bail . taken him into the thick bush ; but to make assurance doubly sure, l kept blazing away in the direction in which j heard him plunging about. At length c.tme a series of mighty groans, gradually subsiding into deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether. Two bullets had taken effect, one close behind the shoulder evidently penetrating the heart, and the other in the hind leg.” . A little later the other man-eater was shot. Great was the rejoicing among the coolies and natives, and the Indians presented Colonel Patterson with a- silver bowl, on which was inscribed a poem in Hindustani, recounting their trials and the tilth mate victory over the lions. Altoget,her, tlie two- man-eaters devoured 2S Indian coolies, besides scores of African natives, of whom no record was kept. No further attacks were made on the railway camp by lions. Tbe late Lord Salisbury mentioned in the House of Lords that the work oil the Uganda railway was stopped for three weeks by man-eating lions. Some time later Colonel Patterson cam© upon tho den of the dreaded carnivora. It was “a. fearsome-look-ing cave” at the entrance to which were a number of human bones and several copper bangles. There are several tragic lion stories besides those already told. Tho most remarkable is that of tho death of Air. Beall, superintendent of police, wife was seized by a Hon in Ms railway carriage, where he was sleeping with two friends. The brute got shut up in the carriage with the three men, and, standing with its hind feet on one of them, seized Ryall. and, breaking out through the window, eariicd him off. A story is; told of a- nucleating lion which, in its efforts to obtain food, climbed' on to the roof of a station building and tried to tear off the sheets of iron. The terrified baboo in charge of the station sent off this laconic message: —“Lion fisiliD”witli station. Send ur«—• ■ Colonel Pa(.(-'•— ,-wnt succour.” of - --“mils narrative is full exciting incidents—besides tlie lion-hunting—encounters with rhinoceroses and leopards, and a fornrdai’le mutiny amongst the coolies, which he quelled with uroat courage, determination, and presence of mind. The book is profusely illustrated with photographs, the frontispiece representing the heads of eight Ijons shot by tbe author. r l lierc is an introduction by that mighty lmnter Air. F. C. ons. who writes:—“From the time of Herodotus until to-day lion stores 11live been told and written. ] have put some on record myself; But no linn story 1 have ever heard or read equals in its long-sustained and dramatic interest the story of the Tsavo man-eaters as told by Colonel Patterson.”