A Great Classic Hunting Book - Men were Men and Life Was Short- MAN EATERS OF TSAVO

[Veteran]

I saw the movie, The Ghost and the Darkness with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas back in 1996.

I've seen the actual lions at the Museum of Science in Chicago----but this Book Man Eaters of Tsavo by J.H. Patterson which is the actual
man who killed both lions while building the railroad bridge across the Tsavo River in Uganda is dynamite.
You won't put it down. Those lions carried off hundreds of people. They were brazen, coming right into the camps, tents, rail way
sleeping cars, every place. No place was safe.

J.H. Patterson was I believe a Lt. Col. in the British Army. His main weapon was a British Enfield .303.
He also had a double bbl 12 gauge, but in my opinion he was woefully under gunned for this task.
The results and post mortem bear this out as a fact.

Get this book. You will enjoy it.

 

[memtb]

I had read a magazine article or two, then bought the book many years ago. Yes, men of that caliber (see what I did there ) are few and far between. That would be one heck of an adventure! memtb

 

[Deputy819]

Yeah, that movie was great……and I just added the book to my Amazon cart. Thanks!

 

[Muddyboots]

My cousin had it and I read it when salmon trolling was slow!

 

[sierracharlie338]

Adding to the library. Loved the movie and looking forward to the book

 

[Mark37082]

I will definitely buy this book. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW - I named my dog Tsavo.

 

[Veteran]

I will definitely buy this book. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW - I named my dog Tsavo.

Hope
hes no man eater......better keep him full of Kibbles, Purina, or wild hog....

 

[Sealesniper]

Great little book. My copy is red covered with the spine failing and loose pages. It is very well written and the "movie" you see in your minds eye is always better than on a screen.

Between this book, Teddy Roosevelt and Hemingway, the seed of going to Africa to hunt plains and dangerous game, including the big cats, was planted many decades ago in me. If you have not been, make sure you go as soon as possible. Africa gets in your blood and it is an adventure you will never forget. Go early enough in life that you can relive the memories, and or course, plan your return trip.

As with all "big" hunts, I do a daily journal. I can't recommend this enough. I will grab one of my hunting journals and read about my own adventures. It is amazing the details you forget and how vivid they are when you read them. Might have to read my lion hunt journal again tonight.

 

[Veteran]

Great little book. My copy is red covered with the spine failing and loose pages. It is very well written and the "movie" you see in your minds eye is always better than on a screen.

Between this book, Teddy Roosevelt and Hemingway, the seed of going to Africa to hunt plains and dangerous game, including the big cats, was planted many decades ago in me. If you have not been, make sure you go as soon as possible. Africa gets in your blood and it is an adventure you will never forget. Go early enough in life that you can relive the memories, and or course, plan your return trip.

As with all "big" hunts, I do a daily journal. I can't recommend this enough. I will grab one of my hunting journals and read about my own adventures. It is amazing the details you forget and how vivid they are when you read them. Might have to read my lion hunt journal again tonight.

I bet you carried more firepower than a .303 Enfield.....the natives and imported rail workers from India all believed those lions were spirit demons that could not be killed. They had seen the lions, shot, and shot at repeatedly with apparently little to no effect.

Post Mortem when they finally were killed showed plenty of old wounds and scars.......the bullets just "bounced" off of them in the natives lore.....

 

[Sealesniper]

I carried a 416 rigby and yes the lions were built up by the workers and natives, but I would be scared of them as well if I had know. Hundreds of workers had been carried off and eaten alive.
Lions are big, lions are tough, but a .303 will do the job with a well placed bullet.

 

[Mark37082]

My dog "Tsavo" is a man-licker not a man eater.
I was a little taken back when viewing them at the field museum. Without manes they don't look as big. I guess it makes them more stealthy.
I did order the book.