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;
