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 Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures by J.H. Patterson
