The Man-Eaters of Tsavo, and Other East African Adventures

In this vivid memoir a railway engineer recounts two years of life on the edge of the African frontier, where the iron tracks were being laid across a landscape still dominated by untamed wilderness. He describes the daily grind of construction, the stark contrast between the encroaching civilization and the raw savanna, and the camaraderie among the workers who braved heat, disease, and isolation.

The narrative reaches its most gripping moments when the author confronts a pair of unusually bold lions that begin preying on laborers near the worksites. He shares tense night watches from precarious platforms, the urgent searches for clues, and the relentless determination to protect his crew. Alongside these perilous encounters, the book offers colourful sketches of local customs, the awe‑inspiring geography of the equatorial belt, and the steadfast spirit of those who dared to tame a far‑off continent.