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

The Man-Eaters of Tsavo, and Other East African Adventures is a non-fiction book by John Henry Patterson, published in 1907. It tells the story of his experiences as a British bridge engineer in Kenya in the late 1890s, while building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River. The book is most famous for its account of two man-eating lions that terrorized the construction camp, killing and eating over 130 workers.

Patterson arrived in Tsavo in March 1898, and the lion attacks began almost immediately. The lions were unusually large and cunning, and they were able to evade all of Patterson's attempts to kill them. They would often attack at night, dragging men out of their tents and killing them in their sleep.

The workers were terrified, and many of them abandoned the project. Patterson was determined to complete the bridge, and he refused to give up. He tried everything he could to stop the lions, including building thorn fences around the camp, setting traps, and hunting them himself. But the lions were always one step ahead of him.

The lion attacks continued for nine months, until December 1898, when Patterson finally managed to kill the first lion. He then tracked down and killed the second lion a few weeks later. The deaths of the lions brought a great sense of relief to the workers, and the construction of the bridge was able to continue without further incident.

The Man-Eaters of Tsavo is a thrilling and suspenseful story, and it has been adapted into several films and television shows. It is also a fascinating look at the challenges of building a railway in British East Africa at the turn of the 20th century.

In addition to the story of the man-eating lions, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo also includes other accounts of Patterson's experiences in East Africa. He writes about hunting expeditions, encounters with dangerous animals, and his interactions with the local people