Anyone care to share any insight?

Nice story, freaky lions, and lucky to be alive.

John

A true officer of the old school. He had a bridge to build and an impediment that he had not been trained to deal with. His innovation and willingness to "see it through" in spite of the personal risk make him someone to emulate.

Buy his books..

Have the book. Wish I had the Lee Speed.

quote:

Col. John Henry Patterson

Wasn't he the army engineer portrayed in the movie The Ghost and The Darkness?

I conclude that the 303 British is not enough gun for lion.

Yup, one heck of a good movie!

quote:

Originally posted by cobra:

quote:

Col. John Henry Patterson

Wasn't he the army engineer portrayed in the movie The Ghost and The Darkness?

Yes but the real Tsavo lions were maneless, unlike the ones in the movie.



"The ground all round was covered with blood and morsels of flesh and bones, but the unfortunate jemadar's head had been left intact, save for the holes made by the lion's tusks on seizing him, and lay a short distance away from the other remains, the eyes staring wide open with a startled, horrified look in them. The place was considerably cut up, and on closer examination we found that two lions had been there and had probably struggled for possession of the body. It was the most gruesome sight I had ever seen. We collected the remains as well as we could and heaped stones on them, the head with its fixed, terrified stare seeming to watch us all the time, for it we did not bury, but took back to camp for identification before the Medical Officer.

Thus occurred my first experience of man-eating lions, and I vowed there and then that I would spare no pains to rid the neighborhood of the brutes. I little knew the trouble that was in store for me, or how narrow were to be my own escapes from sharing poor Ungan Singh's fate."

quote:

Originally posted by cobra:

quote:

Col. John Henry Patterson

Wasn't he the army engineer portrayed in the movie The Ghost and The Darkness?

And Robert Stack in BWANA DEVIL....

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I conclude that the 303 British is not enough gun for lion.

As far as I can tell he liked the 303, 450, and the 8 bore. The 303 wouldn’t be my first choice either. He tells the tale of his first man-eater kill but doesn’t tell us what he used on it.

"After this I again kept as still as I could, though absolutely trembling with excitement; and in a short while I heard the lion begin to creep stealthily towards me. I could barely make out his form as he crouched among the whitish undergrowth; but I saw enough for my purpose, and before he could come any nearer, I took careful aim and pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot was at once followed by a most terrific roar, and then I could hear him leaping about in all directions. I was no longer able to see him, however, as his first
bound had taken him into the thick bush; but to make assurance doubly sure, I kept blazing away in the direction in which I heard him plunging about. At length came a series of mighty groans, gradually subsiding into deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether; and I felt convinced that one of the "devils" who had so long harried us would trouble us no more."

I was digging. He was my Grandfathers cousin. What he did was looked down upon by the family. .450 Martini Henry double took the 1st 2 shots. All the rest were .303. Wish I had more info or a piece of something. JP

His book was my very first African volume. And that has led down a very expensive path.

Speaking of Patterson..!

A mats .303 BSA lee Speed Sporter, and my humble Take-down Rigby in ...303!!.