One of the maneless maneaters, with Lt Col Patterson

This past weekend, a neighbor walked over through the woods with his dogs. Suddenly, the bird dog caught a scent, yelped, then high-tailed it back home, quickly followed by the four remaining dogs, all with their tails between their legs. It sounds like the grizzly is still in the vicinity. I have not seen the bear yet, just the tracks and scat.

It’s been snowing for the past 24 hours, so I am curious to see if there is any fresh sign.

I recently re-read “The Man-Eaters of Tsavo”, by Lt Col John Henry Patterson. It’s the story of the two, maneless, man-eating lions of Tsavo, Kenya, who stalled the Uganda Railway’s construction in 1898, by making meals out of the workers. Patterson eventually shot and killed the two lions, who ate 28 railroad workers. The lions can now be viewed at the Field Museum of Natural History, in Chicago.

All of this came to mind the other night, as I was working late in the Rover Hut on the Land Rover. At one point, I was sure I heard a loud “Huff” outside the glorified tent’s walls. I couldn’t see anything out in the falling snow, but I did have a vision of “coolies being dragged out of their tents” by a large lion.

I should probably get a bear tag.