I was going to sit down and spend another several tens of minutes put down my musing and its utter unintention. But since this task, although not a drudgery, isn't captivating either (I have to enshrine my reasonless guts and put them in a way prettier than when they're originally born.), I browsed the YouTube site for some comical clips that would light up my post-supper night life. What I didn't expect is that, through a video called Christian the Lion, I noticed a humble, inconspicuous figure beside the main characters. Description about him is scant, but out of curiosity, I searched his name, and after quite a while, was deeply moved, the man's name, George Alexander Graham Adamson, with a Wikipedia page lengthed about 500 words dedicated to him and his name truncated to George Adamson.
In all scenes I watched from that clip, George appeared speechless and churlish, carrying his rifle on the shoulder with a pipe obliqued at his wrist, where lies his watch, a lesser known brand that is his only sign of being from civilization. He is dubbed the Father of Lions, and is perhaps the first and utmost successful person to establish an enduring relationship with wild lions, among them his favorite, Boy, was shot by himself for it tried to attack and then killed George's laborer.
The main characters of the clip are two young man from 1960s London. They purchased Christian the Lion as a pet and found out that the size of their pet is an increasing problem. Then they sent the lion to George, who helped train the beast back into the wilderness, and came visit one year later to have themselves hugged by the lion. The essence of the video ends here, and the essence of George's life ends here as well. For the next few decades he didn't leave behind any accessible writing except a photocopied letter, to indicate his existence, until his death at 1989 as he went to save the tourists and was shot by the mobster, Kenya police officer surely showed up, the media too, and that was it.
I'm today to print out the two letters by George, written in 1982 and 1983, because there's no existent text material on the internet, I thought it might be helpful that I type it out and make it distributable. I lack the insight required to revive a man, and the flair to influence other people, so this is the only thing I'm capable of doing for him.
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"Kampi ya Simba"
Kora National Reserve
P.O.Box 135
Mwingi, KENYA
By the end of 1980, all the original lions which had come to us out of captivity had been successfully rehabilitated and gone off to do their own thing, inspite[sic] of being always well fed at Kampi ya Simba, some have crossed over the Tane River which forms the northern boundary of the reserve, the lions become vulnerable to poachers and reprisals of stock owners. No doubt, some have been killed or poisoned for this reason. Unfortunately, there is no control over the sale and distribution of "Coopertox" cattle dip which is a deadly poison which can be and is used illegally to poison lions and other predators. At the present time we keep in close contact with some of the offspring of the original lions. "Koretta", five years and three months of old, a magnificent lioness has produced three litters of cubs of which there are only two survivors, "Toughy", twelve months and "Kack" six months who are doing well. Koretta was not a good mother, prone to easy [a]education by "Blakantan" the wild lions, leading to neglect of the cubs. "Naja", three years old, a much smaller lioness has two cubs "Fritz" & "Fitz" aged nine months, she is an excellent and selfless mother. Without her help none of Koretta's cubs would have survived. Often even when hungry, she would carry meat to the cubs before satisfying her own needs. As if to make up for her early irresponsible behaviour, Koretta with an abundant supply of milk, would give all the cubs a feed. At one time, I entertained the suspicion that Blakantan was responsible for the loss of Koretta's first litter of four beautiful cubs and that he had killed and eaten them! I thought seriously of getting rid of him but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was as well that I did so, as he has turned out to be a model and indulgent father, allowing the cubs to rough-house him, pull his tail and bit his ears. Although shy and suspicious of humans, he is gaining confidence and often comes to camp with others and fairly shakes the place with his mighty roars at night. Always he chooses a position where the echoes off the hills can be heard to best advantage. Perhaps he likes to hear his own voice or may be wishes to intimidate visitors? Then there are two fine lionesses "Glowe" & "Growe" four and a half years old who have their territory some fourteen miles up-stream along the river. They have five cubs and are completely self-sufficient. We see them periodically when they are always friendly and pleased to see us. They have wild mate called "Abudo".
Early in July last year we acquired a pair of leopard cubs through a friend for rehabilitation in the Kora National Reserve. As it is not feasible to have lions and leopards together, we set up a small camp with an enclosure six miles away at the foot of a rocky range of hills, an ideal situation for leopards where my assistant Tony Fitzjohn stays to care for them. "Attila" & "Kamunyu" are nearly eleven months old and in fine condition. We think in a couple of months the process of rehabilitation to the wild and freedom can be started.
(Letter continues on the back side of page.)
Thank you for your contribution and also for contributing the Wildlife Trust.
After a delay of nearly four months, we finally got permission to keep the leopards and rehabilitate them in the Kora National Reserve. I think largely because of the adverse publicity for Kenya and in particular the Directors of Wildlife which would have ensued, had we been forced to return the leopards to Paris!
A couple of months ago, I was inveigled into appearing in yet another documentary film with Ali Mac Graw. The film unit could spent only one night here, a rare occasion when the lions decided not to turn up at camp! Next I was flown to Massi-Mars to give Ali an interview over a camp fire at night at the next morning we were taken up in a balloon. First time I had been up in one. I found Ali a very nice and charming woman, intensely interested in all she saw.
(The 1982 letter ends here.)
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"Kampi ya Simba"
Kora National Reserve
P.O.Box 135
Mwingi, Kenya
1/2/83
Dear [?]
[Identical to part of the letter above, presumably written on the same piece of paper]
By the end of…
… rehabilitation to the wild and freedom can be started.
Since writing the above nearly nine months have passed. The lions and leopards are that much older. "Koretta", "Naja" and other young grow increasingly independent and go off on extended forays up 20 miles from my camp. Recently they disappeared for over a month and try as I did I could not locate them, until I feared they might have crossed the Tana River into hostile country, where they would be vulnerable to Somali poachers and stock owners. Then much to my relief I came upon them along the river heading in the direction of my camp. I bought them a camel and they feasted on the carcass for 2 days. One member of the family, "Toughy", is missing, but at 2 years old it is likely that he has joined up with his father "Blackantan", who hasn't been seen either for 2 months. The 2 leopards have been given their freedom. For the 1st month they stayed together fairly close to camp but recently Attila has gone off on his own and we have not been able to trace him despite his radio collar. Komunyu, the female has made her territory in an area around the camp, she recently had her first encounter with a warthog and received a nasty gash in her rump which might teach her to be more careful in the future!
Thank you so much for your Christmas card and kind good wishes.
All the very best for 1983. [Signature] George
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Viva la George Alexander Graham Adamson, in his full name!
