J. H. Patterson's The Man-Eaters Of Tsavo

British Superiority in The Man-Eaters of Tsavo

Imperialism is the extending of a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military power to gain profit and promote nationalism. J. H. Patterson’s memoir, The Man-Eaters of Tsavo, demonstrates these Eurocentric views by criticizing the differences between the Britain and Africa. Britain’s industrialization led to its “mission to civilize.” Britain believed that other countries should aspire to be as civilized. This concept, the “White Man’s Burden,” turned into racism; Europeans assumed that nations outside of Europe consisted of primitive people. Patterson’s memoir expresses the superior position taken by the British regarding colonization and non-British people through his judgment

of the African landscape, African natives, and Indian coolies.
To begin, Patterson judged the African landscape through several points of the book. In the beginning, once he arrived in Mombasa, Patterson was surprised to see that “everything looked fresh and green,” (Patterson, 1-2). He added that “an oriental glamour of enchantment seemed to hang over the island,” (Patterson, 2). Patterson described Mombasa to almost depict an unpredicted paradise. Previously, Africa had been known as a dark continent. No one knew what the interior of Africa looked like, meaning people could only picture the landscape in their minds. Because Africa was not Europe, and Europeans knew Africa wasn’t industrialized, Europeans expected Africa to be anything except beautiful. For this reason, Patterson was taken back by the scenery surrounding him. Patterson went into great details to make the picture of Mombasa stand out. He characterized the town as being “bathed in brilliant sunshine,” and having had “reflected itself on the motionless sea,” (Patterson, 2). He even goes on to describe a story about a dhow that he is reminded of after seeing many about on the “glassy sea,” (Patterson, 4). Despite all the beauty Patterson saw in the African landscape, Africa remained inferior when compared to European nations.
Additionally, the landscape of Africa was uncivilized where the railroad had not been. Patterson accounted a “wilderness covered with poor scrub and stunted trees, and carpeted in the dry season with a layer of fine red dust” to characterize the Taru Desert where the railroad did not pass through (Patterson, 13). Suggesting that anywhere the British did not go was uncivilized, Patterson reinforced his judgments of Britain being greater. He added to this with his arrival at N’dii, where the railroad resumed; “From a place called N’dii, the railway runs for some miles through a beautifully wooded country, which looked all the more inviting after the deadly monotony of the wilderness,” (Patterson, 15). Because of Africa being uncivilized in places, Britain felt the need to fulfill the “White Man’s Burden.” Thus, Patterson was sent to supervise railroad construction. This would accomplish the overt reason to civilize Africa and the covert reason to add transportation. Railroad transportation allowed for Britain to make money through shipping, as well as transport soldiers and raw materials faster. Although the parts of Africa where the British had been for the railroad appealed to Patterson, other uncivilized parts were unattractive.
Patterson also asserts British superiority through his judging of the African natives.

To begin, Patterson first visited the Swahili tribe. He expected them to be savage and amoral by implying them to be cheaters. He even mentioned that some “have found them scarcely so guileless as might have been expected,” (Patterson, 117). Contrary to the Swahili having been dishonest, Patterson found that they were a “careless, light-hearted, improvident people, and [were] very fond of all the good things of this world,” (Patterson, 118). Moreover, the Swahili were also hard-working people. Patterson explained that “their life is spent journeying to and from the interior, carrying heavy loads of provisions and trade-goods on the one journey, and returning with similar loads of ivory or other products of the country,” (Patterson, 118). Europeans who colonized Africa were afraid natives would “slip into laziness and undo hard work;” however, the Swahili was a productive tribe. (Dangerfield). Patterson described the men as wearing “a long white cotton garment, like a night-shirt,” and the women, “who are too liberally endowed to be entirely graceful—go about with bare arms and shoulders,” (Patterson, 122). Men and women did not dress like this in Europe. The Swahili being dressed like this represents a difference that made the Europeans believe the Africans to be

savage.
Another native tribe of Africa that Patterson visited was the Wa Nyika. The Wa Nyika inhabited “the thorny nyika which borders on the Taru Desert,” (Patterson, 122). Not only did Patterson think of this place as uncivilized, he thought the people were “exceedingly ugly and of a low type,” (Patterson, 123). Patterson judged the Wa Nyika tribe in an offensive way that displays Eurocentric views through clothing. Because the tribes wore such little clothing, they were viewed as primitive and inferior. The next native tribe Patterson met was the Wa Taita. He met the chief of the tribe, along with his wives, (Patterson, 125). Patterson remarked that when he presented one of the wives with an orange “she did not understand what it was,” (Patterson, 125). Patterson also stated, “the Wa Taita [were] exceedingly superstitious,” (Patterson, 126). In relation to these statements, Patterson judged the natives to be uncivilized and in “evolutionary infancy,” (Dangerfield). He also defends the “White Man’s Burden” to civilize by stating, “before the arrival of the British in the country, they hardly ever ventured down from their mountain,” (Patterson, 128).
The last tribe that Patterson met was the Wa Kamba. The Wa Kamba tribe took part in primitive ways. According to Patterson, “they have the same custom of filing the front teeth…and when driven to hunger will commit very cruel and treacherous acts of wholesale murder,” (Patterson, 129). These people were subpar to Europeans in almost every way. “Like most other native races in East Africa, their only arms are the bow and poisoned arrow,” (Patterson, 130). Because of Eurocentric views and the “White Man’s Burden,” Europe found that it had a “mission to civilize” these primitive nations.
Finally, Patterson established British superiority through his judgments of the Indian coolies. In the beginning, two lions were causing deaths around the camps. One night, two coolies disappeared, and Patterson was told that “they had been carried off…and devoured by lions,” (Patterson, 21). He didn’t believe the other workers at first because he thought that the coolies were so violent that they would kill each other to steal rupees, blaming it on the lions, (Patterson, 21). Another example of violence between the coolies is the fight between the masons. On one occasion, “the men were all fighting and murdering each other with sticks and stones,” (Patterson, 51). Patterson also judged the coolies as being dishonest. As the building of the bridge progressed, Patterson needed more masons to work. When more masons arrived, he discovered that “many of them had not the faintest notion of stone-cutting,” (Patterson, 50). Patterson knew the coolies were pretending to be masons “in order to draw forty-five instead of twelve rupees a month,” (Patterson, 50). He showed his superiority by out smarting the coolies with a new system of payment. With this system, the real masons could earn their rightful pay, while imposters would earn their rightful pay, (Patterson, 51). Another instance of dishonesty occurred with a worker who claimed to be sick. Patterson knew that nothing was wrong with the worker, so he covered the worker up and set fire underneath the bed which proved Patterson correct, (Patterson, 54).
In addition to Patterson thinking of the coolies as violent and dishonest, he also thought of them to be unintelligent. When the coolies planned to murder Patterson, he did not believe they were capable of scheming such a plan that would work, (Patterson, 56). Also, Patterson judged the coolies as acting very cowardly. For example, Patterson did not believe a coolie when he claimed to have seen a lion, and he even stated that the coolies were “never remarkable for bravery,” (Patterson, 75).
All things considered, Patterson demonstrates European superiority over Africa through his judgments made in his book. Eurocentrism and the “White Man’s Burden” contribute to Patterson’s negative perception of the African landscape, African natives, and Indian coolies. European countries thought of other countries as inferior and in need of civilization; however, the real reason for the “mission to civilize” had no relation regarding the civilization of African countries.