White Man's Drum: Tales of the East African Bundu

To the five young men gathered in Mac's office in 1951, the lure of the word "safari" was irresistible. Having fought in World War II, we missed the excitement that had been our constant companion in wartime. Unsettled and bored, we had come to East Africa looking for fresh adventures.

Searching for the best route for a modern radio-telecommunications route and systems to stretch from Kampala to Dar es Salaam, we encountered inhospitable country, wild animals, and extreme weather conditions. Halfway into the project, however, we got more excitement than we had bargained for. The Kikuyu tribe in Kenya's Central Province rebelled against British rule (Mau Mau), and we found ourselves in the midst of a savage civil war.