The second volume of “Behind Jim Corbett’s Stories” continues the line of research into the legacy of the legendary conservationist, humanitarian, natu- Preetum Gheerawo ralist, hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards, and author of timeless classic Manfred Waltl books including “Man-Eaters of Kumaon”, “Jungle Lore”, and “My India.” Ali Akhtar The authors of this volume, all members of the Jim Corbett International Re- search Group, continued their fieldworks in Kumaon, where they diligently fol- Stories JIM CORBETT’S Behind Priyvrat Gadhvi lowed the footsteps of Jim Corbett, meeting the people directly affected by Jim Corbett’s life and work - people who still live in picturesque villages in close Joseph Jordania proximity to tigers and leopards. The authors have also searched through and dissected archived material, unearthing new facts to share with the many Cor- Fernando Quevedo de Oliveira bett fans all around the world. The interested reader will be delighted to find in this volume new details in- cluding the precise dates of the killing of Champawat and Chuka man-eaters, to see the place where the Panar man-eating leopard was killed, read about the mystery behind the Purnagiri lights, and learn the true reasons that put Behind Corbett in a crazy pursuit of the Talla Des man-eating tiger while in an awful physical state. The reader can also have a closer look at Charles Berthoud’s life, a dear friend of Corbett who helped launch his deadly career as a hunter of man-eating big cats. One can also read Corbett’s private letters written during JIM CORBETT’S his dramatic hunts and various war deployments - as well as some of his rare and also unpublished writings, including writings by others about Jim as well. Guest authors: On this photo on the back cover of the book the members of Jim Corbett In- Stories ternational Research Group are discussing plans of the day in Kala Agar on Christopher de Coulon Berthoud (UK) April 3, 2018, the place where Corbett was staying while hunting the Chowgarh Stuart Gelzer (USA), Michael Barton (UK) VOL. 2 man-eating tiger some 78 years before. (Photo by S. Gelzer) VOL. 2 Publishing program LOGOS Preetum Gheerawo (Mauritius) Manfred Waltl (Germany) Ali Akhtar (India) Priyvrat Gadhvi (India) Joseph Jordania (Australia) Fernando Quevedo de Oliveira (Brazil) Behind JIM CORBETT’S Stories VOL.2, 2020 Guest authors: Christopher de Coulon Berthoud (UK) Stuart Gelzer (USA), Michael Barton (UK) Publishing program LOGOS Editor: Preetum Gheerawo Photo on the front cover: Research group jeeps going through the Ladhya River, 2018 (photo by S. Gelzer). Photo on the back cover: Research group members discussing plans in Kala Agar (Photo by S. Gelzer) Book cover design: Aleko Jikuridze © Priyvrat Gadhvi, Preetum Gheerawo, Manfred Waltl, Ali Akhtar, Joseph Jordania, Fernando Quevedo de Oliveira: March 2020 All rights reserved The authors and the publisher permit others to use the ideas and materials from this book, as long as they are acknowledged. Disclaimer: Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the authors and the publisher to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwit- tingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity. Program LOGOS Georgia, Tbilisi, I. Chavchavadze ave. 13 ISBN 978-9941-468-85-8 “…Be a Man in all the hidden sense. That gives the grand old word its weight. A Man who finds recompense in knowing he has done the right. Suit you like men, be strong. P.S. I Love You…” Extract of letter from: Mary Jane Corbett (Jim’s Mother, Naini Tal) to Jim Corbett (Mokameh Ghat). Dated 28th July 1900. Contents Preface ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................................................10 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................15 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Review and update of Volume One materials ................................................................................................21 PLACES New Details of the Champawat Man-Eater Hunting Story .........................................................................25 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO (MAURITIUS), JOSEPH JORDANIA (AUSTRALIA), PRIYVRAT GADHVI (INDIA) Muktesar Man-Eater .........................................................................................................................................33 BY ALI AKHTAR, INDIA The Panar Leopard Killing Site ........................................................................................................................53 BY STUART GELZER, USA Mohan Man-Eater .............................................................................................................................................67 BY ALI AKHTAR, INDIA Thak Rock Identification: New Evidence and Considerations ....................................................................92 BY JOSEPH JORDANIA, AUSTRALIA Night in Leper’s Room ....................................................................................................................................109 BY JOSEPH JORDANIA, AUSTRALIA PEOPLE Charles Henry Berthoud – 1872-1909 ..........................................................................................................114 BY CHRISTOPHER DE COULON BERTHOUD, UK Guardian of the Historic Past – Bill Jones and Corbett’s 450/400 .............................................................120 TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW AND TEXT BY PREETUM GHEERAWO The Taming of the Jungle by Charles W. Doyle – A Review ......................................................................128 BY MICHAEL BARTON, UK An African Sketchbook: Drawings & Watercolours of Kenya by Ray Nestor – A Review ....................132 BY MICHAEL BARTON, UK A Trip to Jim Corbett’s Kenya ........................................................................................................................134 BY MICHAEL BARTON, UK The Old Meets the New – Mini Jim Corbett ................................................................................................142 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS MYSTERY AND RESEARCH A Mystery of Purnagiri Lights .......................................................................................................................148 BY JOSEPH JORDANIA, AUSTRALIA Why did Corbett Go After Talla Des Man-Eater in a Terrible Physical Condition? ..............................158 BY JOSEPH JORDANIA, AUSTRALIA One Day Short: The Timeline of the Thak Man-Eater Hunt .....................................................................165 BY STUART GELZER, USA The Chowgarh Slate and the basic conditions of human memory ...........................................................172 BY MANFRED WALTL, GERMANY Rudraprayag – Corbett and his Rifle ‘Come Together’ ...............................................................................184 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Further Research – New Dates and Facts .....................................................................................................192 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS FROM CORBETT ARCHIVES The Chowgarh Letters and Other Materials ................................................................................................201 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Corbett’s writings from other sources than his books ................................................................................208 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS “Notes and Biographical Sketches” by Maggie Corbett ..............................................................................243 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS First Biography of Jim Corbett by Marjorie Clough ..................................................................................292 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Other people on Corbett – From Corbett’s acquaintances and correspondents ....................................301 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS DIARIES OF RESEARCH TRIPS TO KUMAON Corbett Trip Diary, April, 2016 – Bringing Corbett’s rifle home ..............................................................314 BY MANFRED WALTL, GERMANY Corbett Trip Diary, April, 2018 ......................................................................................................................330 BY MANFRED WALTL, GERMANY Corbett Trip Diary, September, 2018 ............................................................................................................346 BY ALI AKHTAR, INDIA Corbett’s Timeline ............................................................................................................................................369 BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS Information about the authors of the book ..................................................................................................379 6 Preface BY PREETUM GHEERAWO, MAURITIUS This Second Volume of Behind Jim Corbett’s Stories brings those stories to life again as the authors literally follow Corbett’s footsteps in physical reality while readers accompany them in their imaginations. On these journeys