AFRICAN  LIFE – AUGUST   1958                           51

A King Takes His Queen on Safari…

Exclusive Pictures by ALLEN BENDIG

Above — Both sitting trium-phantly on the King's rhino trophy

NEPAL – picturesque Himalayan mountain country of 54,000 square miles and home of the valiant Gurkhas – has been a closed book for centuries.Now the country is being opened up by an Indian Army built road.
The King – a decendent of one of the Rajput clans who migrated from India when Muslims came – is the only surviving representative of Hindu Royalty.
His Coronation was performed with great pomp and show – strictly according to Hindu scriptures.
Nepal was the birthplace of the founder of the Buddhist religion.

IT WAS a “nothing spared” safari ior King Mahendra of Nepal and his Queen when they came to East Africa.

Above -The King of Nepal with Grants Cazelle.

Safariland, who were handling one of the most valuable safaris ever conducted, laid on a special caravan with separate suites, baths and showers for their Majesties.

Apart from Her Highness, only one woman was in the Royal carnp by the Uaso Nyiro river in the Masai: Mrs. Doris Smart, wife of Air Vice Mar­shall “Reggie” Smart, the photo­graphic safari operator.

Caterer Mrs. Smart supervised curry lunches and dinners of chicken, duck and turkey. Their Majesties’ sect of the Hindu religion does not allow meat other than fowl. “They loved to have ice-cream after every meal,” Mrs. S. told me.

At the close of the Safari, the Royal couple threw a champagne party with every conceivable wine. “They also loved beer.”

Each man on the hunting staff was given gold cuff-links. And Mrs. Smart’s parting gift? “A really beautiful silver powder-box with jade and rubies.”

Cost of the Royal Safari? Believed to be in the region of £4,000.

HE shot: a rhino, oryx, Grant’s  gazelle, impala, kongoni, wart* hog, wildebeeste, giraffe and zebras.SHE?    Said one of the hunters on the safari, gallantly:”Her Majesty took a few shots —  but she wasn’t    really trying … “