African Pursuit (24 page)

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Authors: David Alric

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truculently
adv.
aggressively; obstreperously

trudge
v.
to plod wearily and heavily

trumps
pl.n.
the cards that outrank all others

turmoil
n.
confusion; tumult

tussock
n.
a dense tuft of grass, reeds or other vegetation

twig
v. (slang)
to understand suddenly; to work out what is going on; to catch on

ultrasound
n.
high-frequency sound waves used in medical diagnosis

unaccosted
adj.
unchallenged; not confronted or stopped

unassailable
adj.
irrefutable; undeniable

unblemished
adj.
without any flaw or imperfection

undergrowth
n.
the vegetation growing beneath tall trees, consisting of small trees, bushes, shrubs, brambles, etc.

unique
adj.
without equal; sole; singular; only

unison
n.
complete harmony; complete coordination

unprecedented
adj.
unparalleled; not having occurred or been observed previously

unpredictable
adj.
changeable; capable of behaving in a surprising way

unscathed
adj.
unharmed

unsurpassed
adj.
not exceeded in achievement or excellence

upshot
n.
outcome; result; conclusion

uranium
n.
a radioactive, metallic element used as a source of nuclear energy

UN
abbrev.
United Nations. An international organization set up in 1945 to bring about cooperation in international law. international security, economic development, social progress, human rights and the establishment of world peace.

UNESCO
acronym (qv)
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. One of 18 specialized agencies within the UN

USB
abbrev.
Universal Serial Bus. A USB memory stick is an electronic device for the storage and easy transport of large data sets

usher
v.
to show in or out; to escort

vacate
v.
to leave empty; to quit

valid
adj.
true; having foundation

vantage point
n.
a position giving a favourable view of a scene or situation

vaporize
v.
to cause to evaporate or disappear; to destroy by turning into gas

Velcro
n. (trademark)
a fastening made out of two strips of adherent nylon fabric

velociraptor
n. a
turkey-sized, bipedal, theropod dinosaur. Scientific name:
Velociraptor mongoliensis,
meaning:
swift thief.
Velociraptors achieved popular awareness through the 1990 novel
Jurassic Park
by Michael Crichton, and the 1993 film of the same name.

vendor
n.
one who sells something

venomous
adj.
poisonous

verandah
n.
a porch or balcony on the outside of a building

verge
n.
a grassy border along the roadside

vernacular
n.
the commonly spoken language or dialect of a particular country or region

vertical
adj.
perpendicular; upright

vibrate
v.
to shake; to quiver; to oscillate

vice-chancellor
n.
a senior official in a university

vigorously
adv.
energetically; robustly

villa
n.
a large and often luxurious residence

villain
n.
a wicked person

visa
n.
a document, or an endorsement in a passport, permitting the owner to enter or travel through a particular country

void
n.
an empty space

vulnerable
adj.
capable of being hurt or wounded; weak

waste
v. (slang)
to murder someone

whence
adv. (poetic)
from; from what place

whereabouts
adv.
approximate position; location

white lie
n.
a fib; a minor untruth

whither
adv. (poetic)
to what place; where

wily
adj.
crafty; sly; cunning

wimp
n. (slang)
a feeble, ineffectual individual

wisp
n.
a thin, insubstantial streak

withhold
v.
to keep back

wrath
n.
extreme anger; rage leading to retribution or vengeance

wry
adj.
twisted; contorted (facial expression) as an indication of quiet amusement

WW 2
abbrev.
World War Two. The second world war (1939–45).

ye
pronoun (archaic)
form of address to two or more people

yonder
adv. (poetic)
over there – often far away

1 inch = 2.54 centimetres

1 foot = 12 inches = 0.3 metres

1 yard = 3 feet = 0.91 metres

1 mile = 1760 yards = 1.61 kilometres

1 league = 3 miles
(archaic)

1 pound = 16 ounces = 0.45 kilograms

1 ton = 2240 pounds (1016 kilograms)

 

1 centimetre = 0.39 inches

1 metre = 3.28 feet = 1.09 yards

1 kilometre = 0.62 miles

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds

1 tonne (metric ton) = 1000 kilograms (2204.6 pounds)

David Alric has had a highly distinguished career as a medical professor in which his publications, research and teaching established him as an eminent medical writer and an international leader in his field. He was a pioneer in the development of methods of investigation and treatment that are now routinely used in medical practice and played a major role in the introduction of computer technology into medicine.

 

David’s writing experience and scientific knowledge have now been brought to bear on writing for a very different readership. In
African Pursuit
and his previous two novels,
The Valley of the Ancients
and
The Promised One,
he combines his storytelling skills – honed by years of reading to his children and grandchildren – with his deep and wide-ranging understanding of natural history, science and general knowledge to create a fascinating mixture of adventure, fantasy and factual knowledge.

 

David is married with three children and six grandchildren. They see him most days and are his severest critics.

The Promised One

The Valley of the Ancients

First published in 2011
by Acme Press Ltd
PO Box 65725, London N21 9AY

This ebook edition published
by Faber and Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA

All rights reserved
© David Alric, 2011, 2012

The right of David Alric to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

ISBN 978–0–571–29504–3

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