James Allenvale ‘Bunduki’ Gunn’s tremendous physique and strength were hereditary. On his father’s side, he was descended from an illegitimate son of Sir Henry Curtis who had accompanied the great white hunter, Allan Quatermain on two epic journeys of exploration in Africa. lxxix His mother, Allison Dawn ‘Tex’ Gunn, was the granddaughter of Mark Counter, a Texan who in the mid-1800s had attained legendary status by virtue of his Herculean powers, as a cowhand, peace officer and all round fighting man. lxxx Nor had his parents proved unworthy of such bloodlines. Along with Sir Armond John and Lady Hazel Drummond-Clayton, they had served in the little known but highly effective ‘Group Thirteen Special Missions Organization of British Military Intelligence all through World War II. lxxxi
When Bunduki’s parents were murdered by Mau Mau terrorists, he had been adopted by a wealthy titled family who were related to Dawn. In their care, he had received the education which fitted him perfectly for survival on Zillikian. Arguably the world’s foremost authority on wild life and wilderness survival, his adopted father had imparted much practical knowledge. Bunduki had been taught how to follow tracks which were scarcely discernible to less keen eyes, to move in silence even through dense undergrowth, to locate hidden enemies and conceal himself from them when necessary and to climb with great agility. He had the knowledge to find or hunt for food, while his training in various forms of fighting allowed him to protect himself against predators or human foes.
In Bunduki’s hands, the Randall Model 12 ‘Smithsonian’ bowie knife—sixteen inches in overall length, weighing forty-three ounces, with an eleven inch long, two and a quarter inch wide, three-eighths of an inch thick clip point lxxxii blade—was an even more effective weapon than James Bowie had found the original. lxxxiii Sir Armond Drummond-Clayton had taught him fighting techniques which were unknown in Bowie’s day. In archery, he had acquired sufficient skill to duplicate most of the feats attributed to Robin Hood. From a Masai melombuki lxxxiv he had learned to throw a m’kuki, that nation’s traditional spear and handle a shield. During visits to the United States, along with his Texas-born look-alike cousin Bradford Counter, lxxxv he had been instructed in the arts of horse handling and lariat throwing by a purebred Comanche Indian. To round off his knowledge of martial arts, he was equally adept at fencing with a saber or an epee lxxxvi and had gained great proficiency at boxing, judo, karate and plain, old fashioned rough house brawling.