This vivid account describes the centuries old relationship between the countries along the rim of the Indian Ocean and the eastern coast of Africa. It details the background of the Indian coolies who were employed by the British as indentured labour to fulfil a Victorian dream to build a telescopic Uganda Railway the Tin Dragon in order to consolidate and safeguard the British sphere of influence in this territory. It portrays their courage, determination and grit and the co-operation that was required in this harsh era between the people of three different continents to battle the forces of nature, disease, the inhuman working conditions and the creatures of the wild to achieve this goal. The stories of the birth pains and subsequent development of a modern nation from a primitive land, and the significant role played by the railwaymen in this process, makes this book a fascinating read.