stories by english authors in africa(旅非英国作家的故事)-第8节
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and left； and； what is more； I never heard of anybody else doing it。
Naturally I was considerably pleased with myself； and having again
loaded up； I went on to look for the black…maned beauty who had killed
Kaptein。 Slowly； and with the greatest care； I proceeded up the kloof；
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searching every bush and tuft of grass as I went。 It was wonderfully
exciting work； for I never was sure from one moment to another but that
he would be on me。 I took comfort； however； from the reflection that a
lion rarely attacks a man；rarely； I say； sometimes he does； as you will
see；unless he is cornered or wounded。 I must have been nearly an hour
hunting after that lion。 Once I thought I saw something move in a clump
of tambouki grass； but I could not be sure； and when I trod out the grass I
could not find him。
〃At last I worked up to the head of the kloof； which made a cul…de… sac。
It was formed of a wall of rock about fifty feet high。 Down this rock
trickled a little waterfall； and in front of it； some seventy feet from its face；
was a great piled…up mass of boulders； in the crevices and on the top of
which grew ferns； grasses； and stunted bushes。 This mass was about
twenty…five feet high。 The sides of the kloof here were also very steep。
Well； I came to the top of the nullah and looked all round。 No signs of the
lion。 Evidently I had either overlooked him farther down or he had
escaped right away。 It was very vexatious； but still three lions were not a
bad bag for one gun before dinner； and I was fain to be content。
Accordingly I departed back again； making my way round the isolated
pillar of boulders； beginning to feel； as I did so； that I was pretty well done
up with excitement and fatigue； and should be more so before I had
skinned those three lions。 When I had got； as nearly as I could judge；
about eighteen yards past the pillar or mass of boulders； I turned to have
another look round。 I have a pretty sharp eye； but I could see nothing at
all。
〃Then； on a sudden； I saw something sufficiently alarming。 On the top
of the mass of boulders； opposite to me； standing out clear against the rock
beyond； was the huge black…maned lion。 He had been crouching there； and
now arose as though by magic。 There he stood lashing his tail； just like a
living reproduction of the animal on the gateway of Northumberland
House that I have seen a picture of。 But he did not stand long。 Before I
could firebefore I could do more than get the gun to my shoulderhe
sprang straight up and out from the rock； and driven by the impetus of that
one mighty bound came hurtling through the air toward me。
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〃Heavens！ how grand he looked； and how awful！ High into the air he
flew； describing a great arch。 Just as he touched the highest point of his
spring I fired。 I did not dare to wait； for I saw that he would clear the
whole space and land right upon me。 Without a sight； almost without aim；
I fired； as one would fire a snap…shot at a snipe。 The bullet told； for I
distinctly heard its thud above the rushing sound caused by the passage of
the lion through the air。 Next second I was swept to the ground （luckily I
fell into a low； creeper…clad bush； which broke the shock）； and the lion was
on the top of me； and the next those great white teeth of his had met in my
thighI heard them grate against the bone。 I yelled out in agony； for I did
not feel in the least benumbed and happy； like Dr。 Livingstone；whom； by
the way； I knew very well；and gave myself up for dead。 But suddenly； at
that moment； the lion's grip on my thigh loosened； and he stood over me；
swaying to and fro； his huge mouth； from which the blood was gushing；
wide opened。 Then he roared； and the sound shook the rocks。
〃To and fro he swung； and then the great head dropped on me；
knocking all the breath from my body； and he was dead。 My bullet had
entered in the centre of his chest and passed out on the right side of the
spine about half way down the back。
〃The pain of my wound kept me from fainting； and as soon as I got my
breath I managed to drag myself from under him。 Thank heavens； his great
teeth had not crushed my thigh…bone； but I was losing a great deal of blood；
and had it not been for the timely arrival of Tom； with whose aid I got the
handkerchief from my wrist and tied it round my leg； twisting it tight with
a stick； I think that I should have bled to death。
〃Well； it was a just reward for my folly in trying to tackle a family of
lions single…handed。 The odds were too long。 I have been lame ever since；
and shall be to my dying day； in the month of March the wound always
troubles me a great deal； and every three years it breaks out raw。 I need
scarcely add that I never traded the lot of ivory at Sikukuni's。 Another man
got ita Germanand made five hundred pounds out of it after paying
expenses。 I spent the next month on the broad of my back； and was a
cripple for six months after that。 And now I've told you the yarn； so I will
have a drop of Hollands and go to bed。〃
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KING BEMBA'S POINT A WEST
AFRICAN STORY
BY J。 LANDERS
We were for the most part a queer lot out on that desolate southwest
African coast； in charge of the various trading stations that were scattered
along the coast； from the Gaboon River； past the mouth of the mighty
Congo； to the Portuguese city of St。 Paul de Loanda。 A mixture of all sorts；
especially bad sorts： broken…down clerks； men who could not succeed
anywhere else； sailors； youths； and some whose characters would not have
borne any investigation； and we very nearly all drank hard； and those who
didn't drink hard took more than was good for them。
I don't know exactly what induced me to go out there。 I was young for
one thing； the country was unknown； the berth was vacant； and the
conditions of it easy。
Imagine a high rocky point or headland； stretching out sideways into
the sea； and at its base a small river winding into a country that was
seemingly a blank in regard to inhabitants or cultivation； a land continuing
for miles and miles； as far as the eye could see； one expanse of long
yellow grass； dotted here and there with groups of bastard palms。 In front
of the headland rolled the lonely South Atlantic； and； as if such conditions
were not dispiriting enough to existence upon the Point； there was yet
another feature which at times gave the place a still more ghastly look。 A
long way off the shore； the heaving surface of the ocean began； in
anything like bad weather； to break upon the shoals of the coast。 Viewed
from the top of the rock； the sea at such times looked； for at least two
miles out； as if it were scored over with lines of white foam； but lower
down； near the beach； each roller could be distinctly seen； and each roller
had a curve of many feet； and was an enormous mass of water that hurled
itself shoreward until it curled and broke。
When I first arrived on the Point there was； I may say； only one house
upon it； and that belonged to Messrs。 Flint Brothers； of Liverpool。 It was
occupied by one solitary man named Jackson； he had had an assistant； but
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the assistant had died of fever； and I was sent to replace him。 Jackson was
a man of fifty at least； who had been a sailor before he had become an
African trader。 His face bore testimony to the winds and weather it had
encountered； and wore habitually a grave； if n
