the land of footprints-第15节

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yes。

Yes；　we　were　close　enough　to　〃see　the　whites　of　their　eyes；〃　if　they　had　had　any：　and　also　to　be　within　the　range　of　their　limited　vision。　Of　course　we　were　now　stalking；　and　taking　advantage　of　all　the　cover。

Those　rhinoceroses　looked　to　me　like　two　Dreadnaughts。　The　African　two…horned　rhinoceros　is　a　bigger　animal　anyway　than　our　circus　friend；　who　generally　comes　from　India。　One　of　these　brutes　I　measured　went　five　feet　nine　inches　at　the　shoulder；　and　was　thirteen　feet　six　inches　from　bow　to　stern。　Compare　these　dimensions　with　your　own　height　and　with　the　length　of　your　motor　car。　It　is　one　thing　to　take　on　such　beasts　in　the　hurry　of　surprise；　the　excitement　of　a　charge；　or　to　stalk　up　to　within　a　respectable　range　of　them　with　a　gun　at　ready。　But　this　deliberate　sneaking　up　with　the　hope　of　being　able　to　sneak　away　again　was　a　little　too　slow　and　cold…blooded。　It　made　me　nervous。　I　liked　it；　but　I　knew　at　the　time　I　was　going　to　like　it　a　whole　lot　better　when　it　was　triumphantly　over。

We　were　now　within　twenty　yards　（they　were　standing　starboard　side　on）；　and　I　prepared　to　get　my　picture。　To　do　so　I　would　either　have　to　step　quietly　out　into　sight；　trusting　to　the　shadow　and　the　slowness　of　my　movements　to　escape　observation；　or　hold　the　camera　above　the　bush；　directing　it　by　guess　work。　It　was　a　little　difficult　to　decide。　I　knew　what　I　OUGHT　to　do…

Without　the　slightest　premonitory　warning　those　two　brutes　snorted　and　whirled　in　their　tracks　to　stand　facing　in　our　direction。　After　the　dead　stillness　they　made　a　tremendous　row；　what　with　the　jerky　suddenness　of　their　movements；　their　loud　snorts；　and　the　avalanche　of　echoing　stones　and　boulders　they　started　down　the　hill。

This　was　the　magnificent　opportunity。　At　this　point　I　should　boldly　have　stepped　out　from　behind　my　bush；　levelled　my　trusty　3A；　and　coolly　snapped　the　beasts；　〃charging　at　fifteen　yards。〃　Then；　if　B。's　and　F。's　shots　went　absolutely　true；　or　if　the　brutes　didn't　happen　to　smash　the　camera　as　well　as　me；　I；　or　my　executors　as　the　case　might　be；　would　have　had　a　fine　picture。

But　I　didn't。　I　dropped　that　expensive　3A　Special　on　some　hard　rocks；　and　grabbed　my　rifle　from　Memba　Sasa。　If　you　want　really　to　know　why；　go　confront　your　motor　car　at　fifteen　or　twenty　paces；　multiply　him　by　two；　and　endow　him　with　an　eagerly　malicious　disposition。

They　advanced　several　yards；　halted；　faced　us　for　perhaps　five　or　six　seconds；　uttered　snort；　whirled　with　the　agility　of　polo　ponies；　departed　at　a　swinging　trot　and　with　surprising　agility　along　the　steep　side　hill。

I　recovered　the　camera；　undamaged；　and　we　continued　our　climb。

The　top　of　the　mesa　was　disappointing　as　far　as　game　was　concerned。　It　was　covered　all　over　with　red　stones；　round；　and　as　large　as　a　man's　head。　Thornbushes　found　some　sort　of　sustenance　in　the　interstices。

But　we　had　gained　to　a　magnificent　view。　Below　us　lay　the　narrow　flat；　then　the　winding　jungle　of　our　river；　then　long　rolling　desert　country；　gray　with　thorn　scrub；　sweeping　upward　to　the　base　of　castellated　buttes　and　one　tremendous　riven　cliff　mountain；　dropping　over　the　horizon　to　a　very　distant　blue　range。　Behind　us　eight　or　ten　miles　away　was　the　low　ridge　through　which　our　journey　had　come。　The　mesa　on　which　we　stood　broke　back　at　right　angles　to　admit　another　stream　flowing　into　our　own。　Beyond　this　stream　were　rolling　hills；　and　scrub　country；　the　hint　of　blue　peaks　and　illimitable　distances　falling　away　to　the　unknown　Tara　Desert　and　the　sea。

There　seemed　to　be　nothing　much　to　be　gained　here；　so　we　made　up　our　minds　to　cut　across　the　mesa；　and　from　the　other　edge　of　it　to　overlook　the　valley　of　the　tributary　river。　This　we　would　descend　until　we　came　to　our　horses。

Accordingly　we　stumbled　across　a　mile　or　so　of　those　round　and　rolling　stones。　Then　we　found　ourselves　overlooking　a　wide　flat　or　pocket　where　the　stream　valley　widened。　It　extended　even　as　far　as　the　upward　fling　of　the　barrier　ranges。　Thick　scrub　covered　it；　but　erratically；　so　that　here　and　there　were　little　openings　or　thin　places。　We　sat　down；　manned　our　trusty　prism　glasses；　and　gave　ourselves　to　the　pleasing　occupation　of　looking　the　country　over　inch　by　inch。

This　is　great　fun。　It　is　a　game　a　good　deal　like　puzzle　pictures。　Re…examination　generally　develops　new　and　unexpected　beasts。　We　repeated　to　each　other　aloud　the　results　of　our　scrutiny；　always　without　removing　the　glasses　from　our　eyes。

〃Oryx；　one；〃　said　F。；　〃oryx；　two。〃

〃Giraffe；〃　reported　B。；　〃and　a　herd　of　impalla。〃

I　saw　another　giraffe；　and　another　oryx；　then　two　rhinoceroses。

The　three　bearers　squatted　on　their　heels　behind　us；　their　fierce　eyes　staring　straight　ahead；　seeing　with　the　naked　eye　what　we　were　finding　with　six…power　glasses。

We　turned　to　descend　the　hill。　In　the　very　centre　of　the　deep　shade　of　a　clump　of　trees；　I　saw　the　gleam　of　a　waterbuck's　horns。　While　I　was　telling　of　this；　the　beast　stepped　from　his　concealment；　trotted　a　short　distance　upstream　and　turned　to　climb　a　little　ridge　parallel　to　that　by　which　we　were　descending。　About　halfway　up　he　stopped；　staring　in　our　direction；　his　head　erect；　the　slight　ruff　under　his　neck　standing　forward。　He　was　a　good　four　hundred　yards　away。　B。；　who　wanted　him；　decided　the　shot　too　chancy。　He　and　F。　slipped　backward　until　they　had　gained　the　cover　of　the　little　ridge；　then　hastened　down　the　bed　of　the　ravine。　Their　purpose　was　to　follow　the　course　already　taken　by　the　waterbuck　until　they　should　have　sneaked　within　better　range。　In　the　meantime　I　and　the　gunbearers　sat　down　in　full　view　of　the　buck。　This　was　to　keep　his　attention　distracted。

We　sat　there　a　long　time。　The　buck　never　moved　but　continued　to　stare　at　what　evidently　puzzled　him。　Time　passes　very　slowly　in　such　circumstances；　and　it　seemed　incredible　that　the　beast　should　continue　much　longer　to　hold　his　fixed　attitude。　Nevertheless　B。　and　F。　were　working　hard。　We　caught　glimpses　of　them　occasionally　slipping　from　bush　to　bush。　Finally　B。　knelt　and　levelled　his　rifle。　At　once　I　turned　my　glasses　on　the　buck。　Before　the　sound　of　the　rifle　had　reached　me；　I　saw　him　start　convulsively；　then　make　off　at　the　tearing　run　that　indicates　a　heart　hit。　A　moment　later　the　crack　of　the　rifle　and　the　dull　plunk　of　the　hitting　bullet　struck　my　ear。

We　tracked　him　fifty　yards　to　where　he　lay　dead。　He　was　a　fine　trophy；　and　we　at　once　set　the　boys　to　preparing　it　and　taking　the　meat。　In　the　meantime　we　sauntered　down　to　look　at　the　stream。　It　was　a　small　rapid　affair；　but　in　heavy　papyrus；　with　sparse　trees；　and　occasional　thickets；　and　dry　hard　banks。　The　papyrus　should　make　a　good　lurking　place　for　almost　anything；　but　the　few　points　of　access　to　the　water　failed　to　show　many　interesting　tracks。　Nevertheless　we　decided　to　explore　a　short　distance。

For　an　hour　we　walked　among　high　thornbushes；　over　baking　hot　earth。　We　saw　two　or　three　dik…dik　and　one　of　the　giraffes。　At　that　time　it　had　become　very　hot；　and　the　sun　was　bearing　down　on　us　as　with　the　weight　of　a　heavy　hand。　The　air　had　the　scorching；　blasting　quality　of　an　opened　furnace　door。　Our　mouths　were　getting　dry　and　sticky　in　that　peculiar　stage　of　thirst　on　which　no　luke…warm　canteen　water　in　necessarily　limited　quantity　has　any　effect。　So　we　turned　back；　picked　up　the　men　with　the　waterbuck；　and　plodded　on　down　the　little　stream；　or；　rather；　on　the　red…hot　dry　valley　bottom　outside　the　stream's　course；　to　where　the　syces　were　waiting　with　our　horses。　We　mounted　with　great　thankfulness。　It　was　now　eleven　o'clock；　and　we　considered　our　day　as　finished。

The　best　way　for　a　distance　seemed　to　follow　the　course　of　the　tributary　stream　to　its　point　of　junction　with　our　river。　We　rode　along；　rather　relaxed　in　the　suffocating　heat。　F。　was　nearest　the　stream。　At　one　point　it　freed　itself　of　trees　and　brush　and　ran　clear；　save　for　low　papyrus；　ten　feet　down　below　a　steep　eroded　bank。　F。　looked　over　and　uttered　a　startled　exclamation。　I　spurred　my　horse　forward　to　see。

Below　us；　about　fifteen　yards　away；　was　the　carcass　of　a　waterbuck　half　hidden　in　the　foot…high　grass。　A　lion　and　two　lionesses　stood　upon　it；　staring　up　at　us　with　great　yellow　eyes。　That　picture　is　a　very　vivid　one　in　my　memory；　for　those　were　the　first　wild　lions　I　had　ever　seen。　My　most　lively　impression　was　of　their　unexpected　size。　They　seemed　to　bulk　fully　a　third　larger　than　my　expectation。

The　magnificent　beasts　stood　only　long　enough　to　see　clearly　what　had　disturbed　them；　then　turned；　and　in　two　bounds　had　gained　the　shelter　of　the　thicket。

Now　the　habit　in　Africa　is　to　let　your　gunbearers　carry　all　your　guns。　You　yourself　stride　along　hand　free。　It　is　an　English　idea；　and　is　pretty　generally　adopted　out　there　by　every　one；　of　whatever　nationality。　They　will　explain　it　to　you　by　saying　that　in　such　a　climate　a　man　should　do　only　necessary　physical　work；　and　that　a　good　gunbearer　will　get　a　weapon　into　your　hand　so　quickly　and　in　so　convenient　a　position　that　you　will　lose　no　time。　I　acknowledge　the　gunbearers　are　sometimes　very　skilful　at　this；　but　I　do　deny　that　there　is　no　loss　of　time。　The　instant　of　distracted　attention　while　receiving　a　weapon；　the　necessity　of　recollecting　the　nervous　correla