the land of footprints-第2节

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In　looking　back　on　the　multitudinous　pictures　that　the　word　Africa　bids　rise　in　my　memory；　four　stand　out　more　distinctly　than　the　others。　Strangely　enough；　these　are　by　no　means　all　pictures　of　average　country…the　sort　of　thing　one　would　describe　as　typical。　Perhaps；　in　a　way；　they　symbolize　more　the　spirit　of　the　country　to　me；　for　certainly　they　represent　but　a　small　minority　of　its　infinitely　varied　aspects。　But　since　we　must　make　a　start　somewhere；　and　since　for　some　reason　these　four　crowd　most　insistently　in　the　recollection　it　might　be　well　to　begin　with　them。

Our　camp　was　pitched　under　a　single　large　mimosa　tree　near　the　edge　of　a　deep　and　narrow　ravine　down　which　a　stream　flowed。　A　semicircle　of　low　mountains　hemmed　us　in　at　the　distance　of　several　miles。　The　other　side　of　the　semicircle　was　occupied　by　the　upthrow　of　a　low　rise　blocking　off　an　horizon　at　its　nearest　point　but　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　Trees　marked　the　course　of　the　stream；　low　scattered　bushes　alternated　with　open　plain。　The　grass　grew　high。　We　had　to　cut　it　out　to　make　camp。

Nothing　indicated　that　we　were　otherwise　situated　than　in　a　very　pleasant；　rather　wide　grass　valley　in　the　embrace　of　the　mountains。　Only　a　walk　of　a　few　hundred　yards　atop　the　upthrow　of　the　low　rise　revealed　the　fact　that　it　was　in　reality　the　lip　of　a　bench；　and　that　beyond　it　the　country　fell　away　in　sheer　cliffs　whose　ultimate　drop　was　some　fifteen　hundred　feet。　One　could　sit　atop　and　dangle　his　feet　over　unguessed　abysses。

For　a　week　we　had　been　hunting　for　greater　kudu。　Each　day　Memba　Sasa　and　I　went　in　one　direction；　while　Mavrouki　and　Kongoni　took　another　line。　We　looked　carefully　for　signs；　but　found　none　fresher　than　the　month　before。　Plenty　of　other　game　made　the　country　interesting；　but　we　were　after　a　shy　and　valuable　prize；　so　dared　not　shoot　lesser　things。　At　last；　at　the　end　of　the　week；　Mavrouki　came　in　with　a　tale　of　eight　lions　seen　in　the　low　scrub　across　the　stream。　The　kudu　business　was　about　finished；　as　far　as　this　place　went；　so　we　decided　to　take　a　look　for　the　lions。

We　ate　by　lantern　and　at　the　first　light　were　ready　to　start。　But　at　that　moment；　across　the　slope　of　the　rim　a　few　hundred　yards　away；　appeared　a　small　group　of　sing…sing。　These　are　a　beautiful　big　beast；　with　widespread　horns；　proud　and　wonderful；　like　Landseer's　stags；　and　I　wanted　one　of　them　very　much。　So　I　took　the　Springfield；　and　dropped　behind　the　line　of　some　bushes。　The　stalk　was　of　the　ordinary　sort。　One　has　to　remain　behind　cover；　to　keep　down　wind；　to　make　no　quick　movements。　Sometimes　this　takes　considerable　manoeuvring；　especially；　as　now；　in　the　case　of　a　small　band　fairly　well　scattered　out　for　feeding。　Often　after　one　has　succeeded　in　placing　them　all　safely　behind　the　scattered　cover；　a　straggler　will　step　out　into　view。　Then　the　hunter　must　stop　short；　must　slowly；　oh　very；　very　slowly；　sink　down　out　of　sight；　so　slowly；　in　fact；　that　he　must　not　seem　to　move；　but　rather　to　melt　imperceptibly　away。　Then　he　must　take　up　his　progress　at　a　lower　plane　of　elevation。　Perhaps　he　needs　merely　to　stoop；　or　he　may　crawl　on　hands　and　knees；　or　he　may　lie　flat　and　hitch　himself　forward　by　his　toes；　pushing　his　gun　ahead。　If　one　of　the　beasts　suddenly　looks　very　intently　in　his　direction；　he　must　freeze　into　no　matter　what　uncomfortable　position；　and　so　remain　an　indefinite　time。　Even　a　hotel…bred　child　to　whom　you　have　rashly　made　advances　stares　no　longer　nor　more　intently　than　a　buck　that　cannot　make　you　out。

I　had　no　great　difficulty　with　this　lot；　but　slipped　up　quite　successfully　to　within　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards。　There　I　raised　my　head　behind　a　little　bush　to　look。　Three　does　grazed　nearest　me；　their　coats　rough　against　the　chill　of　early　morning。　Up　the　slope　were　two　more　does　and　two　funny；　fuzzy　babies。　An　immature　buck　occupied　the　extreme　left　with　three　young　ladies。　But　the　big　buck；　the　leader；　the　boss　of　the　lot；　I　could　not　see　anywhere。　Of　course　he　must　be　about；　and　I　craned　my　neck　cautiously　here　and　there　trying　to　make　him　out。

Suddenly；　with　one　accord；　all　turned　and　began　to　trot　rapidly　away　to　the　right；　their　heads　high。　In　the　strange　manner　of　animals；　they　had　received　telepathic　alarm；　and　had　instantly　obeyed。　Then　beyond　and　far　to　the　right　I　at　last　saw　the　beast　I　had　been　looking　for。　The　old　villain　had　been　watching　me　all　the　time！

The　little　herd　in　single　file　made　their　way　rapidly　along　the　face　of　the　rise。　They　were　headed　in　the　direction　of　the　stream。　Now；　I　happened　to　know　that　at　this　point　the　stream…canyon　was　bordered　by　sheer　cliffs。　Therefore；　the　sing…sing　must　round　the　hill；　and　not　cross　the　stream。　By　running　to　the　top　of　the　hill　I　might　catch　a　glimpse　of　them　somewhere　below。　So　I　started　on　a　jog　trot；　trying　to　hit　the　golden　mean　of　speed　that　would　still　leave　me　breath　to　shoot。　This　was　an　affair　of　some　nicety　in　the　tall　grass。　Just　before　I　reached　the　actual　slope；　however；　I　revised　my　schedule。　The　reason　was　supplied　by　a　rhino　that　came　grunting　to　his　feet　about　seventy　yards　away。　He　had　not　seen　me；　and　he　had　not　smelled　me；　but　the　general　disturbance　of　all　these　events　had　broken　into　his　early　morning　nap。　He　looked　to　me　like　a　person　who　is　cross　before　breakfast；　so　I　ducked　low　and　ran　around　him。　The　last　I　saw　of　him　he　was　still　standing　there；　quite　disgruntled；　and　evidently　intending　to　write　to　the　directors　about　it。

Arriving　at　the　top；　I　looked　eagerly　down。　The　cliff　fell　away　at　an　impossible　angle；　but　sheer　below　ran　out　a　narrow　bench　fifty　yards　wide。　Around　the　point　of　the　hill　to　my　right…where　the　herd　had　gone…a　game　trail　dropped　steeply　to　this　bench。　I　arrived　just　in　time　to　see　the　sing…sing；　still　trotting；　file　across　the　bench　and　over　its　edge；　on　some　other　invisible　game　trail；　to　continue　their　descent　of　the　cliff。　The　big　buck　brought　up　the　rear。　At　the　very　edge　he　came　to　a　halt；　and　looked　back；　throwing　his　head　up　and　his　nose　out　so　that　the　heavy　fur　on　his　neck　stood　forward　like　a　ruff。　It　was　a　last　glimpse　of　him；　so　I　held　my　little　best；　and　pulled　trigger。

This　happened　to　be　one　of　those　shots　I　spoke　of…which　the　perpetrator　accepts　with　a　thankful　and　humble　spirit。　The　sing…sing　leaped　high　in　the　air　and　plunged　over　the　edge　of　the　bench。　I　signalled　the　camp…in　plain　sight…to　come　and　get　the　head　and　meat；　and　sat　down　to　wait。　And　while　waiting；　I　looked　out　on　a　scene　that　has　since　been　to　me　one　of　my　four　symbolizations　of　Africa。

The　morning　was　dull；　with　gray　clouds　through　which　at　wide　intervals　streamed　broad　bands　of　misty　light。　Below　me　the　cliff　fell　away　clear　to　a　gorge　in　the　depths　of　which　flowed　a　river。　Then　the　land　began　to　rise；　broken；　sharp；　tumbled；　terrible；　tier　after　tier；　gorge　after　gorge；　one　twisted　range　after　the　other；　across　a　breathlessly　immeasurable　distance。　The　prospect　was　full　of　shadows　thrown　by　the　tumult　of　lava。　In　those　shadows　one　imagined　stranger　abysses。　Far　down　to　the　right　a　long　narrow　lake　inaugurated　a　flatter；　alkali…whitened　country　of　low　cliffs　in　long　straight　lines。　Across　the　distances　proper　to　a　dozen　horizons　the　tumbled　chaos　heaved　and　fell。　The　eye　sought　rest　at　the　bounds　usual　to　its　accustomed　world…and　went　on。　There　was　no　roundness　to　the　earth；　no　grateful　curve　to　drop　this　great　fierce　country　beyond　a　healing　horizon　out　of　sight。　The　immensity　of　primal　space　was　in　it；　and　the　simplicity　of　primal　things…rough；　unfinished；　full　of　mystery。　There　was　no　colour。　The　scene　was　done　in　slate　gray；　darkening　to　the　opaque　where　a　tiny　distant　rain　squall　started；　lightening　in　the　nearer　shadows　to　reveal　half…guessed　peaks；　brightening　unexpectedly　into　broad　short　bands　of　misty　gray　light　slanting　from　the　gray　heavens　above　to　the　sombre　tortured　immensity　beneath。　It　was　such　a　thing　as　Gustave　Dore　might　have　imaged　to　serve　as　an　abiding　place　for　the　fierce　chaotic　spirit　of　the　African　wilderness。

I　sat　there　for　some　time　hugging　my　knees；　waiting　for　the　men　to　come。　The　tremendous　landscape　seemed　to　have　been　willed　to　immobility。　The　rain　squalls　forty　miles　or　more　away　did　not　appear　to　shift　their　shadows；　the　rare　slanting　bands　of　light　from　the　clouds　were　as　constant　as　though　they　were　falling　through　cathedral　windows。　But　nearer　at　hand　other　things　were　forward。　The　birds；　thousands　of　them；　were　doing　their　best　to　cheer　things　up。　The　roucoulements　of　doves　rose　from　the　bushes　down　the　face　of　the　cliffs；　the　bell　bird　uttered　his　clear　ringing　note；　the　chime　bird　gave　his　celebrated　imitation　of　a　really　gentlemanly　sixty…horse　power　touring　car　hinting　you　out　of　the　way　with　the　mellowness　of　a　chimed　horn；　the　bottle　bird　poured　gallons　of　guggling　essence　of　happiness　from　his　silver　jug。　From　the　direction　of　camp；　evidently　jumped　by　the　boys；　a　steinbuck　loped　gracefully；　pausing　every　few　minutes　to　look　back；　his　dainty　legs　tense；　his　sensitive　ears　pointed　toward　the　direction　of　disturbance。

And　now；　along　the　face　of　the　cliff；　I　make　out　the　flashing　of　much　movement；　half　glimpsed　through　the　bushes。　Soon　a　fine　old…man　baboon；　his　tail　arched　after　the　dandified　fashion