the land of footprints-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　matter　of　watching　the　temper　of　the　men。　If　they　are　cheerful　and　willing；　you　are　not　nearly　as　particular　as　you　would　be　were　their　spirit　becoming　sullen。　Then　the　infraction　is　not　so　important　in　itself　as　an　excuse　for　the　punishment。　For　when　your　men　get　sulky；　you　watch　vigilantly　for　the　first　and　faintest　EXCUSE　to　inflict　punishment。

This　game　always　seemed　to　me　very　fascinating；　when　played　right。　It　is　often　played　wrong。　People　do　not　look　far　enough。　Because　they　see　that　punishment　has　a　most　salutary　effect　on　morale；　and　is　sometimes　efficacious　in　getting　things　done　that　otherwise　would　lag；　they　jump　to　the　conclusion　that　the　only　effective　way　to　handle　a　safari　is　by　penalties。　By　this　I　do　not　at　all　mean　that　they　act　savagely；　or　punish　to　brutal　excess。　Merely　they　hold　rigidly　to　the　letter　of　the　work　and　the　day's　discipline。　Because　it　is　sometimes　necessary　to　punish　severely　slight　infractions　when　the　men's　tempers　need　sweetening；　they　ALWAYS　punish　slight　infractions　severely。

And　in　ordinary　circumstances　this　method　undoubtedly　results　in　a　very　efficient　safari。　Things　are　done　smartly；　on　time；　with　a　snap。　The　day's　march　begins　without　delay；　there　is　a　minimum　of　straggling；　on　arrival　the　tents　are　immediately　got　up　and　the　wood　and　water　fetched。　But　in　a　tight　place；　men　so　handled　by　invariable　rule　are　very　apt　to　sit　down　apathetically；　and　put　the　whole　thing　up　to　the　white　man。　When　it　comes　time　to　help　out　they　are　not　there。　The　contrast　with　a　well…disposed　safari　cannot　be　appreciated　by　one　who　has　not　seen　both。

The　safari…man　loves　a　master。　He　does　not　for　a　moment　understand　any　well…meant　but　misplaced　efforts　on　your　part　to　lighten　his　work　below　the　requirements　of　custom。　Always　he　will　beg　you　to　ease　up　on　him；　to　accord　him　favour；　and　always　he　will　despise　you　if　you　yield。　The　relations　of　man　to　man；　of　man　to　work；　are　all　long　since　established　by　immemorial　distauri…custom…and　it　is　not　for　you　or　him　to　change　them　lightly。　If　you　know　what　he　should　or　can　do；　and　hold　him　rigidly　to　it；　he　will　respect　and　follow　you。

But　in　order　to　keep　him　up　to　the　mark；　it　is　not　always　advisable　to　light　into　him　with　a　whip；　necessary　as　the　whip　often　is。　If　he　is　sullen；　or　inclined　to　make　mischief；　then　that　is　the　crying　requirement。　But　if　he　is　merely　careless；　or　a　little　slow；　or　tired；　you　can　handle　him　in　other　ways。　Ridicule　before　his　comrades　is　very　effective：　a　sort　of　good…natured　guying；　I　mean。　〃Ah！　very　tired！〃　uttered　in　the　right　tone　of　voice　has　brought　many　a　loiterer　to　his　feet　as　effectively　as　the　kick　some　men　feel　must　always　be　bestowed；　and　quite　without　anger；　mind　you！　For　days　at　a　time　we　have　kept　our　men　travelling　at　good　speed　by　commenting；　as　though　by　the　way；　after　we　had　arrived　in　camp；　on　which　tribe　happened　to　come　in　at　the　head。

〃Ah！　Kavirondos　came　in　first　to…night；〃　we　would　remark。　〃Last　night　the　Monumwezis　were　ahead。〃

And　once；　actually；　by　this　method　we　succeeded　in　working　up　such　a　feeling　of　rivalry　that　the　Kikuyus；　the　unambitious；　weak　and　despised　Kikuyus；　led　the　van！

But　the　first　hint　of　insubordination；　of　intended　insolence；　of　willful　shirking　must　be　met　by　instant　authority。　Occasionally；　when　the　situation　is　of　the　quick　and　sharp　variety；　the　white　man　may　have　to　mix　in　the　row　himself。　He　must　never　hesitate　an　instant；　for　the　only　reason　he　alone　can　control　so　many　is　that　he　has　always　controlled　them。　F。　had　a　very　effective　blow；　or　shove；　which　I　found　well　worth　adopting。　It　is　delivered　with　the　heel　of　the　palm　to　the　man's　chin；　and　is　more　of　a　lifting；　heaving　shove　than　an　actual　blow。　Its　effect　is　immediately　upsetting。　Impertinence　is　best　dealt　with　in　this　manner　on　the　spot。　Evidently　intended　slowness　in　coming　when　called　is　also　best　treated　by　a　flick　of　the　whip…and　forgetfulness。　And　so　with　a　half　dozen　others。　But　any　more　serious　matter　should　be　decided　from　the　throne　of　the　canvas　chair；　witness　should　be　heard；　judgment　formally　pronounced；　and　execution　intrusted　to　the　askaris　or　gunbearers。

It　is；　as　I　have　said；　a　most　interesting　game。　It　demands　three　sorts　of　knowledge：　first　what　a　safari　man　is　capable　of　doing；　second；　what　he　customarily　should　or　should　not　do；　third；　an　ability　to　read　the　actual　intention　or　motive　back　of　his　actions。　When　you　are　able　to　punish　or　hold　your　hand　on　these　principles；　and　not　merely　because　things　have　or　have　not　gone　smoothly　or　right；　then　you　are　a　good　safari　manager。　There　are　mighty　few　of　them。

As　for　punishment；　that　is　quite　simply　the　whip。　The　average　writer　on　the　country　speaks　of　this　with　hushed　voice　and　averted　face　as　a　necessity　but　as　something　to　be　deprecated　and　passed　over　as　quickly　as　possible。　He　does　this　because　he　thinks　he　ought　to。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　such　an　attitude　is　all　poppycock。　In　the　flogging　of　a　white　man；　or　a　black　who　suffers　from　such　a　punishment　in　his　soul　as　well　as　his　body；　this　is　all　very　well。　But　the　safari　man　expects　it；　it　doesn't　hurt　his　feelings　in　the　least；　it　is　ancient　custom。　As　well　sentimentalize　over　necessary　schoolboy　punishment；　or　over　father　paddy…whacking　little　Willie　when　little　Willie　has　been　a　bad　boy。　The　chances　are　your　porter　will　leap　to　his　feet；　crack　his　heels　together　and　depart　with　a　whoop　of　joy；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　Or　he　may　draw　himself　up　and　salute　you；　military　fashion；　again　with　a　grin。　In　any　case　his　〃soul〃　is　not　〃scared〃　a　little　bit；　and　there　is　no　sense　in　yourself　feeling　about　it　as　though　it　were。

At　another　slant　the　justice　you　will　dispense　to　your　men　differs　from　our　own。　Again　this　is　because　of　the　teaching　long　tradition　has　made　part　of　their　mental　make…up。　Our　own　belief　is　that　it　is　better　to　let　two　guilty　men　go　than　to　punish　one　innocent。　With　natives　it　is　the　other　way　about。　If　a　crime　is　committed　the　guilty　MUST　be　punished。　Preferably　he　alone　is　to　be　dealt　with；　but　in　case　it　is　impossible　to　identify　him；　then　all　the　members　of　the　first　inclusive　unit　must　be　brought　to　account。　This　is　the　native　way　of　doing　things；　is　the　only　way　the　native　understands；　and　is　the　only　way　that　in　his　mind　true　justice　is　answered。　Thus　if　a　sheep　is　stolen；　the　thief　must　be　caught　and　punished。　Suppose；　however　it　is　known　to　what　family　the　thief　belongs；　but　the　family　refuses　to　disclose　which　of　its　members　committed　the　theft：　then　each　member　must　be　punished　for　sheep　stealing；　or；　if　not　the　family；　then　the　tribe　must　make　restitution。　But　punishment　MUST　be　inflicted。

There　is　an　essential　justice　to　recommend　this；　outside　the　fact　that　it　has　with　the　native　all　the　solidity　of　accepted　ethics；　and　it　certainly　helps　to　run　the　real　criminal　to　earth。　The　innocent　sometimes　suffers　innocently；　but　not　very　often；　and　our　own　records　show　that　in　that　respect　with　us　it　is　the　same。　This　is　not　the　place　to　argue　the　right　or　wrong　of　the　matter　from　our　own　standpoint　but　to　recognize　the　fact　that　it　is　right　from　theirs；　and　to　act　accordingly。　Thus　in　cast　of　theft　of　meat；　or　something　that　cannot　be　traced；　it　is　well　to　call　up　the　witnesses；　to　prove　the　alibis；　and　then　to　place　the　issue　squarely　up　to　those　that　remain。　There　may　be　but　two；　or　there　may　be　a　dozen。

〃I　know　you　did　not　all　steal　the　meat；〃　you　must　say；　〃but　I　know　that　one　of　you　did。　Unless　I　know　which　one　that　is　by　to…morrow　morning；　I　will　kiboko　all　of　you。　Bass！〃

Perhaps　occasionally　you　may　have　to　kiboko　the　lot；　in　the　full　knowledge　that　most　are　innocent。　That　seems　hard；　and　your　heart　will　misgive　you。　Harden　it。　The　〃innocent〃　probably　know　perfectly　well　who　the　guilty　man　is。　And　the　incident　builds　for　the　future。

I　had　intended　nowhere　to　comment　on　the　politics　or　policies　of　the　country。　Nothing　is　more　silly　than　the　casual　visitor's　snap　judgments　on　how　a　country　is　run。　Nevertheless；　I　may　perhaps　be　pardoned　for　suggesting　that　the　Government　would　strengthen　its　hand；　and　aid　its　few　straggling　settlers　by　adopting　this　native　view　of　retributions。　For　instance；　at　present　it　is　absolutely　impossible　to　identify　individual　sheep　and　cattle　stealers。　They　operate　stealthily　and　at　night。　If　the　Government　cannot　identify　the　actual　thief；　it　gives　the　matter　up。　As　a　consequence　a　great　hardship　is　inflicted　on　the　settler　and　an　evil　increases。　If；　however；　the　Government　would　hold　the　village；　the　district；　or　the　tribe　responsible；　and　exact　just　compensation　from　such　units　in　every　case；　the　evil　would　very　suddenly　come　to　an　end。　And　the　native's　respect　for　the　white　man　would　climb　in　the　scale。

Once　the　safari　man　gets　confidence　in　his　master；　that　confidence　is　complete。　The　white　man's　duties　are　in　his　mind　clearly　defined。　His　job　is　to　see　that　the　black　man　is　fed；　is　watered；　is　taken　care　of　in　every　way。　The　ordinary　porter　considers　himself　quite　devoid　of　responsibility。　He　is　also　an　improvident　creature；　for　he　drinks　all　his　water　when　he　gets　thirsty；　no　matter　how　long　and　hot　the　journey　before　him；　he　eats　his　rations　all　up　when　he　happens　to　get　hungry；　two　days　before　next　dist