the land of footprints-第25节

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A　wide　spot　in　the　shimmer　showed　black　and　struggling　against　the　ground。　I　arose　and　walked　over；　meeting　halfway　B。　and　the　men　carrying　the　meat。　It　took　me　probably　about　two　minutes　to　reach　the　place　where　the　zebra　had　been　killed。　Hundreds；　perhaps　thousands；　of　the　great　birds　were　standing　idly　about；　a　dozen　or　so　were　flapping　and　scrambling　in　the　centre。　I　stepped　into　view。　With　a　mighty　commotion　they　all　took　wing　clumsily；　awkwardly；　reluctantly。　A　trampled；　bloody　space　and　the　larger　bones；　picked　absolutely　clean；　was　all　that　remained！　In　less　than　two　minutes　the　job　had　been　done！

〃You're　certainly　good　workmen！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃but　I　wonder　how　you　all　make　a　living！〃

We　started　the　men　on　to　camp　with　the　meat；　and　ourselves　rested　under　the　shade。　The　day　had　been　a　full　and　interesting　one；　but　we　considered　it　as　finished。　Remained　only　the　hot　journey　back　to　camp。

After　a　half　hour　we　mounted　again　and　rode　on　slowly。　The　sun　was　very　strong　and　a　heavy　shimmer　clothed　the　plain。　Through　this　shimmer　we　caught　sight　of　something　large　and　black　and　flapping。　It　looked　like　a　crow…or；　better；　a　scare…crow…crippled；　half　flying；　half　running；　with　waving　wings　or　arms；　now　dwindling；　now　gigantic　as　the　mirage　caught　it　up　or　let　it　drop。　As　we　watched；　it　developed；　and　we　made　it　out　to　be　a　porter；　clad　in　a　long；　ragged　black　overcoat；　running　zigzag　through　the　bushes　in　our　direction。

The　moment　we　identified　it　we　spurred　our　horses　forward。　As　my　horse　leaped；　Memba　Sasa　snatched　the　Springfield　from　my　left　hand　and　forced　the　405　Winchester　upon　me。　Clever　Memba　Sasa！　He　no　more　than　we　knew　what　was　up；　but　shrewdly　concluded　that　whatever　it　was　it　needed　a　heavy　gun。

As　we　galloped　to　meet　him；　the　porter　stopped。　We　saw　him　to　be　a　very　long…legged；　raggedy　youth　whom　we　had　nicknamed　the　Marabout　because　of　his　exceedingly　long；　lean　legs；　the　fact　that　his　breeches　were　white；　short　and　baggy；　and　because　he　kept　his　entire　head　shaved　close。　He　called　himself　Fundi；　which　means　The　Expert；　a　sufficient　indication　of　his　confidence　in　himself。

He　awaited　us　leaning　on　his　safari　stick；　panting　heavily；　the　sweat　running　off　his　face　in　splashes。　〃Simba！〃*　said　he；　and　immediately　set　off　on　a　long；　easy　lope　ahead　of　us。　We　pulled　down　to　a　trot　and　followed　him。

*Lion


At　the　end　of　a　half　mile　we　made　out　a　man　up　a　tree。　Fundi；　out　of　breath；　stopped　short　and　pointed　to　this　man。　The　latter；　as　soon　as　he　had　seen　us；　commenced　to　scramble　down。　We　spurred　forward　to　find　out　where　the　lions　had　been　last　seen。

Then　Billy　covered　herself　with　glory　by　seeing　them　first。　She　apprised　us　of　that　fact　with　some　excitement。　We　saw　the　long；　yellow　bodies　of　two　of　them　disappearing　in　the　edge　of　the　brush　about　three　hundred　yards　away。　With　a　wild　whoop　we　tore　after　them　at　a　dead　run。

Then　began　a　wild　ride。　Do　you　remember　Billy's　remark　about　the　nature　of　the　footing？　Before　long　we　closed　in　near　enough　to　catch　occasional　glimpses　of　the　beasts；　bounding　easily　along。　At　that　moment　B。's　horse　went　down　in　a　heap。　None　of　us　thought　for　a　moment　of　pulling　up。　I　looked　back　to　see　B。　getting　up　again；　and　thought　I　caught　fragments　of　encouraging…sounding　language。　Then　my　horse　went　down。　I　managed　to　hold　my　rifle　clear；　and　to　cling　to　the　reins。　Did　you　ever　try　to　get　on　a　somewhat　demoralized　horse　in　a　frantic　hurry；　when　all　your　friends　were　getting　farther　away　every　minute；　and　so　lessening　your　chances　of　being　in　the　fun？　I　began　to　understand　perfectly　B。's　remarks　of　a　moment　before。　However；　on　I　scrambled；　and　soon　overtook　the　hunt。

We　dodged　in　and　out　of　bushes；　and　around　and　over　holes。　Every　few　moments　we　would　catch　a　glimpse　of　one　of　those　silently　bounding　lions；　and　then　we　would　let　out　a　yell。　Also　every　few　moments　one　or　the　other　of　us　would　go　down　in　a　heap；　and　would　scramble　up　and　curse；　and　remount　hastily。　Billy　had　better　luck。　She　had　no　gun；　and　belonged　a　little　in　the　rear　anyway；　but　was　coming　along　game　as　a　badger　for　all　that。

My　own　horse　had　the　legs　of　the　others　quite　easily；　and　for　that　reason　I　was　ahead　far　enough　to　see　the　magnificent　sight　of　five　lions　sideways　on；　all　in　a　row；　standing　in　the　grass　gazing　at　me　with　a　sort　of　calm　and　impersonal　dignity。　I　wheeled　my　horse　immediately　so　as　to　be　ready　in　case　of　a　charge；　and　yelled　to　the　others　to　hurry　up。　While　I　sat　there；　they　moved　slowly　off　one　after　the　other；　so　that　by　the　time　the　men　had　come；　the　lions　had　gone。　We　now　had　no　difficulty　in　running　into　them　again。　Once　more　my　better　animal　brought　me　to　the　lead；　so　that　for　the　second　time　I　drew　up　facing　the　lions；　and　at　about　one　hundred　yards　range。　One　by　one　they　began　to　leave　as　before；　very　leisurely　and　haughtily；　until　a　single　old　maned　fellow　remained。　He；　however；　sat　there；　his　great　round　head　peering　over　the　top　of　the　grass。

〃Well；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　〃here　I　am；　what　do　you　intend　to　do　about　it？〃

The　others　arrived；　and　we　all　dismounted。　B。　had　not　yet　killed　his　lion；　so　the　shot　was　his。　Billy　very　coolly　came　up　behind　and　held　his　horse。　I　should　like　here　to　remark　that　Billy　is　very　terrified　of　spiders。　F。　and　I　stood　at　the　ready；　and　B。　sat　down。

Riding　fast　an　exciting　mile　or　so；　getting　chucked　on　your　head　two　or　three　times；　and　facing　your　first　lion　are　none　of　them　conducive　to　steady　shooting。　The　first　shot　therefore　went　high；　but　the　second　hit　the　lion　square　in　the　chest；　and　he　rolled　over　dead。

We　all　danced　a　little　war　dance；　and　congratulated　B。　and　turned　to　get　the　meaning　of　a　queer　little　gurgling　gasp　behind　us。　There　was　Fundi！　That　long…legged　scarecrow；　not　content　with　running　to　get　us　and　then　back　again；　had　trailed　us　the　whole　distance　of　our　mad　chase　over　broken　ground　at　terrific　speed　in　order　to　be　in　at　the　death。　And　he　was　just　about　all　in　at　the　death。　He　could　barely　gasp　his　breath；　his　eyes　stuck　out；　he　looked　close　to　apoplexy。

〃Bwana！　bwana！〃　was　all　he　could　say。　〃Master！　master！〃

We　shook　hands　with　Fundi。

〃My　son；〃　said　I；　〃you're　a　true　sport；　and　you'll　surely　get　yours　later。〃

He　did　not　understand　me；　but　he　grinned。　The　gunbearers　began　to　drift　in；　also　completely　pumped。　They　set　up　a　feeble　shout　when　they　saw　the　dead　lion。　It　was　a　good　maned　beast；　three　feet　six　inches　at　the　shoulder；　and　nine　feet　long。

We　left　Fundi　with　the　lion；　instructing　him　to　stay　there　until　some　of　the　other　men　came　up。　We　remounted　and　pushed　on　slowly　in　hopes　of　coming　on　one　of　the　others。

Here　and　there　we　rode；　our　courses　interweaving；　looking　eagerly。　And　lo！　through　a　tiny　opening　in　the　brush　we　espied　one　of　those　elusive　gerenuk　standing　not　over　one　hundred　yards　away。　Whereupon　I　dismounted　and　did　some　of　the　worst　shooting　I　perpetrated　in　Africa；　for　I　let　loose　three　times　at　him　before　I　landed。　But　land　I　did；　and　there　was　one　Lesser　Hoodoo　broken。　Truly　this　was　our　day。

We　measured　him　and　started　to　prepare　the　trophy；　when　to　us　came　Mavrouki　and　a　porter；　quite　out　of　breath；　but　able　to　tell　us　that　they　had　been　scouting　around　and　had　seen　two　of　the　lions。　Then；　instead　of　leaving　one　up　a　tree　to　watch；　both　had　come　pell…mell　to　tell　us　all　about　it。　We　pointed　this　out　to　them；　and　called　their　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　brush　was　wide；　that　lions　are　not　stationary　objects；　and　that；　unlike　the　leopard；　they　can　change　their　spots　quite　readily。　However；　we　remounted　and　went　to　take　a　look。

Of　course　there　was　nothing。　So　we　rode　on；　rather　aimlessly；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　bushes　and　open　spaces。　I　think　we　were　all　a　little　tired　from　the　long　day　and　the　excitement；　and　hence　a　bit　listless。　Suddenly　we　were　fairly　shaken　out　of　our　saddles　by　an　angry　roar　just　ahead。　Usually　a　lion　growls；　low　and　thunderous；　when　he　wants；　to　warn　you　that　you　have　gone　about　far　enough；　but　this　one　was　angry　all　through　at　being　followed　about　so　much；　and　he　just　plain　yelled　at　us。

He　crouched　near　a　bush　forty　yards　away；　and　was　switching　his　tail。　I　had　heard　that　this　was　a　sure　premonition　of　an　instant　charge；　but　I　had　not　before　realized　exactly　what　〃switching　the　tail〃　meant。　I　had　thought　of　it　as　a　slow　sweeping　from　side　to　side；　after　the　manner　of　the　domestic　cat。　This　lion's　tail　was　whirling　perpendicularly　from　right　to　left；　and　from　left　to　right　with　the　speed　and　energy　of　a　flail　actuated　by　a　particularly　instantaneous　kind　of　machinery。　I　could　see　only　the　outline　of　the　head　and　this　vigorous　tail；　but　I　took　instant　aim　and　let　drive。　The　whole　affair　sank　out　of　sight。

We　made　a　detour　around　the　dead　lion　without　stopping　to　examine　him；　shouting　to　one　of　the　men　to　stay　and　watch　the　carcass。　Billy　alone　seemed　uninfected　with　the　now　prevalent　idea　that　we　were　likely　to　find　lions　almost　anywhere。　Her　skepticism　was　justified。　We　found　no　more　lions；　but　another　miracle　took　place　for　all　that。　We　ran　across　the　second　imbecile　gerenuk；　and　B。　collected　it！　These　two　were　the　only　ones　we　ever　got　within　decent　shot　of；　and　they　sandwiched　themselves　neatly　with　lions。　Truly；　it　WAS　o