the land of footprints-第28节

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　is　offered　as　a　good　example　of　the　sort。

The　rhinoceros　had　come　fairly　close　before　we　got　into　action。　He　headed　straight　for　F。　and　myself；　with　B。　a　little　to　one　side。　Things　happened　very　quickly。　F。　and　I　each　planted　a　heavy　bullet　in　his　head；　while　B。　sent　a　lighter　Winchester　bullet　into　the　ribs。　The　rhino　went　down　in　a　heap　eleven　yards　away；　and　one　of　us　promptly　shot　him　in　the　spine　to　finish　him。

Personally　I　was　entirely　concentrated　in　the　matter　at　hand…as　is　always　the　way　in　crises　requiring　action…and　got　very　few　impressions　from　anything　outside。　Nevertheless　I　imagined；　subconsciously　that　I　had　heard　four　shots。　F。　and　B。　disclaimed　more　than　one　apiece；　so　I　concluded　myself　mistaken；　exchanged　my　heavy　rifle　with　Fundi　for　the　lighter　Winchester；　and　we　started　for　camp；　leaving　all　the　boys　to　attend　to　the　dead　rhinos。　At　camp　I　threw　down　the　lever　of　my　Winchester…and　drew　out　an　exploded　shell！

Here　was　a　double　crime　on　Fundi's　part。　In　the　first　place；　he　had　fired　the　gun；　a　thing　no　bearer　is　supposed　ever　to　do　in　any　circumstances　short　of　the　disarmament　and　actual　mauling　of　his　master。　Naturally　this　is　so；　for　the　white　man　must　be　able　in　an　emergency　to　depend　ABSOLUTELY　on　his　second　gun　being　loaded　and　ready　for　his　need。　In　the　second　place；　Fundi　had　given　me　an　empty　rifle　to　carry　home。　Such　a　weapon　is　worse　than　none　in　case　of　trouble；　at　least　I　could　have　gone　up　a　tree　in　the　latter　case。　I　would　have　looked　sweet　snapping　that　old　cartridge　at　anything　dangerous！

Therefore　after　supper　we　stationed　ourselves　in　a　row　before　the　fire；　seated　in　our　canvas　chairs；　and　with　due　formality　sent　word　that　we　wanted　all　the　gunbearers。　They　came　and　stood　before　us。　Memba　Sasa　erect；　military；　compact；　looking　us　straight　in　the　eye；　Mavrouki　slightly　bent　forward；　his　face　alive　with　the　little　crafty；　calculating　smile　peculiar　to　him；　Simba；　tall　and　suave；　standing　with　much　social　ease；　and　Fundi；　a　trifle　frightened；　but　uncertain　as　to　whether　or　not　he　had　been　found　out。

We　stated　the　matter　in　a　few　words。

〃Gunbearers；　this　man　Fundi；　when　the　rhinoceros　charged；　fired　Winchi。　Was　this　the　work　of　a　gunbearer？〃

The　three　seasoned　men　looked　at　each　other　with　shocked　astonishment　that　such　depravity　could　exist。

〃And　being　frightened；　he　gave　back　Winchi　with　the　exploded　cartridge　in　her。　Was　that　the　work　of　a　gunbearer？〃

〃No；　bwana；〃　said　Fundi　humbly。

〃You；　the　gunbearers；　have　been　called　because　we　wish　to　know　what　should　be　done　with　this　man　Fundi。〃

It　should　be　here　explained　that　it　is　not　customary　to　kiboko；　or　flog；　men　of　the　gunbearer　class。　They　respect　themselves　and　their　calling；　and　would　never　stand　that　sort　of　punishment。　When　one　blunders；　a　sarcastic　scolding　is　generally　sufficient；　a　more　serious　fault　may　be　punished　on　the　spot　by　the　white　man's　fist；　or　a　really　bad　dereliction　may　cause　the　man's　instant　degradation　from　the　post。　With　this　in　mind　we　had　called　the　council　of　gunbearers。　Memba　Sasa　spoke。

〃Bwana；〃　said　he；　〃this　man　is　not　a　true　gunbearer。　He　is　no　longer　a　true　porter。　He　carries　a　gun　in　the　field；　like　a　gunbearer；　and　he　knows　much　of　the　duty　of　gunbearer。　Also　he　does　not　run　away　nor　climb　trees。　But　he　carries　in　the　meat；　and　he　is　not　a　real　gunbearer。　He　is　half　porter　and　half　gunbearer。〃

〃What　punishment　shall　he　have？〃

〃Kiboko；〃　said　they。

〃Thank　you。　Bass！〃

They　went；　leaving　Fundi。　We　surveyed　him；　quietly。

〃You　a　gunbearer！〃　said　we　at　last。　〃Memba　Sasa　says　you　are　half　gunbearer。　He　was　wrong。　You　are　all　porter；　and　you　know　no　more　than　they　do。　It　is　in　our　mind　to　put　you　back　to　carrying　a　load。　If　you　do　not　wish　to　taste　the　kiboko；　you　can　take　a　load　to…morrow。〃

〃The　kiboko；　bwana；〃　pleaded　Fundi；　very　abashed　and　humble。

〃Furthermore；〃　we　added　crushingly；　〃you　did　not　even　hit　the　rhinoceros！〃

So　with　all　ceremony　he　got　the　kiboko。　The　incident　did　him　a　lot　of　good；　and　toned　down　his　exuberance　somewhat。　Nevertheless　he　still　required　a　good　deal　of　training；　just　as　does　a　promising　bird　dog　in　its　first　season。　Generally　his　faults　were　of　over…eagerness。　Indeed；　once　he　got　me　thoroughly　angry　in　face　of　another　rhinoceros　by　dancing　just　out　of　reach　with　the　heavy　rifle；　instead　of　sticking　close　to　me　where　I　could　get　at　him。　I　temporarily　forgot　the　rhino；　and　advanced　on　Fundi　with　the　full　intention　of　knocking　his　fool　head　off。　Whereupon　this　six　feet　something　of　most　superb　and　insolent　pride　wilted　down　to　a　small　boy　with　his　elbow　before　his　face。

〃Don't　hit；　bwana！　Don't　hit！〃　he　begged。

The　whole　thing　was　so　comical；　especially　with　Memba　Sasa　standing　by　virtuous　and　scornful；　that　I　had　hard　work　to　keep　from　laughing。　Fortunately　the　rhinoceros　behaved　himself。

The　proud　moment　of　Fundi's　life　was　when　safari　entered　Nairobi　at　the　end　of　the　first　expedition。　He　had　gone　forth　with　a　load　on　his　head；　rags　on　his　back；　and　his　only　glory　was　the　self…assumed　one　of　the　name　he　had　taken…Fundi；　the　Expert。　He　returned　carrying　a　rifle；　rigged　from　top　to　toe　in　new　garments　and　fancy　accoutrements；　followed　by　a　toro；　or　small　boy；　he　had　bought　from　some　of　the　savage　tribes　to　carry　his　blanket　and　cooking　pot　for　him。　To　the　friends　who　darted　out　to　the　line　of　march；　he　was　gracious；　but　he　held　his　head　high；　and　had　no　time　for　mere　persiflage。

I　did　not　take　Fundi　on　my　second　expedition；　for　I　had　no　real　use　for　a　second　gunbearer。　Several　times　subsequently　I　saw　him　on　the　streets　of　Nairobi。　Always　he　came　up　to　greet　me；　and　ask　solicitously　if　I　would　not　give　him　a　job。　This　I　was　unable　to　do。　When　we　paid　off；　I　had　made　an　addition　to　his　porter's　wages；　and　had　written　him　a　chit。　This　said　that　the　boy　had　the　makings　of　a　gunbearer　with　further　training。　It　would　have　been　unfair　to　possible　white　employers　to　have　said　more。　Fundi　was；　when　I　left　the　country；　precisely　in　the　position　of　any　young　man　who　tries　to　rise　in　the　world。　He　would　not　again　take　a　load　as　porter；　and　he　was　not　yet　skilled　enough　or　known　enough　to　pick　up　more　than　stray　jobs　as　gunbearer。　Before　him　was　struggle　and　hard　times；　with　a　certainty　of　a　highly　considered　profession　if　he　won　through。　Behind　him　was　steady　work　without　outlets　for　ambition。　It　was　distinctly　up　to　him　to　prove　whether　he　had　done　well　to　reach　for　ambition；　or　whether　he　would　have　done　better　in　contentment　with　his　old　lot。　And　that　is　in　essence　a　good　deal　like　our　own　world　isn't　it？



XVII。　NATIVES

Up　to　this　time；　save　for　a　few　Masai　at　the　very　beginning　of　our　trip；　we　had　seen　no　natives　at　all。　Only　lately；　the　night　of　the　lion　dance；　one　of　the　Wanderobo…the　forest　hunters…had　drifted　in　to　tell　us　of　buffalo　and　to　get　some　meat。　He　was　a　simple　soul；　small　and　capable；　of　a　beautiful　red…brown；　with　his　hair　done　up　in　a　tight；　short　queue。　He　wore　three　skewers　about　six　inches　long　thrust　through　each　of　his　ears；　three　strings　of　blue　beads　on　his　neck；　a　bracelet　tight　around　his　upper　arm；　a　bangle　around　his　ankle；　a　pair　of　rawhide　sandals；　and　about　a　half　yard　of　cotton　cloth　which　he　hung　from　one　shoulder。　As　weapons　he　carried　a　round…headed；　heavy　club；　or　runga；　and　a　long…bladed　spear。　He　led　us　to　buffalo；　accepted　a　thirty…three　cent　blanket；　and　made　fire　with　two　sticks　in　about　thirty　seconds。　The　only　other　evidences　of　human　life　we　had　come　across　were　a　few　beehives　suspended　in　the　trees。　These　were　logs；　bored　hollow　and　stopped　at　either　end。　Some　of　them　were　very　quaintly　carved。　They　hung　in　the　trees　like　strange　fruits。

Now；　however；　after　leaving　the　Isiola；　we　were　to　quit　the　game　country　and　for　days　travel　among　the　swarming　millions　of　the　jungle。

A　few　preliminary　and　entirely　random　observations　may　be　permitted　me　by　way　of　clearing　the　ground　for　a　conception　of　these　people。　These　observations　do　not　pretend　to　be　ethnological；　nor　even　common　logical。

The　first　thing　for　an　American　to　realize　is　that　our　own　negro　population　came　mainly　from　the　West　Coast；　and　differed　utterly　from　these　peoples　of　the　highlands　in　the　East。　Therefore　one　must　first　of　all　get　rid　of　the　mental　image　of　our　own　negro　〃dressed　up〃　in　savage　garb。　Many　of　these　tribes　are　not　negro　at　all…the　Somalis；　the　Nandi；　and　the　Masai；　for　example…while　others　belong　to　the　negroid　and　Nilotic　races。　Their　colour　is　general　cast　more　on　the　red…bronze　than　the　black；　though　the　Kavirondos　and　some　others　are　black　enough。　The　texture　of　their　skin　is　very　satiny　and　wonderful。　This　perfection　is　probably　due　to　the　constant　anointing　of　the　body　with　oils　of　various　sorts。　As　a　usual　thing　they　are　a　fine　lot　physically。　The　southern　Masai　will　average　between　six　and　seven　feet　in　height；　and　are　almost　invariably　well　built。　Of　most　tribes　the　physical　development　is　remarkably　strong　and　graceful；　and　a　great　many　of　the　women　will　display　a　rounded；　firm；　high…breasted　physique　in　marked　contrast　to　the　blacks　of　the　lowlands。　Of　the　different　tribes　possibly　the　Kikuyus　are　apt　to　count　the　most　weakly　and　spindly　examples：　though　some　of　these　people；　perhaps