the land of footprints-第32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！


olling；　beautiful　downs　of　a　first…class　country　club；　and　the　illusion　is　enhanced　by　the　Commissioner's　house　among　some　trees　atop　a　hill。　Well…kept　roadways　railed　with　rustic　fences　lead　from　the　house　to　the　native　quarters　lying　in　the　hollow　and　to　the　Government　offices　atop　another　hill。　Then　also　there　are　the　quarters　of　the　Nubian　troops；　round　low　houses　with　conical　grass　roofs。

These；　and　the　presence　everywhere　of　savages；　rather　take　away　from　the　first　country…club　effect。　A　corral　seemed　full　of　a　seething　mob　of　natives；　we　found　later　that　this　was　the　market；　a　place　of　exchange。　Groups　wandered　idly　here　and　there　across　the　greensward；　and　other　groups　sat　in　circles　under　the　shade　of　trees；　each　man's　spear　stuck　in　the　ground　behind　him。　At　stated　points　were　the　Nubians；　fine；　tall；　black；　soldierly　men；　with　red　fez；　khaki　shirt；　and　short　breeches；　bare　knees　and　feet；　spiral　puttees；　and　a　broad　red　sash　of　webbing。　One　of　these　soldiers　assigned　us　a　place　to　camp。　We　directed　our　safari　there；　and　then　immediately　rode　over　to　pay　our　respects　to　the　Commissioner。

The　latter；　Horne　by　name；　greeted　us　with　the　utmost　cordiality；　and　offered　us　cool　drinks。　Then　we　accompanied　him　to　a　grand　shauri　or　council　of　chiefs。

Horne　was　a　little　chap；　dressed　in　flannels　and　a　big　slouch　hat；　carrying　only　a　light　rawhide　whip；　with　very　little　of　the　dignity　and　〃side〃　usually　considered　necessary　in　dealing　with　wild　natives。　The　post　at　Meru　had　been　established　only　two　years；　among　a　people　that　had　always　been　very　difficult；　and　had　only　recently　ceased　open　hostilities。　Nevertheless　in　that　length　of　time　Horne's　personal　influence　had　won　them　over　to　positive　friendliness。　He　had；　moreover；　done　the　entire　construction　work　of　the　post　itself；　and　this　we　now　saw　to　be　even　more　elaborate　than　we　had　at　first　realized。　Irrigating　ditches　ran　in　all　directions　brimming　with　clear　mountain　water；　the　roads　and　paths　were　rounded；　graded　and　gravelled；　the　houses　were　substantial；　well　built　and　well　kept；　fences；　except　of　course　the　rustic；　were　whitewashed；　the　native　quarters　and　〃barracks〃　were　well　ranged　and　in　perfect　order。　The　place　looked　ten　years　old　instead　of　only　two。

We　followed　Horne　to　an　enclosure；　outside　the　gate　of　which　were　stacked　a　great　number　of　spears。　Inside　we　found　the　owners　of　those　spears　squatted　before　the　open　side　of　a　small；　three…walled　building　containing　a　table　and　a　chair。　Horne　placed　himself　in　the　chair；　lounged　back；　and　hit　the　table　smartly　with　his　rawhide　whip。　From　the　centre　of　the　throng　an　old　man　got　up　and　made　quite　a　long　speech。　When　he　had　finished　another　did　likewise。　All　was　carried　out　with　the　greatest　decorum。　After　four　or　five　had　thus　spoken；　Horne；　without　altering　his　lounging　attitude；　spoke　twenty　or　thirty　words；　rapped　again　on　the　table　with　his　rawhide　whip；　and　immediately　came　over　to　us。

〃Now；〃　said　he　cheerfully；　〃we'll　have　a　game　of　golf。〃

That　was　amusing；　but　not　astonishing。　Most　of　us　have　at　one　time　or　another　laid　out　a　scratch　hole　or　so　somewhere　in　the　vacant　lot。　We　returned　to　the　house；　Horne　produced　a　sufficiency　of　clubs；　and　we　sallied　forth。　Then　came　the　surprise　of　our　life！　We　played　eighteen　holes…eighteen；　mind　you…over　an　excellently　laid…out　and　kept…up　course！　The　fair　greens　were　cropped　short　and　smooth　by　a　well…managed　small　herd　of　sheep；　the　putting　greens　were　rolled；　and　in　perfect　order；　bunkers　had　been　located　at　the　correct　distances；　there　were　water　hazards　in　the　proper　spots。　In　short；　it　was　a　genuine；　scientific；　well…kept　golf　course。　Over　it　played　Horne；　solitary　except　on　the　rare　occasions　when　he　and　his　assistant　happened　to　be　at　the　post　at　the　same　time。　The　nearest　white　man　was　six　days'　journey；　the　nearest　small　civilization　196　miles。*　The　whole　affair　was　most　astounding。

*Which　was；　in　turn；　over　three　hundred　miles　from　the　next。


Our　caddies　were　grinning　youngsters　a　good　deal　like　the　Gold　Dust　Twins。　They　wore　nothing　but　our　golf　bags。　Afield　were　other　supernumerary　caddies：　one　in　case　we　sliced；　one　in　case　we　pulled；　and　one　in　case　we　drove　straight　ahead。　Horne　explained　that　unlimited　caddies　were　easier　to　get　than　unlimited　golf　balls。　I　can　well　believe　it。

F。　joined　forces　with　Horne　against　B。　and　me　for　a　grand　international　match。　I　regret　to　state　that　America　was　defeated　by　two　holes。

We　returned　to　find　our　camp　crowded　with　savages。　In　a　short　time　we　had　established　trade　relations　and　were　doing　a　brisk　business。　Two　years　before　we　should　have　had　to　barter　exclusively；　but　now；　thanks　to　Horne's　attempt　to　collect　an　annual　hut　tax；　money　was　some　good。　We　had；　however；　very　good　luck　with　bright　blankets　and　cotton　cloth。　Our　beads　did　not　happen　here　to　be　in　fashion。　Probably　three　months　earlier　or　later　we　might　have　done　better　with　them。　The　feminine　mind　here　differs　in　no　basic　essential　from　that　of　civilization。　Fashions　change　as　rapidly；　as　often　and　as　completely　in　the　jungle　as　in　Paris。　The　trader　who　brings　blue　beads　when　blue　beads　have　〃gone　out〃　might　just　as　well　have　stayed　at　home。　We　bought　a　number　of　the　pretty　〃marquise〃　rings　for　four　cents　apiece　（our　money）；　some　war　clubs　or　rungas　for　the　same；　several　spears；　armlets；　stools　and　the　like。　Billy　thought　one　of　the　short；　soft　skin　cloaks　embroidered　with　steel　beads　might　be　nice　to　hang　on　the　wall。　We　offered　a　youth　two　rupees　for　one。　This　must　have　been　a　high　price；　for　every　man　in　hearing　of　the　words　snatched　off　his　cloak　and　rushed　forward　holding　it　out。　As　that　reduced　his　costume　to　a　few　knick…knacks；　Billy　retired　from　the　busy　mart　until　we　could　arrange　matters。

We　dined　with　Horne。　His　official　residence　was　most　interesting。　The　main　room　was　very　high　to　beams　and　a　grass…thatched　roof；　with　a　well…brushed　earth　floor　covered　with　mats。　It　contained　comfortable　furniture；　a　small　library；　a　good　phonograph；　tables；　lamps　and　the　like。　When　the　mountain　chill　descended；　Horne　lit　a　fire　in　a　coal…oil　can　with　a　perforated　bottom。　What　little　smoke　was　produced　by　the　clean　burning　wood　lost　itself　far　aloft。　Leopard　skins　and　other　trophies　hung　on　the　wall。　We　dined　in　another　room　at　a　well…appointed　table。　After　dinner　we　sat　up　until　the　unheard　of　hour　of　ten　o'clock　discussing　at　length　many　matters　that　interested　us。　Horne　told　us　of　his　personal　bodyguard　consisting　of　one　son　from　each　chief　of　his　wide　district。　These　youths　were　encouraged　to　make　as　good　an　appearance　as　possible；　and　as　a　consequence　turned　out　in　the　extreme　of　savage　gorgeousness。　Horne　spoke　of　them　carelessly　as　a　〃matter　of　policy　in　keeping　the　different　tribes　well　disposed；〃　but　I　thought　he　was　at　heart　a　little　proud　of　them。　Certainly；　later　and　from　other　sources；　we　heard　great　tales　of　their　endurance；　devotion　and　efficiency。　Also　we　heard　that　Horne　had　cut　in　half　his　six　months'　leave　（earned　by　three　years'　continuous　service　in　the　jungle）　to　hurry　back　from　England　because　he　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　being　absent　from　the　first　collection　of　the　hut　tax！　He　is　a　good　man。

We　said　good…night　to　him　and　stepped　from　the　lighted　house　into　the　vast　tropical　night。　The　little　rays　of　our　lantern　showed　us　the　inequalities　of　the　ground；　and　where　to　step　across　the　bubbling；　little　irrigation　streams。　But　thousands　of　stars　insisted　on　a　simplification。　The　broad；　rolling　meadows　of　the　clearing　lay　half　guessed　in　the　dim　light；　and　about　its　edge　was　the　velvet　band　of　the　forest；　dark　and　mysterious；　stretching　away　for　leagues　into　the　jungle。　From　it　near　at　hand；　far　away；　came　the　rhythmic　beating　of　solemn　great　drums；　and　the　rising　and　falling　chants　of　the　savage　peoples。

（C）　THE　CHIEFS

We　left　Meru　well　observed　by　a　very　large　audience；　much　to　the　delight　of　our　safari　boys；　who　love　to　show　off。　We　had　acquired　fourteen　more　small　boys；　or　totos；　ranging　in　age　from　eight　to　twelve　years。　These　had　been　fitted　out　by　their　masters　to　alleviate　their　original　shenzi　appearance　of　savagery。　Some　had　ragged　blankets；　which　they　had　already　learned　to　twist　turban　wise　around　their　heads；　others　had　ragged　old　jerseys　reaching　to　their　knees；　or　the　wrecks　of　full…grown　undershirts；　one　or　two　even　sported　baggy　breeches　a　dozen　sizes　too　large。　Each　carried　his　little　load；　proudly；　atop　his　head　like　a　real　porter；　sufurias　or　cooking　pots；　the　small　bags　of　potio；　and　the　like。　Inside　a　mile　they　had　gravitated　together　and　with　the　small　boy's　relish　for　imitation　and　for　playing　a　game；　had　completed　a　miniature　safari　organization　of　their　own。　Thenceforth　they　marched　in　a　compact　little　company；　under　orders　of　their　〃headman。〃　They　marched　very　well；　too；　straight　and　proud　and　tireless。　Of　course　we　inspected　their　loads　to　see　that　they　were　not　required　to　carry　too　much　for　their　strength；　but；　I　am　bound　to　say；　we　never　discovered　an　attempt　at　overloading。　In　fact；　the　toto　brigade　was　treated　very　well　indeed。　M'ganga　especially　took　great　interest　in　their　education　and　welfare。　One　of　my　most　vivid　camp　recollections　is　that　of　M'ganga；　very　benign　and　did