the land of footprints-第4节

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　half　lights　of　evening；　does　their　so…called　〃protective　colouration〃　seem　to　be　in　working　order；　and　even　then　they　are　always　quite　visible　to　the　least　expert　hunter's　scrutiny。

It　is　not　difficult　to　kill　a　zebra；　though　sometimes　it　has　to　be　done　at　a　fairly　long　range。　If　all　you　want　is　meat　for　the　porters；　the　matter　is　simple　enough。　But　when　you　require　bait　for　a　lion；　that；　is　another　affair　entirely。　In　the　first　place；　you　must　be　able　to　stalk　within　a　hundred　yards　of　your　kill　without　being　seen；　in　the　second　place；　you　must　provide　two　or　three　good　lying…down　places　for　your　prospective　trophy　within　fifteen　yards　of　the　carcass…and　no　more　than　two　or　three；　in　the　third　place；　you　must　judge　the　direction　of　the　probable　morning　wind；　and　must　be　able　to　approach　from　leeward。　It　is　evidently　pretty　good　luck　to　find　an　accommodating　zebra　in　just　such　a　spot。　It　is　a　matter　of　still　greater　nicety　to　drop　him　absolutely　in　his　tracks。　In　a　case　of　porters'　meat　it　does　not　make　any　particular　difference　if　he　runs　a　hundred　yards　before　he　dies。　With　lion　bait　even　fifty　yards　makes　all　the　difference　in　the　world。

C。　and　I　talked　it　over　and　resolved　to　press　Scallywattamus　into　service。　Scallywattamus　is　a　small　white　mule　who　is　firmly　convinced　that　each　and　every　bush　in　Africa　conceals　a　mule…eating　rhinoceros；　and　who　does　not　intend　to　be　one　of　the　number　so　eaten。　But　we　had　noticed　that　at　times　zebra　would　be　so　struck　with　the　strange　sight　of　Scallywattamus　carrying　a　man；　that　they　would　let　us　get　quite　close。　C。　was　to　ride　Scallywattamus　while　I　trudged　along　under　his　lee　ready　to　shoot。

We　set　out　through　the　heat　shimmer；　gradually　rising　as　the　plain　slanted。　Imperceptibly　the　camp　and　the　trees　marking　the　river's　course　fell　below　us　and　into　the　heat　haze。　In　the　distance；　close　to　the　stream；　we　made　out　a　blurred；　brown…red　solid　mass　which　we　knew　for　Masai　cattle。　Various　little　Thompson's　gazelles　skipped　away　to　the　left　waggling　their　tails　vigorously　and　continuously　as　Nature　long　since　commanded　〃Tommies〃　to　do。　The　heat　haze　steadied　around　the　dim　white　line；　so　we　could　make　out　the　individual　animals。　There　were　plenty　of　them；　dozing　in　the　sun。　A　single　tiny　treelet　broke　the　plain　just　at　the　skyline　of　the　rise。　C。　and　I　talked　low…voiced　as　we　went　along。　We　agreed　that　the　tree　was　an　excellent　landmark　to　come　to；　that　the　little　rise　afforded　proper　cover；　and　that　in　the　morning　the　wind　would　in　all　likelihood　blow　toward　the　river。　There　were　perhaps　twenty　zebra　near　enough　to　the　chosen　spot。　Any　of　them　would　do。

But　the　zebra　did　not　give　a　hoot　for　Scallywattamus。　At　five　hundred　yards　three　or　four　of　them　awoke　with　a　start；　stared　at　us　a　minute；　and　moved　slowly　away。　They　told　all　the　zebra　they　happened　upon　that　the　three　idiots　approaching　were　at　once　uninteresting　and　dangerous。　At　four　hundred　and　fifty　yards　a　half　dozen　more　made　off　at　a　trot。　At　three　hundred　and　fifty　yards　the　rest　plunged　away　at　a　canter…all　but　one。　He　remained　to　stare；　but　his　tail　was　up；　and　we　knew　he　only　stayed　because　he　knew　he　could　easily　catch　up　in　the　next　twenty　seconds。

The　chance　was　very　slim　of　delivering　a　knockout　at　that　distance；　but　we　badly　needed　meat；　anyway；　after　our　march　through　the　Thirst；　so　I　tried　him。　We　heard　the　well…known　plunk　of　the　bullet；　but　down　went　his　head；　up　went　his　heels；　and　away　went　he。　We　watched　him　in　vast　disgust。　He　cavorted　out　into　a　bare　open　space　without　cover　of　any　sort；　and　then　flopped　over。　I　thought　I　caught　a　fleeting　grin　of　delight　on　Mavrouki's　face；　but　he　knew　enough　instantly　to　conceal　his　satisfaction　over　sure　meat。

There　were　now　no　zebra　anywhere　near；　but　since　nobody　ever　thinks　of　omitting　any　chances　in　Africa；　I　sneaked　up　to　the　tree　and　took　a　perfunctory　look。　There　stood　another；　providentially　absent…minded；　zebra！

We　got　that　one。　Everybody　was　now　happy。　The　boys　raced　over　to　the　first　kill；　which　soon　took　its　dismembered　way　toward　camp。　C。　and　I　carefully　organized　our　plan　of　campaign。　We　fixed　in　our　memories　the　exact　location　of　each　and　every　bush；　we　determined　compass　direction　from　camp；　and　any　other　bearings　likely　to　prove　useful　in　finding　so　small　a　spot　in　the　dark。　Then　we　left　a　boy　to　keep　carrion　birds　off　until　sunset；　and　returned　home。

We　were　out　in　the　morning　before　even　the　first　sign　of　dawn。　Billy　rode　her　little　mule；　C。　and　I　went　afoot；　Memba　Sasa　accompanied　us　because　he　could　see　whole　lions　where　even　C。's　trained　eye　could　not　make　out　an　ear；　and　the　syce　went　along　to　take　care　of　the　mule。　The　heavens　were　ablaze　with　the　thronging　stars　of　the　tropics；　so　we　found　we　could　make　out　the　skyline　of　the　distant　butte　over　the　rise　of　the　plains。　The　earth　itself　was　a　pool　of　absolute　blackness。　We　could　not　see　where　we　were　placing　our　feet；　and　we　were　continually　bringing　up　suddenly　to　walk　around　an　unexpected　aloe　or　thornbush。　The　night　was　quite　still；　but　every　once　in　a　while　from　the　blackness　came　rustlings；　scamperings；　low　calls；　and　once　or　twice　the　startled　barking　of　zebra　very　near　at　hand。　The　latter　sounded　as　ridiculous　as　ever。　It　is　one　of　the　many　incongruities　of　African　life　that　Nature　should　have　given　so　large　and　so　impressive　a　creature　the　petulant　yapping　of　an　exasperated　Pomeranian　lap　dog。　At　the　end　of　three　quarters　of　an　hour　of　more　or　less　stumbling　progress；　we　made　out　against　the　sky　the　twisted　treelet　that　served　as　our　landmark。　Billy　dismounted；　turned　the　mule　over　to　the　syce；　and　we　crept　slowly　forward　until　within　a　guessed　two　or　three　hundred　yards　of　our　kill。

Nothing　remained　now　but　to　wait　for　the　daylight。　It　had　already　begun　to　show。　Over　behind　the　distant　mountains　some　one　was　kindling　the　fires；　and　the　stars　were　flickering　out。　The　splendid　ferocity　of　the　African　sunrise　was　at　hand。　Long　bands　of　slate　dark　clouds　lay　close　along　the　horizon；　and　behind　them　glowed　a　heart　of　fire；　as　on　a　small　scale　the　lamplight　glows　through　a　metal…worked　shade。　On　either　side　the　sky　was　pale　green…blue；　translucent　and　pure；　deep　as　infinity　itself。　The　earth　was　still　black；　and　the　top　of　the　rise　near　at　hand　was　clear　edged。　On　that　edge；　and　by　a　strange　chance　accurately　in　the　centre　of　illumination；　stood　the　uncouth　massive　form　of　a　shaggy　wildebeeste；　his　head　raised；　staring　to　the　east。　He　did　not　move；　nothing　of　that　fire　and　black　world　moved；　only　instant　by　instant　it　changed；　swelling　in　glory　toward　some　climax　until　one　expected　at　any　moment　a　fanfare　of　trumpets；　the　burst　of　triumphant　culmination。

Then　very　far　down　in　the　distance　a　lion　roared。　The　wildebeeste；　without　moving；　bellowed　back　an　answer　or　a　defiance。　Down　in　the　hollow　an　ostrich　boomed。　Zebra　barked；　and　several　birds　chirped　strongly。　The　tension　was　breaking　not　in　the　expected　fanfare　and　burst　of　triumphal　music；　but　in　a　manner　instantly　felt　to　be　more　fitting　to　what　was　indeed　a　wonder；　but　a　daily　wonder　for　all　that。　At　one　and　the　same　instant　the　rim　of　the　sun　appeared　and　the　wildebeeste；　after　the　sudden　habit　of　his　kind；　made　up　his　mind　to　go。　He　dropped　his　head　and　came　thundering　down　past　us　at　full　speed。　Straight　to　the　west　he　headed；　and　so　disappeared。　We　could　hear　the　beat　of　his　hoofs　dying　into　the　distance。　He　had　gone　like　a　Warder　of　the　Morning　whose　task　was　finished。　On　the　knife…edged　skyline　appeared　the　silhouette　of　slim…legged　little　Tommies；　flirting　their　rails；　sniffing　at　the　dewy　grass；　dainty；　slender；　confiding；　the　open…day　antithesis　of　the　tremendous　and　awesome　lord　of　the　darkness　that　had　roared　its　way　to　its　lair；　and　to　the　massive　shaggy　herald　of　morning　that　had　thundered　down　to　the　west。



III。　THE　CENTRAL　PLATEAU

Now　is　required　a　special　quality　of　the　imagination；　not　in　myself；　but　in　my　readers；　for　it　becomes　necessary　for　them　to　grasp　the　logic　of　a　whole　country　in　one　mental　effort。　The　difficulties　to　me　are　very　real。　If　I　am　to　tell　you　it　all　in　detail；　your　mind　becomes　confused　to　the　point　of　mingling　the　ingredients　of　the　description。　The　resultant　mental　picture　is　a　composite；　it　mixes　localities　wide　apart；　it　comes　out；　like　the　snake…creeper…swamp…forest　thing　of　grammar…school　South　America；　an　unreal　and　deceitful　impression。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　I　try　to　give　you　a　bird's…eye　view…saying；　here　is　plain；　and　there　follows　upland；　and　yonder　succeed　mountains　and　hills…you　lose　the　sense　of　breadth　and　space　and　the　toil　of　many　days。　The　feeling　of　onward　outward　extending　distance　is　gone；　and　that　impression　so　indispensable　to　finite　understanding…〃here　am　I；　and　what　is　beyond　is　to　be　measured　by　the　length　of　my　legs　and　the　toil　of　my　days。〃　You　will　not　stop　long　enough　on　my　plains　to　realize　their　physical　extent　nor　their　influence　on　the　human　soul。　If　I　mention　them　in　a　sentence；　you　dismiss　them　in　a　thought。　And　that　is　something　the　plains　themselves　refuse　to　permit　you　to　do。　Yet　sometimes　one　must　become　a　guide…book；　and　bespeak　his　reader's　imagination。

The　country；　then；　wherein　we　travelled　begins　at　the　sea。　Along　the　coast　stretche