the land of footprints-第44节

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e。

There　were　hippopotamuses　of　all　sizes　and　of　all　colours。　The　little　ones；　not　bigger　than　a　grand　piano；　were　of　flesh　pink。　Those　half…grown　were　mottled　with　pink　and　black　in　blotches。　The　adults　were　almost　invariably　all　dark；　though　a　few　of　them　retained　still　a　small　pink　spot　or　so…a　sort　of　persistence　in　mature　years　of　the　eternal　boy…；　I　suppose。　All　were　very　sleek　and　shiny　with　the　wet；　and　they　had　a　fashion　of　suddenly　and　violently　wiggling　one　or　the　other　or　both　of　their　little　ears　in　ridiculous　contrast　to　the　fixed　stare　of　their　bung　eyes。　Generally　they　had　nothing　to　say　as　to　the　situation；　though　occasionally　some　exasperated　old　codger　would　utter　a　grumbling　bellow。

The　ground　vegetation　for　a　good　quarter　mile　from　the　river　bank　was　entirely　destroyed；　and　the　earth　beaten　and　packed　hard　by　these　animals。　Landing　trails　had　been　made　leading　out　from　the　water　by　easy　and　regular　grades。　These　trails　were　about　two　feet　wide　and　worn　a　foot　or　so　deep。　They　differed　from　the　rhino　trails；　from　which　they　could　be　easily　distinguished；　in　that　they　showed　distinctly　two　parallel　tracks　separated　from　each　other　by　a　slight　ridge。　In　other　words；　the　hippo　waddles。　These　trails　we　found　as　far　as　four　and　five　miles　inland。　They　were　used；　of　course；　only　at　night；　and　led　invariably　to　lush　and　heavy　feed。　While　we　were　encamped　there；　the　country　on　our　side　the　river　was　not　used　by　our　particular　herd　of　hippos。　One　night；　however；　we　were　awakened　by　a　tremendous　rending　crash　of　breaking　bushes；　followed　by　an　instant's　silence　and　then　the　outbreak　of　a　babel　of　voices。　Then　we　heard　a　prolonged　sw…i…sh…sh…sh；　exactly　like　the　launching　of　a　big　boat。　A　hippo　had　blundered　out　the　wrong　side　the　river；　and　fairly　into　our　camp。

In　rivers　such　as　the　Tana　these　great　beasts　are　most　extraordinarily　abundant。　Directly　in　front　of　our　camp；　for　example；　were　three　separate　herds　which　contained　respectively　about　sixty；　forty；　and　twenty…five　head。　Within　two　miles　below　camp　were　three　other　big　pools　each　with　its　population；　while　a　walk　of　a　mile　above　showed　about　as　many　more。　This　sort　of　thing　obtained　for　practically　the　whole　length　of　the　river…hundreds　of　miles。　Furthermore；　every　little　tributary　stream；　no　matter　how　small；　provided　it　can　muster　a　pool　or　so　deep　enough　to　submerge　so　large　an　animal；　has　its　faithful　band。　I　have　known　of　a　hippo　quite　happily　occupying　a　ditch　pool　ten　feet　wide　and　fifteen　feet　long。　There　was　literally　not　room　enough　for　the　beast　to　turn　around；　he　had　to　go　in　at　one　end　and　out　at　the　other！　Each　lake；　too；　is　alive　with　them；　and　both　lakes　and　rivers　are　many。

Nobody　disturbs　hippos；　save　for　trophies　and　an　occasional　supply　of　meat　for　the　men　or　of　cooking　fat　for　the　kitchen。　Therefore　they　wax　fat　and　sassy；　and　will　long　continue　to　flourish　in　the　land。

It　takes　time　to　kill　a　hippo；　provided　one　is　wanted。　The　mark　is　small；　and　generally　it　is　impossible　to　tell　whether　or　not　the　bullet　has　reached　the　brain。　Harmed　or　whole　the　beast　sinks　anyway。　Some　hours　later　the　distention　of　the　stomach　will　float　the　body。　Therefore　the　only　decent　way　to　do　is　to　take　the　shot；　and　then　wait　a　half　day　to　see　whether　or　not　you　have　missed。　There　are　always　plenty　of　volunteers　in　camp　to　watch　the　pool；　for　the　boys　are　extravagantly　fond　of　hippo　meat。　Then　it　is　necessary　to　manoeuvre　a　rope　on　the　carcass；　often　a　matter　of　great　difficulty；　for　the　other　hippos　bellow　and　snort　and　try　to　live　up　to　the　circus　posters　of　the　Blood…sweating　Behemoth　of　Holy　Writ；　and　the　crocodiles　like　dark　meat　very　much。　Usually　one　offers　especial　reward　to　volunteers；　and　shoots　into　the　water　to　frighten　the　beasts。　The　volunteer　dashes　rapidly　across　the　shallows；　makes　a　swift　plunge；　and　clambers　out　on　the　floating　body　as　onto　a　raft。

Then　he　makes　fast　the　rope；　and　everybody　tails　on　and　tows　the　whole　outfit　ashore。　On　one　occasion　the　volunteer　produced　a　fish　line　and　actually　caught　a　small　fish　from　the　floating　carcass！　This　sounds　like　a　good　one；　but　I　saw　it　with　my　own　two　eyes。

It　was　at　the　hippo　pool　camp　that　we　first　became　acquainted　with　Funny　Face。

Funny　Face　was　the　smallest；　furriest　little　monkey　you　ever　saw。　I　never　cared　for　monkeys　before；　but　this　one　was　altogether　engaging。　He　had　thick　soft　fur　almost　like　that　on　a　Persian　cat；　and　a　tiny　human　black　face；　and　hands　that　emerged　from　a　ruff；　and　he　was　about　as　big　as　old…fashioned　dolls　used　to　be　before　they　began　to　try　to　imitate　real　babies　with　them。　That　is　to　say；　he　was　that　big　when　we　said　farewell　to　him。　When　we　first　knew　him；　had　he　stood　in　a　half　pint　measure　he　could　just　have　seen　over　the　rim。　We　caught　him　in　a　little　thorn　ravine　all　by　himself；　a　fact　that　perhaps　indicates　that　his　mother　had　been　killed；　or　perhaps　that　he；　like　a　good　little　Funny　Face；　was　merely　staying　where　he　was　told　while　she　was　away。　At　any　rate　he　fought　savagely；　according　to　his　small　powers。　We　took　him　ignominiously　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　haled　him　to　camp；　and　dumped　him　down　on　Billy。　Billy　constructed　him　a　beautiful　belt　by　sacrificing　part　of　a　kodak　strap　（mine）；　and　tied　him　to　a　chop　box　filled　with　dry　grass。　Thenceforth　this　became　Funny　Face's　castle；　at　home　and　on　the　march。

Within　a　few　hours　his　confidence　in　life　was　restored。　He　accepted　small　articles　of　food　from　our　hands；　eyeing　us　intently；　retired　and　examined　them。　As　they　all　proved　desirable；　he　rapidly　came　to　the　conclusion　that　these　new　large　strange　monkeys；　while　not　so　beautiful　and　agile　as　his　own　people；　were　nevertheless　a　good　sort　after　all。　Therefore　he　took　us　into　his　confidence。　By　next　day　he　was　quite　tame；　would　submit　to　being　picked　up　without　struggling；　and　had　ceased　trying　to　take　an　end　off　our　various　fingers。　In　fact　when　the　finger　was　presented；　he　would　seize　it　in　both　small　black　hands；　convey　it　to　his　mouth；　give　it　several　mild　and　gentle　love…chews；　and　then；　clasping　it　with　all　four　hands；　would　draw　himself　up　like　a　little　athlete　and　seat　himself　upright　on　the　outspread　palm。　Thence　he　would　survey　the　world；　wrinkling　up　his　tiny　brow。

This　chastened　and　scholarly　attitude　of　mind　lasted　for　four　or　five　days。　Then　Funny　Face　concluded　that　he　understood　all　about　it；　had　settled　satisfactorily　to　himself　all　the　problems　of　the　world　and　his　relations　to　it；　and　had　arrived　at　a　good　working　basis　for　life。　Therefore　these　questions　ceased　to　occupy　him。　He　dismissed　them　from　his　mind　completely；　and　gave　himself　over　to　light…hearted　frivolity。

His　disposition　was　flighty　but　full　of　elusive　charm。　You　deprecated　his　lack　of　serious　purpose　in　life；　disapproved　heartily　of　his　irresponsibility；　but　you　fell　to　his　engaging　qualities。　He　was　a　typical　example　of　the　lovable　good…for…naught。　Nothing　retained　his　attention　for　two　consecutive　minutes。　If　he　seized　a　nut　and　started　for　his　chop　box　with　it；　the　chances　were　he　would　drop　it　and　forget　all　about　it　in　the　interest　excited　by　a　crawling　ant　or　the　colour　of　a　flower。　His　elfish　face　was　always　alight　with　the　play　of　emotions　and　of　flashing　changing　interests。　He　was　greatly　given　to　starting　off　on　very　important　errands；　which　he　forgot　before　he　arrived。

In　this　he　contrasted　strangely　with　his　friend　Darwin。　Darwin　was　another　monkey　of　the　same　species；　caught　about　a　week　later。　Darwin's　face　was　sober　and　pondering；　and　his　methods　direct　and　effective。　No　side　excursions　into　the　brilliant　though　evanescent　fields　of　fancy　diverted　him　from　his　ends。　These　were；　generally；　to　get　the　most　and　best　food　and　the　warmest　corner　for　sleep。　When　he　had　acquired　a　nut；　a　kernel　of　corn；　or　a　piece　of　fruit；　he　sat　him　down　and　examined　it　thoroughly　and　conscientiously　and　then；　conscientiously　and　thoroughly；　he　devoured　it。　No　extraneous　interest　could　distract　his　attention；　not　for　a　moment。　That　he　had　sounded　the　seriousness　of　life　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　he　had　observed　and　understood　the　flighty　character　of　Funny　Face。　When　Funny　Face　acquired　a　titbit；　Darwin　took　up　a　hump…backed　position　near　at　hand；　his　bright　little　eyes　fixed　on　his　friend's　activities。　Funny　Face　would　nibble　relishingly　at　his　prune　for　a　moment　or　so；　then　an　altogether　astonishing　butterfly　would　flitter　by　just　overhead。　Funny　Face；　lost　in　ecstasy　would　gaze　skyward　after　the　departing　marvel。　This　was　Darwin's　opportunity。　In　two　hops　he　was　at　Funny　Face's　side。　With　great　deliberation；　but　most　businesslike　directness；　Darwin　disengaged　Funny　Face's　unresisting　fingers　from　the　prune；　seized　it；　and　retired。　Funny　Face　never　knew　it；　his　soul　was　far　away　after　the　blazoned　wonder；　and　when　it　returned；　it　was　not　to　prunes　at　all。　They　were　forgotten；　and　his　wandering　eye　focussed　back　to　a　bright　button　in　the　grass。　Thus　by　strict　attention　to　business　did　Darwin　prosper。

Darwin's　attitude　was　always　serious；　and　his　expression　grave。　When　he　condescended　to　romp　with　Funny　Face　one　could　see　that　it　was　not　for　the　mere　joy　of　sport；　but　for　the　purposes　of　relaxation。　If　offered　a　gift　he　always　examined　it　seriously　bef