the land of footprints-第5节

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　imagination。

The　country；　then；　wherein　we　travelled　begins　at　the　sea。　Along　the　coast　stretches　a　low　rolling　country　of　steaming　tropics；　grown　with　cocoanuts；　bananas；　mangoes；　and　populated　by　a　happy；　half…naked　race　of　the　Swahilis。　Leaving　the　coast；　the　country　rises　through　hills。　These　hills　are　at　first　fertile　and　green　and　wooded。　Later　they　turn　into　an　almost　unbroken　plateau　of　thorn　scrub；　cruel；　monotonous；　almost　impenetrable。　Fix　thorn　scrub　in　your　mind；　with　rhino　trails；　and　occasional　openings　for　game；　and　a　few　rivers　flowing　through　palms　and　narrow　jungle　strips；　fix　it　in　your　mind　until　your　mind　is　filled　with　it；　until　you　are　convinced　that　nothing　else　can　exist　in　the　world　but　more　and　more　of　the　monotonous；　terrible；　dry；　onstretching　desert　of　thorn。

Then　pass　through　this　to　the　top　of　the　hills　inland；　and　journey　over　these　hills　to　the　highland　plains。

Now　sense　and　appreciate　these　wide　seas　of　and　the　hills　and　ranges　of　mountains　rising　from　them；　and　their　infinite　diversity　of　country…their　rivers　marked　by　ribbons　of　jungle；　their　scattered…bush　and　their　thick…bush　areas；　their　grass　expanses；　and　their　great　distances　extending　far　over　exceedingly　wide　horizons。　Realize　how　many　weary　hours　you　must　travel　to　gain　the　nearest　butte；　what　days　of　toil　the　view　from　its　top　will　disclose。　Savour　the　fact　that　you　can　spend　months　in　its　veriest　corner　without　exhausting　its　possibilities。　Then；　and　not　until　then；　raise　your　eyes　to　the　low　rising　transverse　range　that　bands　it　to　the　west　as　the　thorn　desert　bands　it　to　the　east。

And　on　these　ranges　are　the　forests；　the　great　bewildering　forests。　In　what　looks　like　a　grove　lying　athwart　a　little　hill　you　can　lose　yourself　for　days。　Here　dwell　millions　of　savages　in　an　apparently　untouched　wilderness。　Here　rises　a　snow　mountain　on　the　equator。　Here　are　tangles　and　labyrinths；　great　bamboo　forests　lost　in　folds　of　the　mightiest　hills。　Here　are　the　elephants。　Here　are　the　swinging　vines；　the　jungle　itself。

Yet　finally　it　breaks。　We　come　out　on　the　edge　of　things　and　look　down　on　a　great　gash　in　the　earth。　It　is　like　a　sunken　kingdom　in　itself；　miles　wide；　with　its　own　mountain　ranges；　its　own　rivers；　its　own　landscape　features。　Only　on　either　side　of　it　rise　the　escarpments　which　are　the　true　level　of　the　plateau。　One　can　spend　two　months　in　this　valley；　too；　and　in　the　countries　south　to　which　it　leads。　And　on　its　farther　side　are　the　high　plateau　plains　again；　or　the　forests；　or　the　desert；　or　the　great　lakes　that　lie　at　the　source　of　the　Nile。

So　now；　perhaps；　we　are　a　little　prepared　to　go　ahead。　The　guide…book　work　is　finished　for　good　and　all。　There　is　the　steaming　hot　low　coast　belt；　and　the　hot　dry　thorn　desert　belt；　and　the　varied　immense　plains；　and　the　high　mountain　belt　of　the　forests；　and　again　the　variegated　wide　country　of　the　Rift　Valley　and　the　high　plateau。　To　attempt　to　tell　you　seriatim　and　in　detail　just　what　they　are　like　is　the　task　of　an　encyclopaedist。　Perhaps　more　indirectly　you　may　be　able　to　fill　in　the　picture　of　the　country；　the　people；　and　the　beasts。



IV。　THE　FIRST　CAMP

Our　very　first　start　into　the　new　country　was　made　when　we　piled　out　from　the　little　train　standing　patiently　awaiting　the　good　pleasure　of　our　descent。　That　feature　strikes　me　with　ever　new　wonder…the　accommodating　way　trains　of　the　Uganda　Railway　have　of　waiting　for　you。　One　day；　at　a　little　wayside　station；　C。　and　I　were　idly　exchanging　remarks　with　the　only　white　man　in　sight；　killing　time　until　the　engine　should　whistle　to　a　resumption　of　the　journey。　The　guard　lingered　about　just　out　of　earshot。　At　the　end　of　five　minutes　C。　happened　to　catch　his　eye；　whereupon　he　ventured　to　approach。

〃When　you　have　finished　your　conversation；〃　said　he　politely；　〃we　are　all　ready　to　go　on。〃

On　the　morning　in　question　there　were　a　lot　of　us　to　disembark…one　hundred　and　twenty…two；　to　be　exact…of　which　four　were　white。　We　were　not　yet　acquainted　with　our　men；　nor　yet　with　our　stores；　nor　with　the　methods　of　our　travel。　The　train　went　off　and　left　us　in　the　middle　of　a　high　plateau；　with　low　ridges　running　across　it；　and　mountains　in　the　distance。　Men　were　squabbling　earnestly　for　the　most　convenient　loads　to　carry；　and　as　fast　as　they　had　gained　undisputed　possession；　they　marked　the　loads　with　some　private　sign　of　their　own。　M'ganga；　the　headman；　tall；　fierce；　big…framed　and　bony；　clad　in　fez；　a　long　black　overcoat；　blue　puttees　and　boots；　stood　stiff　as　a　ramrod；　extended　a　rigid　right　arm　and　rattled　off　orders　in　a　high　dynamic　voice。　In　his　left　hand　he　clasped　a　bulgy　umbrella；　the　badge　of　his　dignity　and　the　symbol　of　his　authority。　The　four　askaris；　big　men　too；　with　masterful　high…cheekboned　countenances；　rushed　here　and　there　seeing　that　the　orders　were　carried　out。　Expostulations；　laughter；　the　sound　of　quarrelling　rose　and　fell。　Never　could　the　combined　volume　of　it　all　override　the　firecracker　stream　of　M'ganga's　eloquence。

We　had　nothing　to　do　with　it　all；　but　stood　a　little　dazed；　staring　at　the　novel　scene。　Our　men　were　of　many　tribes；　each　with　its　own　cast　of　features；　its　own　notions　of　what　befitted　man's　performance　of　his　duties　here　below。　They　stuck　together　each　in　its　clan。　A　fine　free　individualism　of　personal　adornment　characterized　them。　Every　man　dressed　for　his　own　satisfaction　solely。　They　hung　all　sorts　of　things　in　the　distended　lobes　of　their　ears。　One　had　succeeded　in　inserting　a　fine　big　glittering　tobacco　tin。　Others　had　invented　elaborate　topiary　designs　in　their　hair；　shaving　their　heads　so　as　to　leave　strange　tufts；　patches；　crescents　on　the　most　unexpected　places。　Of　the　intricacy　of　these　designs　they　seemed　absurdly　proud。　Various　sorts　of　treasure　trove　hung　from　them…a　bunch　of　keys　to　which　there　were　no　locks；　discarded　hunting　knives；　tips　of　antelope　horns；　discharged　brass　cartridges；　a　hundred　and　one　valueless　trifles　plucked　proudly　from　the　rubbish　heap。　They　were　all　clothed。　We　had　supplied　each　with　a　red　blanket；　a　blue　jersey；　and　a　water　bottle。　The　blankets　they　were　twisting　most　ingeniously　into　turbans。　Beside　these　they　sported　a　great　variety　of　garments。　Shooting　coats　that　had　seen　better　days；　a　dozen　shabby　overcoats…worn　proudly　through　the　hottest　noons…raggety　breeches　and　trousers　made　by　some　London　tailor；　queer　baggy　homemades　of　the　same　persuasion；　or　quite　simply　the　square　of　cotton　cloth　arranged　somewhat　like　a　short　tight　skirt；　or　nothing　at　all　as　the　man's　taste　ran。　They　were　many　of　them　amusing　enough；　but　somehow　they　did　not　look　entirely　farcical　and　ridiculous；　like　our　negroes　putting　on　airs。　All　these　things　were　worn　with　a　simplicity　of　quiet　confidence　in　their　entire　fitness。　And　beneath　the　red　blanket　turbans　the　half…wild　savage　faces　peered　out。

Now　Mahomet　approached。　Mahomet　was　my　personal　boy。　He　was　a　Somali　from　the　Northwest　coast；　dusky　brown；　with　the　regular　clear…cut　features　of　a　Greek　marble　god。　His　dress　was　of　neat　khaki；　and　he　looked　down　on　savages；　but；　also；　as　with　all　the　dark…skinned　races；　up　to　his　white　master。　Mahomet　was　with　me　during　all　my　African　stay；　and　tested　out　nobly。　As　yet；　of　course；　I　did　not　know　him。

〃Chakula　taiari；〃　said　he。

That　is　Swahili。　It　means　literally　〃food　is　ready。〃　After　one　has　hunted　in　Africa　for　a　few　months；　it　means　also　〃paradise　is　opened；〃　〃grief　is　at　an　end；〃　〃joy　and　thanksgiving　are　now　in　order；〃　and　similar　affairs。　Those　two　words　are　never　forgotten；　and　the　veriest　beginner　in　Swahili　can　recognize　them　without　the　slightest　effort。

We　followed　Mahomet。　Somehow；　without　orders；　in　all　this　confusion；　the　personal　staff　had　been　quietly　and　efficiently　busy。　Drawn　a　little　to　one　side　stood　a　table　with　four　chairs。　The　table　was　covered　with　a　white　cloth；　and　was　set　with　a　beautiful　white　enamel　service。　We　took　our　places。　Behind　each　chair　straight　as　a　ramrod　stood　a　neat　khaki…clad　boy。　They　brought　us　food；　and　presented　it　properly　on　the　left　side；　waiting　like　well…trained　butlers。　We　might　have　been　in　a　London　restaurant。　As　three　of　us　were　Americans；　we　felt　a　trifle　dazed。　The　porters；　having　finished　the　distribution　of　their　loads；　squatted　on　their　heels　and　watched　us　respectfully。

And　then；　not　two　hundred　yards　away；　four　ostriches　paced　slowly　across　the　track；　paying　not　the　slightest　attention　to　us…our　first　real　wild　ostriches；　scornful　of　oranges；　careless　of　tourists；　and　rightful　guardians　of　their　own　snowy　plumes。　The　passage　of　these　four　solemn　birds　seemed　somehow　to　lend　this　strange　open…air　meal　an　exotic　flavour。　We　were　indeed　in　Africa；　and　the　ostriches　helped　us　to　realize　it。

We　finished　breakfast　and　arose　from　our　chairs。　Instantly　a　half　dozen　men　sprang　forward。　Before　our　amazed　eyes　the　table　service；　the　chairs　and　the　table　itself　disappeared　into　neat　packages。　M'ganga　arose　to　his　feet。

〃Bandika！〃　he　cried。

The　askaris　rushed　here　and　there　actively。

〃Bandika！　bandika！　bandika！〃　they　cried　repeatedly。

The　men　sprang　into　activity。　A　struggle　heaved　the　varicoloured　multitude…and；　lo！　each　man　stood　upright；　his　load　balanced　on　his　head。　At　the　same　moment