the land of footprints-第53节

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nd。

Nothing　nor　nobody　seemed　to　mind　this　much。　The　game　splashed　around　merrily；　cropping　at　the　tall　grass；　the　natives　slopped　indifferently；　and　we　ourselves　soon　became　so　accustomed　to　two　or　three　inches　of　water　and　wet　feet　that　after　the　first　two　days　we　never　gave　those　phenomena　a　thought。

The　world　above　at　this　season　of　the　year　was　magnificent。　The　African　heavens　are　always　widely　spacious；　but　now　they　seemed　to　have　blown　even　vaster　than　usual。　In　the　sweep　of　the　vision　four　or　five　heavy　black　rainstorms　would　be　trailing　their　skirts　across　an　infinitely　remote　prospect；　between　them　white　piled　scud　clouds　and　cumuli　sailed　like　ships；　and　from　them　reflected　so　brilliant　a　sunlight　and　behind　all　showed　so　dazzling　a　blue　sky　that　the　general　impression　was　of　a　fine　day。　The　rainstorms'　gray　veils　slanted；　tremendous　patches　of　shadow　lay　becalmed　on　the　plains；　bright　sunshine　poured　abundantly　its　warmth　and　yellow　light。

So　brilliant　with　both　direct　and　reflected　light　and　the　values　of　contrast　were　the　heavens；　that　when　one　happened　to　stand　within　one　of　the　great　shadows　it　became　extraordinarily　difficult　to　make　out　game　on　the　plains。　The　pupils　contracted　to　the　brilliancy　overhead。　Often　too；　near　sunset；　the　atmosphere　would　become　suffused　with　a　lurid　saffron　light　that　made　everything　unreal　and　ghastly。　At　such　times　the　game　seemed　puzzled　by　the　unusual　aspect　of　things。　The　zebra　especially　would　bark　and　stamp　and　stand　their　ground；　and　even　come　nearer　out　of　sheer　curiosity。　I　have　thus　been　within　fifty　yards　of　them；　right　out　in　the　open。　At　such　times　it　was　as　though　the　sky；　instead　of　rounding　over　in　the　usual　shape；　had　been　thrust　up　at　the　western　horizon　to　the　same　incredible　height　as　the　zenith。　In　the　space　thus　created　were　piled　great　clouds　through　which　slanted　broad　bands　of　yellow　light　on　a　diminished　world。

It　rained　with　great　suddenness　on　our　devoted　heads；　and　with　a　curious　effect　of　metamorphoslng　the　entire　universe。　One　moment　all　was　clear　and　smiling；　with　the　trifling　exception　of　distant　rain　squalls　that　amounted　to　nothing　in　the　general　scheme。　Then　the　horizon　turned　black；　and　with　incredible　swiftness　the　dark　clouds　materialized　out　of　nothing；　rolled　high　to　the　zenith　like　a　wave；　blotted　out　every　last　vestige　of　brightness。　A　heavy　oppressive　still　darkness　breathed　over　the　earth。　Then　through　the　silence　came　a　faraway　soft　drumming　sound；　barely　to　be　heard。　As　we　bent　our　ears　to　catch　this　it　grew　louder　and　louder；　approaching　at　breakneck　speed　like　a　troop　of　horses。　It　became　a　roar　fairly　terrifying　in　its　mercilessly　continued　crescendo。　At　last　the　deluge　of　rain　burst　actually　as　a　relief。

And　what　a　deluge！　Facing　it　we　found　difficulty　in　breathing。　In　six　seconds　every　stitch　we　wore　was　soaked　through；　and　only　the　notebook；　tobacco；　and　matches　bestowed　craftily　in　the　crown　of　the　cork　helmet　escaped。　The　visible　world　was　dark　and　contracted。　It　seemed　that　nothing　but　rain　could　anywhere　exist；　as　though　this　storm　must　fill　all　space　to　the　horizon　and　beyond。　Then　it　swept　on　and　we　found　ourselves　steaming　in　bright　sunlight。　The　dry　flat　prairie　（if　this　was　the　first　shower　for　some　time）　had　suddenly　become　a　lake　from　the　surface　of　which　projected　bushes　and　clumps　of　grass。　Every　game　trail　had　become　the　water　course　of　a　swiftly　running　brook。

But　most　pleasant　were　the　evenings　at　Juja；　when；　safe　indoors；　we　sat　and　listened　to　the　charge　of　the　storm's　wild　horsemen；　and　the　thunder　of　its　drumming　on　the　tin　roof。　The　onslaughts　were　as　fierce　and　abrupt　as　those　of　Cossacks；　and　swept　by　as　suddenly。　The　roar　died　away　in　the　distance；　and　we　could　then　hear　the　steady　musical　dripping　of　waters。

Pleasant　it　was　also　to　walk　out　from　Juja　in　almost　any　direction。　The　compound；　and　the　buildings　and　trees　within　it；　soon　dwindled　in　the　distances　of　the　great　flat　plain。　Herds　of　game　were　always　in　sight；　grazing；　lying　down；　staring　in　our　direction。　The　animals　were　incredibly　numerous。　Some　days　they　were　fairly　tame；　and　others　exceedingly　wild；　without　any　rhyme　or　reason。　This　shyness　or　the　reverse　seemed　not　to　be　individual　to　one　herd；　but　to　be　practically　universal。　On　a　〃wild　day〃　everything　was　wild　from　the　Lone　Tree　to　Long　Juju。　It　would　be　manifestly　absurd　to　guess　at　the　reason。　Possibly　the　cause　might　be　atmospheric　or　electrical；　possibly　days　of　nervousness　might　follow　nights　of　unusual　activity　by　the　lions；　one　could　invent　a　dozen　possibilities。　Perhaps　the　kongonis　decided　it。

At　Juja　we　got　to　know　the　kongonis　even　better　than　we　had　before。　They　are　comical；　quizzical　beasts；　with　long…nosed　humorous　faces；　a　singularly　awkward　construction；　a　shambling　gait；　but　with　altruistic　dispositions　and　an　ability　to　get　over　the　ground　at　an　extraordinary　speed。　Every　move　is　a　joke；　their　expression　is　always　one　of　grieved　but　humorous　astonishment。　They　quirk　their　heads　sidewise　or　down　and　stare　at　an　intruder　with　the　most　comical　air　of　skeptical　wonder。　〃Well；　look　who's　here！〃　says　the　expression。

〃Pooh！〃　says　the　kongoni　himself；　after　a　good　look；　〃pooh！　pooh！〃　with　the　most　insulting　inflection。

He　is　very　numerous　and　very　alert。　One　or　more　of　a　grazing　herd　are　always　perched　as　sentinels　atop　ant　hills　or　similar　small　elevations。　On　the　sIightest　intimation　of　danger　they　give　the　alarm；　whereupon　the　herd　makes　off　at　once；　gathering　in　all　other　miscellaneous　game　that　may　be　in　the　vicinity。　They　will　go　out　of　their　way　to　do　this；　as　every　African　hunter　knows。　It　immensely　complicates　matters；　for　the　sportsman　must　not　only　stalk　his　quarry；　but　he　must　stalk　each　and　every　kongoni　as　well。　Once；　in　another　part　of　the　country；　C。　and　I　saw　a　kongoni　leave　a　band　of　its　own　species　far　down　to　our　right；　gallop　toward　us　and　across　our　front；　pick　up　a　herd　of　zebra　we　were　trying　to　approach　and　make　off　with　them　to　safety。　We　cursed　that　kongoni；　but　we　admired　him；　for　he　deliberately　ran　out　of　safety　into　danger　for　the　purpose　of　warning　those　zebra。　So　seriously　do　they　take　their　job　as　policemen　of　the　plains　that　it　is　very　common　for　a　lazy　single　animal　of　another　species　to　graze　in　a　herd　of　kongonis　simply　for　the　sake　of　protection。　Wildebeeste　are　much　given　to　this。

The　kongoni　progresses　by　a　series　of　long　high　bounds。　While　in　midair　he　half　tucks　up　his　feet；　which　gives　him　the　appearance　of　an　automatic　toy。　This　gait　looks　deliberate；　but　is　really　quite　fast；　as　the　mounted　sportsman　discovers　when　he　enters　upon　a　vain　pursuit。　If　the　horse　is　an　especially　good　one；　so　that　the　kongoni　feels　himself　a　trifle　closely　pressed；　the　latter　stops　bouncing　and　runs。　Then　he　simply　fades　away　into　the　distance。

These　beasts　are　also　given　to　chasing　each　other　all　over　the　landscape。　When　a　gentleman　kongoni　conceives　a　dislike　for　another　gentleman　kongoni；　he　makes　no　concealment　of　his　emotions；　but　marches　up　and　prods　him　in　the　ribs。　The　ensuing　battle　is　usually　fought　out　very　stubbornly　with　much　feinting；　parrying；　clashing　of　the　lyre…shaped　horns；　and　a　good　deal　of　crafty　circling　for　a　favourable　opening。　As　far　as　I　was　ever　able　to　see　not　much　real　damage　is　inflicted；　though　I　could　well　imagine　that　only　skilful　fence　prevented　unpleasant　punctures　in　soft　spots。　After　a　time　one　or　the　other　feels　himself　weakening。　He　dashes　strongly　in；　wheels　while　his　antagonist　is　braced；　and　makes　off。　The　enemy　pursues。　Then；　apparently；　the　chase　is　on　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　The　victor　is　not　content　merely　to　drive　his　rival　out　of　the　country；　he　wants　to　catch　him。　On　that　object　he　is　very　intent；　about　as　intent　as　the　other　fellow　is　of　getting　away。　I　have　seen　two　such　beasts　almost　run　over　a　dozen　men　who　were　making　no　effort　to　keep　out　of　sight。　Long　after　honour　is　satisfied；　indeed；　as　it　seems　to　me；　long　after　the　dictates　of　common　decency　would　call　a　halt　that　persistent　and　single…minded　pursuer　bounds　solemnly　and　conscientiously　along　in　the　wake　of　his　disgusted　rival。

These　and　the　zebra　and　wildebeeste　were　at　Juja　the　most　conspicuous　game　animals。　If　they　could　not　for　the　moment　be　seen　from　the　veranda　of　the　house　itself；　a　short　walk　to　the　gate　was　sufficient　to　reveal　many　hundreds。　Among　them　fed　herds　of　the　smaller　Thompson's　gazelle；　or　〃Tommies。〃　So　small　were　they　that　only　their　heads　could　be　seen　above　the　tall　grass　as　they　ran。

To　me　there　was　never…ending　fascination　in　walking　out　over　those　sloppy　plains　in　search　of　adventure；　and　in　the　pleasure　of　watching　the　beasts。　Scarcely　less　fascination　haunted　a　stroll　down　the　river　canyons　or　along　the　tops　of　the　bluffs　above　them。　Here　the　country　was　broken　into　rocky　escarpments　in　which　were　caves；　was　clothed　with　low　and　scattered　brush；　or　was　wooded　in　the　bottom　lands。　Naturally　an　entirely　different　set　of　animals　dwelt　here；　and　in　addition　one　was　often　treated　to　the　romance　of　surprise。　Herds　of　impalla　haunted　these　edges；　graceful　creatures；　trim　and　pretty　with　wide　horns　and　beautiful　glowing　red　coats。　Sometimes　they　would　venture　out　on　the　open　plains；　in　a　very　co