the land of footprints-第54节

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s　and　beautiful　glowing　red　coats。　Sometimes　they　would　venture　out　on　the　open　plains；　in　a　very　compact　band；　ready　to　break　back　for　cover　at　the　slightest　alarm；　but　generally　fed　inside　the　fringe　of　bushes。　Once　from　the　bluff　above　I　saw　a　beautiful　herd　of　over　a　hundred　pacing　decorously　along　the　river　bottom　below　me；　single　file；　the　oldest　buck　at　the　head；　and　the　miscellaneous　small　buck　bringing　up　the　rear　after　the　does。　I　shouted　at　them。　Immediately　the　solemn　procession　broke。　They　began　to　leap；　springing　straight　up　into　the　air　as　though　from　a　released　spring；　or　diving　forward　and　upward　in　long　graceful　bounds　like　dolphins　at　sea。　These　leaps　were　incredible。　Several　even　jumped　quite　over　the　backs　of　others；　and　all　without　a　semblance　of　effort。

Along　the　fringe　of　the　river；　too；　dwelt　the　lordly　waterbuck；　magnificent　and　proud　as　the　stags　of　Landseer；　and　the　tiny　steinbuck　and　duiker；　no　bigger　than　jack…rabbits；　but　perfect　little　deer　for　all　that。　The　incredibly　plebeian　wart…hog　rooted　about；　and　down　in　the　bottom　lands　were　leopards。　I　knocked　one　off　a　rock　one　day。　In　the　river　itself　dwelt　hippopotamuses　and　crocodiles。　One　of　the　latter　dragged　under　a　yearling　calf　just　below　the　house　itself；　and　while　we　were　there。　Besides　these　were　of　course　such　affairs　as　hyenas　and　jackals；　and　great　numbers　of　small　game：　hares；　ducks；　three　kinds　of　grouse；　guinea　fowl；　pigeons；　quail；　and　jack　snipe；　not　to　speak　of　a　variety　of　plover。

In　the　drier　extents　of　dry　grass　atop　the　bluffs　the　dance　birds　were　especially　numerous；　each　with　his　dance　ring　nicely　trodden　out；　each　leaping　and　falling　rhythmically　for　hours　at　a　time。　Toward　sunset　great　flights　of　sand　grouse　swarmed　across　the　yellowing　sky　from　some　distant　feeding　ground。

Near　Juja　I　had　one　of　the　three　experiences　that　especially　impressed　on　my　mind　the　abundance　of　African　big　game。　I　had　stalked　and　wounded　a　wildebeeste　across　the　N'derogo　River；　and　had　followed　him　a　mile　or　so　afoot；　hoping　to　be　able　to　put　in　a　finishing　shot。　As　sometimes　happens　the　animal　rather　gained　strength　as　time　went　on；　so　I　signalled　for　my　horse；　mounted；　and　started　out　to　run　him　down。　After　a　quarter　mile　we　began　to　pick　up　the　game　herds。　Those　directly　in　our　course　ran　straight　away；　other　herds　on　either　side；　seeing　them　running；　came　across　in　a　slant　to　join　them。　Inside　of　a　half　mile　I　was　driving　before　me　literally　thousands　of　head　of　game　of　several　varieties。　The　dust　rose　in　a　choking　cloud　that　fairly　obscured　the　landscape；　and　the　drumming　of　the　hooves　was　like　the　stampeding　of　cattle。　It　was　a　wonderful　sight。

On　the　plains　of　Juja；　also；　I　had　my　one　real　African　Adventure；　when；　as　in　the　Sunday　Supplements；　I　Stared　Death　in　the　Face…also　everlasting　disgrace　and　much　derision。　We　were　just　returning　to　the　farm　after　an　afternoon's　walk；　and　as　we　approached　I　began　to　look　around　for　much　needed　meat。　A　herd　of　zebra　stood　in　sight；　so　leaving　Memba　Sasa　I　began　to　stalk　them。　My　usual　weapon　for　this　sort　of　thing　was　the　Springfield；　for　which　I　carried　extra　cartridges　in　my　belt。　On　this　occasion；　however；　I　traded　with　Memba　Sasa　for　the　405；　simply　for　the　purpose　of　trying　it　out。　At　a　few　paces　over　three　hundred　yards　I　landed　on　the　zebra；　but　did　not　knock　him　down。　Then　I　set　out　to　follow。　It　was　a　long　job　and　took　me　far；　for　again　and　again　he　joined　other　zebra；　when；　of　course；　I　could　not　tell　one　from　t'other。　My　only　expedient　was　to　frighten　the　lot。　There　upon　the　uninjured　ones　would　distance　the　one　that　was　hurt。　The　latter　kept　his　eye　on　me。　Whenever　I　managed　to　get　within　reasonable　distance；　I　put　up　the　rear　sight　of　the　405；　and　let　drive。　I　heard　every　shot　hit；　and　after　each　hit　was　more　than　a　little　astonished　to　see　the　zebra　still　on　his　feet；　and　still　able　to　wobble　on。*　The　fifth　shot　emptied　the　rifle。　As　I　had　no　more　cartridges　for　this　arm；　I　approached　to　within　sixty　yards；　and　stopped　to　wait　either　for　him　to　fall；　or　for　a　very　distant　Memba　Sasa　to　come　up　with　more　cartridges。　Then　the　zebra　waked　up。　He　put　his　ears　back　and　came　straight　in　my　direction。　This　rush　I　took　for　a　blind　death　flurry；　and　so　dodged　off　to　one　side；　thinking　that　he　would　of　course　go　by　me。　Not　at　all！　He　swung　around　on　the　circle　too；　and　made　after　me。　I　could　see　that　his　ears　were　back；　eyes　blazing；　and　his　teeth　snapping　with　rage。　It　was　a　malicious　charge；　and；　as　such；　with　due　deliberation；　I　offer　it　to　sportsman's　annals。　As　I　had　no　more　cartridges　I　ran　away　as　fast　as　I　could　go。　Although　I　made　rather　better　time　than　ever　I　had　attained　to　before；　it　was　evident　that　the　zebra　would　catch　me；　and　as　the　brute　could　paw；　bite；　and　kick；　I　did　not　much　care　for　the　situation。　Just　as　he　had　nearly　reached　me；　and　as　I　was　trying　to　figure　on　what　kind　of　a　fight　I　could　put　up　with　a　clubbed　rifle　barrel；　he　fell　dead。　To　be　killed　by　a　lion　is　at　least　a　dignified　death；　but　to　be　mauled　by　a　zebra！

I　am　sorry　I　did　not　try　out　this　heavy…calibred　rifle　oftener　at　long　range。　It　was　a　marvellously　effective　weapon　at　close　quarters；　but　I　have　an　idea…but　only　a　tentative　idea…that　above　three　hundred　yards　its　velocity　is　so　reduced　by　air　resistance　against　the　big　blunt　bullet　as　greatly　to　impair　its　hitting　powers。


We　generally　got　back　from　our　walks　or　rides　just　before　dark　to　find　the　house　gleaming　with　lights；　a　hot　bath　ready；　and　a　tray　of　good　wet　drinks　next　the　easy　chairs。　There；　after　changing　our　clothes；　we　sipped　and　read　the　papers…two　months　off　the　press；　but　fresh　arrived　for　all　that…until　a　white…robed；　dignified　figure　appeared　in　the　doorway　to　inform　us　that　dinner　was　ready。　Our　ways　were　civilized　and　soft；　then；　until　the　morrow　when　once　again；　perhaps；　we　went　forth　into　the　African　wilderness。

Juja　is　a　place　of　startling　contrasts…of　naked　savages　clipping　formal　hedges；　of　windows　opening　from　a　perfectly　appointed　brilliantly　lighted　dining…room　to　a　night　whence　float　the　lost　wails　of　hyenas　or　the　deep　grumbling　of　lions；　of　cushioned　luxurious　chairs　in　reach　of　many　books；　but　looking　out　on　hills　where　the　game　herds　feed；　of　comfortable　beds　with　fine　linen　and　soft　blankets　where　one　lies　listening　to　the　voices　of　an　African　night；　or　the　weirder　minor　house　noises　whose　origin　and　nature　no　man　could　guess；　of　tennis　courts　and　summer　houses；　of　lawns　and　hammocks；　of　sundials　and　clipped　hedges　separated　only　by　a　few　strands　of　woven　wire　from　fields　identical　with　those　in　which　roamed　the　cave　men　of　the　Pleistocene。　But　to　Billy　was　reserved　the　most　ridiculous　contrast　of　all。　Her　bedroom　opened　to　a　veranda　a　few　feet　above　a　formal　garden。　This　was　a　very　formal　garden；　with　a　sundial；　gravelled　walks；　bordered　flower　beds；　and　clipped　border　hedges。　One　night　she　heard　a　noise　outside。　Slipping　on　a　warm　wrap　and　seizing　her　trusty　revolver　she　stole　out　on　the　veranda　to　investigate。　She　looked　over　the　veranda　rail。　There　just　below　her；　trampling　the　flower　beds；　tracking　the　gravel　walks；　endangering　the　sundial；　stood　a　hippopotamus！

We　had　neighbours　six　or　seven　miles　away。　At　times　they　came　down　to　spend　the　night　and　luxuriate　in　the　comforts　of　civilization。　They　were　a　Lady　A。；　and　her　nephew；　and　a　young　Scotch　acquaintance　the　nephew　had　taken　into　partnership。　They　had　built　themselves　circular　houses　of　papyrus　reeds　with　conical　thatched　roofs　and　earth　floors；　had　purchased　ox　teams　and　gathered　a　dozen　or　so　Kikuyus；　and　were　engaged　in　breaking　a　farm　in　the　wilderness。　The　life　was　rough　and　hard；　and　Lady　A。　and　her　nephew　gently　bred；　but　they　seemed　to　be　having　quite　cheerfully　the　time　of　their　lives。　The　game　furnished　them　meat；　as　it　did　all　of　us；　and　they　hoped　in　time　that　their　labours　would　make　the　land　valuable　and　productive。　Fascinating　as　was　the　life；　it　was　also　one　of　many　deprivations。　At　Juja　were　a　number　of　old　copies　of　Life；　the　pretty　girls　in　which　so　fascinated　the　young　men　that　we　broke　the　laws　of　propriety　by　presenting　them；　though　they　did　not　belong　to　us。　C。；　the　nephew；　was　of　the　finest　type　of　young　Englishman；　clean　cut；　enthusiastic；　good　looking；　with　an　air　of　engaging　vitality　and　optimism。　His　partner；　of　his　own　age；　was　an　insufferable　youth。　Brought　up　in　some　small　Scottish　valley；　his　outlook　had　never　widened。　Because　he　wanted　to　buy　four　oxen　at　a　cheaper　price；　he　tried　desperately　to　abrogate　quarantine　regulations。　If　he　had　succeeded；　he　would　have　made　a　few　rupees；　but　would　have　introduced　disease　in　his　neighbours'　herds。　This　consideration　did　not　affect　him。　He　was　much　given　to　sneering　at　what　he　could　not　understand；　and　therefore；　a　great　deal　met　with　his　disapproval。　His　reading　had　evidently　brought　him　down　only　to　about　the　middle　sixties；　and　affairs　at　that　date　were　to　him　still　burning　questions。　Thus　he　would　declaim　vehemently　over　the　Alabama　claims。

〃I　blush　with　shame；〃　he　would　cry；　〃when　I　think　of　England's　attitude　in　that　matter。〃

We　pointed　out　that　the　dispute　had　been　amicably　settled　by　the　best　minds　of　the　time；　had　passed　between　the　covers　of　history；　and　had　g