prester john-第9节

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nd　we　were　soon　on　good　terms。　I　recall　a　discussion　arising　about　a　black　thing　in　a　tree　about　five　hundred　yards　away。　　I　thought　it　was　an　aasvogel；　but　another　thought　it　was　a　baboon。　　Whereupon　the　oldest　of　the　party；　a　farmer　called　Coetzee；　whipped　up　his　rifle　and；　apparently　without　sighting；　fired。　　A　dark　object　fell　out　of　the　branch；　and　when　we　reached　it　we　found　it　a　baviaan*　sure　enough；　shot　through　the　head。　　'Which　side　are　you　on　in　the　next　war？'　the　old　man　asked　me；　and；　laughing；　I　told　him　'Yours。'　　　　　　　　　　　*Baboon。　After　supper；　the　ingredients　of　which　came　largely　from　my　naachtmaal；　we　sat　smoking　and　talking　round　the　fire；　the　women　and　children　being　snug　in　the　covered　wagons。　　The　Boers　were　honest　companionable　fellows；　and　when　I　had　made　a　bowl　of　toddy　in　the　Scotch　fashion　to　keep　out　the　evening　chill；　we　all　became　excellent　friends。　　They　asked　me　how　I　got　on　with　Japp。　　Old　Coetzee　saved　me　the　trouble　of　answering；　for　he　broke　in　with　Skellum！　　Skellum！*　　I　asked　him　his　objection　to　the　storekeeper；　but　he　would　say　nothing　beyond　that　he　was　too　thick　with　the　natives。　　I　fancy　at　some　time　Mr　Japp　had　sold　him　a　bad　plough。　　　　　　　　　　　*Schelm：　Rascal。

We　spoke　of　hunting；　and　I　heard　long　tales　of　exploits　…　away　on　the　Limpopo；　in　Mashonaland；　on　the　Sabi　and　in　the　Lebombo。　　Then　we　verged　on　politics；　and　I　listened　to　violent　denunciations　of　the　new　land　tax。　　These　were　old　residenters；　I　reflected；　and　I　might　learn　perhaps　something　of　value。　　So　very　carefully　I　repeated　a　tale　I　said　I　had　heard　at　Durban　of　a　great　wizard　somewhere　in　the　Berg；　and　asked　if　any　one　knew　of　it。　　They　shook　their　heads。　　The　natives　had　given　up　witchcraft　and　big　medicine；　they　said；　and　were　more　afraid　of　a　parson　or　a　policeman　than　any　witch…doctor。　Then　they　were　starting　on　reminiscences；　when　old　Coetzee；　who　was　deaf；　broke　in　and　asked　to　have　my　question　repeated。

'Yes；'　he　said；　'I　know。　　It　is　in　the　Rooirand。　　There　is　a　devil　dwells　there。'

I　could　get　no　more　out　of　him　beyond　the　fact　that　there　was　certainly　a　great　devil　there。　　His　grandfather　and　father　had　seen　it；　and　he　himself　had　heard　it　roaring　when　he　had　gone　there　as　a　boy　to　hunt。　　He　would　explain　no　further；　and　went　to　bed。

Next　morning；　close　to　Sikitola's　kraal；　I　bade　the　farmers　good…bye；　after　telling　them　that　there　would　be　a　store　in　my　wagon　for　three　weeks　at　Umvelos'　if　they　wanted　supplies。　We　then　struck　more　to　the　north　towards　our　destination。　　As　soon　as　they　had　gone　I　had　out　my　map　and　searched　it　for　the　name　old　Coetzee　had　mentioned。　　It　was　a　very　bad　map；　for　there　had　been　no　surveying　east　of　the　Berg；　and　most　of　the　names　were　mere　guesses。　　But　I　found　the　word　'Rooirand'　marking　an　eastern　continuation　of　the　northern　wall；　and　probably　set　down　from　some　hunter's　report。　　I　had　better　explain　here　the　chief　features　of　the　country；　for　they　bulk　largely　in　my　story。　　The　Berg　runs　north　and　south；　and　from　it　run　the　chief　streams　which　water　the　plain。　　They　are；　beginning　from　the　south；　the　Olifants；　the　Groot　Letaba；　the　Letsitela；　the　Klein　Letaba；　and　the　Klein　Labongo；　on　which　stands　Blaauwildebeestefontein。　　But　the　greatest　river　of　the　plain；　into　which　the　others　ultimately　flow；　is　the　Groot　Labongo；　which　appears　full…born　from　some　subterranean　source　close　to　the　place　called　Umvelos'。　　North　from　Blaauwildebeestefontein　the　Berg　runs　for　some　twenty　miles；　and　then　makes　a　sharp　turn　eastward；　becoming；　according　to　my　map；　the　Rooirand。

I　pored　over　these　details；　and　was　particularly　curious　about　the　Great　Labongo。　　It　seemed　to　me　unlikely　that　a　spring　in　the　bush　could　produce　so　great　a　river；　and　I　decided　that　its　source　must　lie　in　the　mountains　to　the　north。　　As　well　as　I　could　guess；　the　Rooirand；　the　nearest　part　of　the　Berg；　was　about　thirty　miles　distant。　　Old　Coetzee　had　said　that　there　was　a　devil　in　the　place；　but　I　thought　that　if　it　were　explored　the　first　thing　found　would　be　a　fine　stream　of　water。

We　got　to　Umvelos'　after　midday；　and　outspanned　for　our　three　weeks'　work。　　I　set　the　Dutchmen　to　unload　and　clear　the　ground　for　foundations；　while　I　went　off　to　Sikitola　to　ask　for　labourers。　　I　got　a　dozen　lusty　blacks；　and　soon　we　had　a　business…like　encampment；　and　the　work　went　on　merrily。　　It　was　rough　architecture　and　rougher　masonry。　　All　we　aimed　at　was　a　two…roomed　shop　with　a　kind　of　outhouse　for　stores。　　I　was　architect；　and　watched　the　marking　out　of　the　foundations　and　the　first　few　feet　of　the　walls。　　Sikitola's　people　proved　themselves　good　helpers；　and　most　of　the　building　was　left　to　them；　while　the　Dutchmen　worked　at　the　carpentry。　　Bricks　ran　short　before　we　got　very　far；　and　we　had　to　set　to　brick…　making　on　the　bank　of　the　Labongo；　and　finish　off　the　walls　with　green　bricks；　which　gave　the　place　a　queer　piebald　look。

I　was　not　much　of　a　carpenter；　and　there　were　plenty　of　builders　without　me；　so　I　found　a　considerable　amount　of　time　on　my　hands。　　At　first　I　acted　as　shopkeeper　in　the　naachtmaal；　but　I　soon　cleared　out　my　stores　to　the　Dutch　farmers　and　the　natives。　　I　had　thought　of　going　back　for　more；　and　then　it　occurred　to　me　that　I　might　profitably　give　some　of　my　leisure　to　the　Rooirand。　　I　could　see　the　wall　of　the　mountains　quite　clear　to　the　north；　within　an　easy　day's　ride。　　So　one　morning　I　packed　enough　food　for　a　day　or　two；　tied　my　sleeping…bag　on　my　saddle；　and　set　off　to　explore；　after　appointing　the　elder　of　the　Dutchmen　foreman　of　the　job　in　my　absence。

It　was　very　hot　jogging　along　the　native　path　with　the　eternal　olive…green　bush　around　me。　　Happily　there　was　no　fear　of　losing　the　way；　for　the　Rooirand　stood　very　clear　in　front；　and　slowly；　as　I　advanced；　I　began　to　make　out　the　details　of　the　cliffs。　　At　luncheon…time；　when　I　was　about　half…way；　I　sat　down　with　my　Zeiss　glass　…　my　mother's　farewell　gift　…　to　look　for　the　valley。　　But　valley　I　saw　none。　　The　wall　…　reddish　purple　it　looked；　and；　I　thought；　of　porphyry　…　was　continuous　and　unbroken。　　There　were　chimneys　and　fissures；　but　none　great　enough　to　hold　a　river。　　The　top　was　sheer　cliff；　then　came　loose　kranzes　in　tiers；　like　the　seats　in　a　gallery；　and；　below；　a　dense　thicket　of　trees。　　I　raked　the　whole　line　for　a　break；　but　there　seemed　none。　　'It's　a　bad　job　for　me；'　I　thought；　'if　there　is　no　water；　for　I　must　pass　the　night　there。'　The　night　was　spent　in　a　sheltered　nook　at　the　foot　of　the　rocks；　but　my　horse　and　I　went　to　bed　without　a　drink。　　My　supper　was　some　raisins　and　biscuits；　for　I　did　not　dare　to　run　the　risk　of　increasing　my　thirst。　　I　had　found　a　great　bank　of　debris　sloping　up　to　the　kranzes；　and　thick　wood　clothing　all　the　slope。　　The　grass　seemed　wonderfully　fresh；　but　of　water　there　was　no　sign。　　There　was　not　even　the　sandy　channel　of　a　stream　to　dig　in。

In　the　morning　I　had　a　difficult　problem　to　face。　　Water　I　must　find　at　all　costs；　or　I　must　go　home。　　There　was　time　enough　for　me　to　get　back　without　suffering　much；　but　if　so　I　must　give　up　my　explorations。　　This　I　was　determined　not　to　do。　　The　more　I　looked　at　these　red　cliffs　the　more　eager　I　was　to　find　out　their　secret。　　There　must　be　water　somewhere；　otherwise　how　account　for　the　lushness　of　the　vegetation？

My　horse　was　a　veld　pony；　so　I　set　him　loose　to　see　what　he　would　do。　　He　strayed　back　on　the　path　to　Umvelos'。　　This　looked　bad；　for　it　meant　that　he　did　not　smell　water　along　the　cliff　front。　　If　I　was　to　find　a　stream　it　must　be　on　the　top；　and　I　must　try　a　little　mountaineering。

Then；　taking　my　courage　in　both　my　hands；　I　decided。　　I　gave　my　pony　a　cut；　and　set　him　off　on　the　homeward　road。　　I　knew　he　was　safe　to　get　back　in　four　or　five　hours；　and　in　broad　day　there　was　little　fear　of　wild　beasts　attacking　him。　　I　had　tied　my　sleeping　bag　on　to　the　saddle；　and　had　with　me　but　two　pocketfuls　of　food。　　I　had　also　fastened　on　the　saddle　a　letter　to　my　Dutch　foreman；　bidding　him　send　a　native　with　a　spare　horse　to　fetch　me　by　the　evening。　　Then　I　started　off　to　look　for　a　chimney。

A　boyhood　spent　on　the　cliffs　at　Kirkcaple　had　made　me　a　bold　cragsman；　and　the　porphyry　of　the　Rooirand　clearly　gave　excellent　holds。　　But　I　walked　many　weary　miles　along　the　cliff…　foot　before　I　found　a　feasible　road。　　To　begin　with；　it　was　no　light　task　to　fight　one's　way　through　the　dense　undergrowth　of　the　lower　slopes。　　Every　kind　of　thorn…bush　lay　in　wait　for　my　skin；　creepers　tripped　me　up；　high　trees　shut　out　the　light；　and　I　was　in　constant　fear　lest　a　black　mamba　might　appear　out　of　the　tangle。　　It　grew　very　hot；　and　the　screes　above　the　thicket　were　blistering　to　the　touch。　　My　tongue；　too；　stuck　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth　with　thirst。

The　first　chimney　I　tried　ran　out　on　the　face　into　nothingness；　and　I　had　to　make　a　dangerous　descent。　　The　second　was　a　deep　gully；　but　so　choked　with　rubble　that　after　nearly　braining　myself　I　desisted。　　Still　going　eastwards；　I　found　a　sloping　ledge　which　took　me　to　a　platform　from　which　ran　a　crack　with　a　little　tree　growing　in　it。　　My　glass　showed　me　that　beyond　this　tree　the　crack　broadened　into　a　clearly　defined　chimney　which　led　to　the　top。　　If　I　can　once　reach　that　tree；　I　thought；　the　battle　is