stories by english authors in africa(旅非英国作家的故事)-第5章
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And then there came that wonderful hush which sometimes falls over the
African bush in the early hours of the night。 No beast was moving； and no
bird called。 Not a breath of air stirred the quiet trees； and the shadows did
not even quiver； they only grew。 It was very oppressive and very lonely；
for there was not a sign of the cattle or the boys。 I was quite thankful for
the society of old Kaptein； who was lying down contentedly against the
disselboom； chewing the cud with a good conscience。
〃Presently； however； Kaptein began to get restless。 First he snorted；
then he got up and snorted again。 I could not make it out； so like a fool I
got down off the waggon…box to have a look round； thinking it might be
the lost oxen coming。
〃Next instant I regretted it； for all of a sudden I heard a roar and saw
something yellow flash past me and light on poor Kaptein。 Then came a
bellow of agony from the ox； and a crunch as the lion put his teeth through
the poor brute's neck； and I began to understand what had happened。 My
rifle was in the waggon； and my first thought was to get hold of it； and I
turned and made a bolt for it。 I got my foot on the wheel and flung my
body forward on to the waggon； and there I stopped as if I were frozen；
and no wonder； for as I was about to spring up I heard the lion behind me；
and next second I felt the brute； ay； as plainly as I can feel this table。 I felt
him； I say； sniffing at my left leg that was hanging down。
〃My word！ I did feel queer； I don't think that I ever felt so queer before。
I dared not move for the life of me； and the odd thing was that I seemed to
lose power over my leg； which developed an insane sort of inclination to
kick out of its own mere motionjust as hysterical people want to laugh
when they ought to be particularly solemn。 Well； the lion sniffed and
sniffed； beginning at my ankle and slowly nosing away up to my thigh。 I
thought that he was going to get hold then； but he did not。 He only
growled softly； and went back to the ox。 Shifting my head a little I got a
full view of him。 He was about the biggest lion I ever saw；and I have
seen a great many； and he had a most tremendous black mane。 What his
teeth were like you can seelook there； pretty big ones； ain't they？
Altogether he was a magnificent animal； and as I lay sprawling on the fore
tongue of the waggon； it occurred to me that he would look uncommonly
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well in a cage。 He stood there by the carcass of poor Kaptein； and
deliberately disembowelled him as neatly as a butcher could have done。
All this while I dared not move； for he kept lifting his head and keeping an
eye on me as he licked his bloody chops。 When he had cleaned Kaptein
out he opened his mouth and roared； and I am not exaggerating when I say
that the sound shook the waggon。 Instantly there came back an answering
roar。
〃'Heavens！' I thought； 'there is his mate。'
〃Hardly was the thought out of my head when I caught sight in the
moonlight of the lioness bounding along through the long grass； and after
her a couple of cubs about the size of mastiffs。 She stopped within a few
feet of my head； and stood； and waved her tail； and fixed me with her
glowing yellow eyes； but just as I thought that it was all over she turned
and began to feed on Kaptein； and so did the cubs。 There were the four of
them within eight feet of me； growling and quarrelling； rending and
tearing； and crunching poor Kaptein's bones； and there I lay shaking with
terror； and the cold perspiration pouring out of me； feeling like another
Daniel come to judgment in a new sense of the phrase。 Presently the cubs
had eaten their fill； and began to get restless。 One went round to the back
of the waggon and pulled at the Impala buck that hung there； and the other
came round my way and commenced the sniffing game at my leg。 Indeed；
he did more than that； for； my trouser being hitched up a little； he began to
lick the bare skin with his rough tongue。 The more he licked the more he
liked it； to judge from his increased vigour and the loud purring noise he
made。 Then I knew that the end had come； for in another second his file…
like tongue would have rasped through the skin of my legwhich was
luckily pretty toughand have drawn the blood； and then there would be
no chance for me。 So I just lay there and thought of my sins； and prayed to
the Almighty； and thought that； after all； life was a very enjoyable thing。
〃And then all of a sudden I heard a crashing of bushes and the
shouting and whistling of men； and there were the two boys coming back
with the cattle； which they had found trekking along all together。 The lions
lifted their heads and listened； then without a sound bounded offand I
fainted。
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〃The lions came back no more that night； and by the next morning my
nerves had got pretty straight again； but I was full of wrath when I thought
of all that I had gone through at the hands； or rather noses； of those four
lions； and of the fate of my after…ox Kaptein。 He was a splendid ox； and I
was very fond of him。 So wroth was I that； like a fool； I determined to
attack the whole family of them。 It was worthy of a greenhorn out on his
first hunting…trip； but I did it nevertheless。 Accordingly after breakfast；
having rubbed some oil upon my leg； which was very sore from the cub's
tongue； I took the driver； Tom； who did not half like the job； and having
armed myself with an ordinary double No。 12 smooth…bore； the first
breech…loader I ever had； I started。 I took the smooth…bore because it shot a
bullet very well； and my experience has been that a round ball from a
smooth…bore is quite as effective against a lion as an express bullet。 The
lion is soft； and not a difficult animal to finish if you hit him anywhere in
the body。 A buck takes far more killing。
〃Well； I started； and the first thing I set to work to do was to try to
make out whereabouts the brutes lay up for the day。 About three hundred
yards from the waggon was the crest of a rise covered with single mimosa…
trees； dotted about in a park…like fashion； and beyond this was a stretch of
open plain running down to a dry pan； or water… hole； which covered about
an acre of ground； and was densely clothed with reeds； now in the sear and
yellow leaf。 From the farther edge of this pan the ground sloped up again
to a great cleft； or nullah； which had been cut out by the action of the
water； and was pretty thickly sprinkled with bush； among which grew
some large trees； I forget of what sort。
〃It at once struck me that the dry pan would be a likely place to find
my friends in； as there is nothing a lion is fonder of than lying up in reeds；
through which he can see things without being seen himself。 Accordingly
thither I went and prospected。 Before I had got half…way round the pan I
found the remains of a blue vilder…beeste that had evidently been killed
within the last three or four days and partially devoured by lions； and from
other indications about I was soon assured that if the family were not in
the pan that day they spent a good deal of their spare time there。 But if
there； the question was how to get them out； for it was clearly impossible
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to think of going in after them unless one was quite determined to commit
suicide。 Now there was a strong wind blowing from the direction of the
waggon； across the reedy pan toward the bush…clad kloof or donga； and
this first gave me the idea of firing the reeds； which； as I think I told you；
were pretty dry。 Accordingly Tom took some matches and began starting
little fires to the left； and I did the same to the right。 But the reeds were
still green at the bottom； and we should never have got them well alight
had it not been for the wind； which grew stronger and stronger as the sun
climbed higher； and forced the fire into them。 At last； after half an hour's
trouble； the flames got a hold； and began to spread out like a fan；
whereupon I went round to the farther side of the pan to wait for the lions；
standing well out in the open； as we stood at the copse to…day where you
shot the woodcock。 It was a rather risky thing to do； but I used to be so
sure of my shooting in those days that I did not so much mind the risk。
Scarcely had I got round when I heard the reeds parting before the onward
rush of some animal。 'Now for it；' said I。 On it came。 I could see that it was
yellow； and prepared for action； when instead of a lion out bounded a
beautiful rietbok which had been lying in the shelter of the pan。 It must； by
the way； have been a rietbok of a peculiarly confiding nature to lay itself
down with the lion； like the lamb of prophecy； but I suppose the reeds
were thick； and that it kept a long way off。
〃Well； I let the rietbok go； and it went like the wind； and kept my eyes
fixed upon the reeds。 The fire was burning like a furnace now； the flames
crackling and roaring as they bit into the reeds； sending spouts of fire
twenty feet and more into the air； and making the hot air dance above it in
a way that was perfectly dazzling。 But the reeds were still half green； and
created an enormous quantity of smoke； which came rolling toward me
like a curtain； lying very low on account of the wind。 Presently； above the
crackling of the fire； I heard a startled roar； then another and another。 So
the lions were at home。
〃I was beginning to get excited now； for； as you fellows know； there is
nothing in experience to warm up your nerves like a lion at close quarters；
unless it is a wounded buffalo； and I got still more so when I made out
through the smoke that the lions were all moving about o
