the land of footprints-第12章

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　they　sailed　back　and　forth　spying　sharply。　When　they　thought　they　saw　their　chance；　they　stooped　with　incredible　swiftness　to　seize　a　piece　of　meat。　Sometimes　they　would　snatch　their　prize　almost　from　the　hands　of　its　rightful　owner；　and　would　swoop　triumphantly　upward　again　pursued　by　polyglot　maledictions　and　a　throwing　stick。　They　were　very　skilful　on　their　wings。　I　have　many　times　seen　them；　while　flying；　tear　up　and　devour　large　chunks　of　meat。　It　seems　to　my　inexperience　as　an　aviator　rather　a　nice　feat　to　keep　your　balance　while　tearing　with　your　beak　at　meat　held　in　your　talons。　Regardless　of　other　landmarks；　we　always　knew　when　we　were　nearing　camp；　after　one　of　our　strolls；　by　the　gracefully　wheeling　figures　of　our　kites。



IX。　THE　FIRST　LION

One　day　we　all　set　out　to　make　our　discoveries：　F。；　B。；　and　I　with　our　gunbearers；　Memba　Sasa；　Mavrouki；　and　Simba；　and　ten　porters　to　bring　in　the　trophies；　which　we　wanted　very　much；　and　the　meat；　which　the　men　wanted　still　more。　We　rode　our　horses；　and　the　syces　followed。　This　made　quite　a　field　force…nineteen　men　all　told。　Nineteen　white　men　would　be　exceedingly　unlikely　to　get　within　a　liberal　half　mile　of　anything；　but　the　native　has　sneaky　ways。

At　first　we　followed　between　the　river　and　the　low　hills；　but　when　the　latter　drew　back　to　leave　open　a　broad　flat；　we　followed　their　line。　At　this　point　they　rose　to　a　clifflike　headland　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　high；　flat　on　top。　We　decided　to　investigate　that　mesa；　both　for　the　possibilities　of　game；　and　for　the　chance　of　a　view　abroad。

The　footing　was　exceedingly　noisy　and　treacherous；　for　it　was　composed　of　flat；　tinkling　little　stones。　Dried…up；　skimpy　bushes　just　higher　than　our　heads　made　a　thin　but　regular　cover。　There　seemed　not　to　be　a　spear　of　anything　edible；　yet　we　caught　the　flash　of　red　as　a　herd　of　impalla　melted　away　at　our　rather　noisy　approach。　Near　the　foot　of　the　hill　we　dismounted；　with　orders　to　all　the　men　but　the　gunbearers　to　sit　down　and　make　themselves　comfortable。　Should　we　need　them　we　could　easily　either　signal　or　send　word。　Then　we　set　ourselves　toilsomely　to　clamber　up　that　volcanic　hill。

It　was　not　particularly　easy　going；　especially　as　we　were　trying　to　walk　quietly。　You　see；　we　were　about　to　surmount　a　skyline。　Surmounting　a　skyline　is　always　most　exciting　anywhere；　for　what　lies　beyond　is　at　once　revealed　as　a　whole　and　contains　the　very　essence　of　the　unknown；　but　most　decidedly　is　this　true　in　Africa。　That　mesa　looked　flat；　and　almost　anything　might　be　grazing　or　browsing　there。　So　we　proceeded　gingerly；　with　due　regard　to　the　rolling　of　the　loose　rocks　or　the　tinkling　of　the　little　pebbles。

But　long　before　we　had　reached　that　alluring　skyline　we　were　halted　by　the　gentle　snapping　of　Mavrouki's　fingers。　That；　strangely　enough；　is　a　sound　to　which　wild　animals　seem　to　pay　no　attention；　and　is　therefore　most　useful　as　a　signal。　We　looked　back。　The　three　gunbearers　were　staring　to　the　right　of　our　course。　About　a　hundred　yards　away；　on　the　steep　side　hill；　and　partly　concealed　by　the　brush；　stood　two　rhinoceroses。

They　were　side　by　side；　apparently　dozing。　We　squatted　on　our　heels　for　a　consultation。

The　obvious　thing；　as　the　wind　was　from　them；　was　to　sneak　quietly　by；　saying　nuffin'　to　nobody。　But　although　we　wanted　no　more　rhino；　we　very　much　wanted　rhino　pictures。　A　discussion　developed　no　really　good　reason　why　we　should　not　kodak　these　especial　rhinos…except　that　there　were　two　of　them。　So　we　began　to　worm　our　way　quietly　through　the　bushes　in　their　direction。

F。　and　B。　deployed　on　the　flanks；　their　double…barrelled　rifles　ready　for　instant　action。　I　occupied　the　middle　with　that　dangerous　weapon　the　3A　kodak。　Memba　Sasa　followed　at　my　elbow；　holding　my　big　gun。

Now　the　trouble　with　modern　photography　is　that　it　is　altogether　too　lavish　in　its　depiction　of　distances。　If　you　do　not　believe　it；　take　a　picture　of　a　horse　at　as　short　a　range　as　twenty…five　yards。　That　equine　will；　in　the　development；　have　receded　to　a　respectable　middle　distance。　Therefore　it　had　been　agreed　that　the　advance　of　the　battle　line　was　to　cease　only　when　those　rhinoceroses　loomed　up　reasonably　large　in　the　finder。　I　kept　looking　into　the　finder；　you　may　be　sure。　Nearer　and　nearer　we　crept。　The　great　beasts　were　evidently　basking　in　the　sun。　Their　little　pig　eyes　alone　gave　any　sign　of　life。　Otherwise　they　exhibited　the　complete　immobility　of　something　done　in　granite。　Probably　no　other　beast　impresses　one　with　quite　this　quality。　I　suppose　it　is　because　even　the　little　motions　peculiar　to　other　animals　are　with　the　rhinoceros　entirely　lacking。　He　is　not　in　the　least　of　a　nervous　disposition；　so　he　does　not　stamp　his　feet　nor　change　his　position。　It　is　useless　for　him　to　wag　his　tail；　for；　in　the　first　place；　the　tail　is　absurdly　inadequate；　and；　in　the　second　place；　flies　are　not　among　his　troubles。　Flies　wouldn't　bother　you　either；　if　you　had　a　skin　two　inches　thick。　So　there　they　stood；　inert　and　solid　as　two　huge　brown　rocks；　save　for　the　deep；　wicked　twinkle　of　their　little　eyes。

Yes；　we　were　close　enough　to　〃see　the　whites　of　their　eyes；〃　if　they　had　had　any：　and　also　to　be　within　the　range　of　their　limited　vision。　Of　course　we　were　now　stalking；　and　taking　advantage　of　all　the　cover。

Those　rhinoceroses　looked　to　me　like　two　Dreadnaughts。　The　African　two…horned　rhinoceros　is　a　bigger　animal　anyway　than　our　circus　friend；　who　generally　comes　from　India。　One　of　these　brutes　I　measured　went　five　feet　nine　inches　at　the　shoulder；　and　was　thirteen　feet　six　inches　from　bow　to　stern。　Compare　these　dimensions　with　your　own　height　and　with　the　length　of　your　motor　car。　It　is　one　thing　to　take　on　such　beasts　in　the　hurry　of　surprise；　the　excitement　of　a　charge；　or　to　stalk　up　to　within　a　respectable　range　of　them　with　a　gun　at　ready。　But　this　deliberate　sneaking　up　with　the　hope　of　being　able　to　sneak　away　again　was　a　little　too　slow　and　cold…blooded。　It　made　me　nervous。　I　liked　it；　but　I　knew　at　the　time　I　was　going　to　like　it　a　whole　lot　better　when　it　was　triumphantly　over。

We　were　now　within　twenty　yards　（they　were　standing　starboard　side　on）；　and　I　prepared　to　get　my　picture。　To　do　so　I　would　either　have　to　step　quietly　out　into　sight；　trusting　to　the　shadow　and　the　slowness　of　my　movements　to　escape　observation；　or　hold　the　camera　above　the　bush；　directing　it　by　guess　work。　It　was　a　little　difficult　to　decide。　I　knew　what　I　OUGHT　to　do…

Without　the　slightest　premonitory　warning　those　two　brutes　snorted　and　whirled　in　their　tracks　to　stand　facing　in　our　direction。　After　the　dead　stillness　they　made　a　tremendous　row；　what　with　the　jerky　suddenness　of　their　movements；　their　loud　snorts；　and　the　avalanche　of　echoing　stones　and　boulders　they　started　down　the　hill。

This　was　the　magnificent　opportunity。　At　this　point　I　should　boldly　have　stepped　out　from　behind　my　bush；　levelled　my　trusty　3A；　and　coolly　snapped　the　beasts；　〃charging　at　fifteen　yards。〃　Then；　if　B。's　and　F。's　shots　went　absolutely　true；　or　if　the　brutes　didn't　happen　to　smash　the　camera　as　well　as　me；　I；　or　my　executors　as　the　case　might　be；　would　have　had　a　fine　picture。

But　I　didn't。　I　dropped　that　expensive　3A　Special　on　some　hard　rocks；　and　grabbed　my　rifle　from　Memba　Sasa。　If　you　want　really　to　know　why；　go　confront　your　motor　car　at　fifteen　or　twenty　paces；　multiply　him　by　two；　and　endow　him　with　an　eagerly　malicious　disposition。

They　advanced　several　yards；　halted；　faced　us　for　perhaps　five　or　six　seconds；　uttered　snort；　whirled　with　the　agility　of　polo　ponies；　departed　at　a　swinging　trot　and　with　surprising　agility　along　the　steep　side　hill。

I　recovered　the　camera；　undamaged；　and　we　continued　our　climb。

The　top　of　the　mesa　was　disappointing　as　far　as　game　was　concerned。　It　was　covered　all　over　with　red　stones；　round；　and　as　large　as　a　man's　head。　Thornbushes　found　some　sort　of　sustenance　in　the　interstices。

But　we　had　gained　to　a　magnificent　view。　Below　us　lay　the　narrow　flat；　then　the　winding　jungle　of　our　river；　then　long　rolling　desert　country；　gray　with　thorn　scrub；　sweeping　upward　to　the　base　of　castellated　buttes　and　one　tremendous　riven　cliff　mountain；　dropping　over　the　horizon　to　a　very　distant　blue　range。　Behind　us　eight　or　ten　miles　away　was　the　low　ridge　through　which　our　journey　had　come。　The　mesa　on　which　we　stood　broke　back　at　right　angles　to　admit　another　stream　flowing　into　our　own。　Beyond　this　stream　were　rolling　hills；　and　scrub　country；　the　hint　of　blue　peaks　and　illimitable　distances　falling　away　to　the　unknown　Tara　Desert　and　the　sea。

There　seemed　to　be　nothing　much　to　be　gained　here；　so　we　made　up　our　minds　to　cut　across　the　mesa；　and　from　the　other　edge　of　it　to　overlook　the　valley　of　the　tributary　river。　This　we　would　descend　until　we　came　to　our　horses。

Accordingly　we　stumbled　across　a　mile　or　so　of　those　round　and　rolling　stones。　Then　we　found　ourselves　overlooking　a　wide　flat　or　pocket　where　the　stream　valley　widened。　It　extended　even　as　far　as　the　upward　fling　of　the　barrier　ranges。　Thick　scrub　covered　it；　but　erratically；　so　that　here　and　there　were　little　openings　or　thin　places。　We　sat　down；　manned　our　trusty　prism　glasses；　and　gave　ourselves　to　the　pleasing　occupation　of　looking　the　country　over　inch　by　inch。

This　is　great　fun。　It　is　a　game　a　good　deal　like　puzzle　pictures。　Re…examination　generally　develops　new　and　unexpected　beasts。　We　repeated　to　each　other　aloud　the　results　of　our　scrutiny；　always　without　removing　the　glasses　from　our　eyes。

〃Oryx；　one；〃　said　F。；　〃oryx；　two。〃

〃Giraffe；〃　reported　B。；　〃and　a　herd　of　impalla。〃

I　saw　another　giraffe；　and　another　oryx；　then　two　rhinoceroses。

The　three　bearers　squatted　on　their　heels　behind　us；　their　fierce　eyes　staring　straight　ahead；　seeing　with　the　naked　eye　what　we　were　finding　with　six…power　glasses。

We　turned　to　descend　the　hill。　In　the　very　centre　of　the　deep　shade　of　a　clump　of　trees；　I　saw　the　gleam　of　a　waterbuck's　horns。　While　I　was　telling　of　this；　the　beast　stepped　from　his　concealment；　trotted　a　short　distance　upstream　and　turned　to　climb　a　little　ridge　parallel　to　that　by　which　we　were　descending。　About　halfway　up　he　stopped；　staring　in　our　direction；　his　head　erect；　the　slight　ruff　under　his　neck　standing　forward。　He　was　a　good　four　hundred　yards　away。　B。；　who　wanted　him；　decided　the　shot　too　chancy。　He　and　F。　slipped　backward　until　they　had　gained　the　cover　of　the　little　ridge；　then　hastened　down　the　bed　of　the　ravine。　Their　purpose　was　to　follow　the　course　already　taken　by　the　waterbuck　until　they　should　have　sneaked　within　better　range。　In　the　meantime　I　and　the　gunbearers　sat　down　in　full　view　of　the　buck。　This　was　to　keep　his　attention　distracted。

We　sat　there　a　long　time。　The　buck　never　moved　but　continued　to　stare　at　what　evidently　puzzled　him。　Time　passes　very　slowly　in　such　circumstances；　and　it　seemed　incredible　that　the　beast　should　continue　much　longer　to　hold　his　fixed　attitude。　Nevertheless　B。　and　F。　were　working　hard。　We　caught　glimpses　of　them　occasionally　slipping　from　bush　to　bush。　Finally　B。　knelt　and　levelled　his　rifle。　At　once　I　turned　my　glasses　on　the　buck。　Before　the　sound　of　the　rifle　had　reached　me；　I　saw　him　start　convulsively；　then　make　off　at　the　tearing　ru