the land of footprints-第13章

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the　sound　of　the　rifle　had　reached　me；　I　saw　him　start　convulsively；　then　make　off　at　the　tearing　run　that　indicates　a　heart　hit。　A　moment　later　the　crack　of　the　rifle　and　the　dull　plunk　of　the　hitting　bullet　struck　my　ear。

We　tracked　him　fifty　yards　to　where　he　lay　dead。　He　was　a　fine　trophy；　and　we　at　once　set　the　boys　to　preparing　it　and　taking　the　meat。　In　the　meantime　we　sauntered　down　to　look　at　the　stream。　It　was　a　small　rapid　affair；　but　in　heavy　papyrus；　with　sparse　trees；　and　occasional　thickets；　and　dry　hard　banks。　The　papyrus　should　make　a　good　lurking　place　for　almost　anything；　but　the　few　points　of　access　to　the　water　failed　to　show　many　interesting　tracks。　Nevertheless　we　decided　to　explore　a　short　distance。

For　an　hour　we　walked　among　high　thornbushes；　over　baking　hot　earth。　We　saw　two　or　three　dik…dik　and　one　of　the　giraffes。　At　that　time　it　had　become　very　hot；　and　the　sun　was　bearing　down　on　us　as　with　the　weight　of　a　heavy　hand。　The　air　had　the　scorching；　blasting　quality　of　an　opened　furnace　door。　Our　mouths　were　getting　dry　and　sticky　in　that　peculiar　stage　of　thirst　on　which　no　luke…warm　canteen　water　in　necessarily　limited　quantity　has　any　effect。　So　we　turned　back；　picked　up　the　men　with　the　waterbuck；　and　plodded　on　down　the　little　stream；　or；　rather；　on　the　red…hot　dry　valley　bottom　outside　the　stream's　course；　to　where　the　syces　were　waiting　with　our　horses。　We　mounted　with　great　thankfulness。　It　was　now　eleven　o'clock；　and　we　considered　our　day　as　finished。

The　best　way　for　a　distance　seemed　to　follow　the　course　of　the　tributary　stream　to　its　point　of　junction　with　our　river。　We　rode　along；　rather　relaxed　in　the　suffocating　heat。　F。　was　nearest　the　stream。　At　one　point　it　freed　itself　of　trees　and　brush　and　ran　clear；　save　for　low　papyrus；　ten　feet　down　below　a　steep　eroded　bank。　F。　looked　over　and　uttered　a　startled　exclamation。　I　spurred　my　horse　forward　to　see。

Below　us；　about　fifteen　yards　away；　was　the　carcass　of　a　waterbuck　half　hidden　in　the　foot…high　grass。　A　lion　and　two　lionesses　stood　upon　it；　staring　up　at　us　with　great　yellow　eyes。　That　picture　is　a　very　vivid　one　in　my　memory；　for　those　were　the　first　wild　lions　I　had　ever　seen。　My　most　lively　impression　was　of　their　unexpected　size。　They　seemed　to　bulk　fully　a　third　larger　than　my　expectation。

The　magnificent　beasts　stood　only　long　enough　to　see　clearly　what　had　disturbed　them；　then　turned；　and　in　two　bounds　had　gained　the　shelter　of　the　thicket。

Now　the　habit　in　Africa　is　to　let　your　gunbearers　carry　all　your　guns。　You　yourself　stride　along　hand　free。　It　is　an　English　idea；　and　is　pretty　generally　adopted　out　there　by　every　one；　of　whatever　nationality。　They　will　explain　it　to　you　by　saying　that　in　such　a　climate　a　man　should　do　only　necessary　physical　work；　and　that　a　good　gunbearer　will　get　a　weapon　into　your　hand　so　quickly　and　in　so　convenient　a　position　that　you　will　lose　no　time。　I　acknowledge　the　gunbearers　are　sometimes　very　skilful　at　this；　but　I　do　deny　that　there　is　no　loss　of　time。　The　instant　of　distracted　attention　while　receiving　a　weapon；　the　necessity　of　recollecting　the　nervous　correlations　after　the　transfer；　very　often　mark　just　the　difference　between　a　sure　instinctive　snapshot　and　a　lost　opportunity。　It　reasons　that　the　man　with　the　rifle　in　his　hand　reacts　instinctively；　in　one　motion；　to　get　his　weapon　into　play。　If　the　gunbearer　has　the　gun；　HE　must　first　react　to　pass　it　up；　the　master　must　receive　it　properly；　and　THEN；　and　not　until　then；　may　go　on　from　where　the　other　man　began。　As　for　physical　labour　in　the　tropics：　if　a　grown　man　cannot　without　discomfort　or　evil　effects　carry　an　eight…pound　rifle；　he　is　too　feeble　to　go　out　at　all。　In　a　long　Western　experience　I　have　learned　never　to　be　separated　from　my　weapon；　and　I　believe　the　continuance　of　this　habit　in　Africa　saved　me　a　good　number　of　chances。

At　any　rate；　we　all　flung　ourselves　off　our　horses。　I；　having　my　rifle　in　my　hand；　managed　to　throw　a　shot　after　the　biggest　lion　as　he　vanished。　It　was　a　snap　at　nothing；　and　missed。　Then　in　an　opening　on　the　edge　a　hundred　yards　away　appeared　one　of　the　lionesses。　She　was　trotting　slowly；　and　on　her　I　had　time　to　draw　a　hasty　aim。　At　the　shot　she　bounded　high　in　the　air；　fell；　rolled　over；　and　was　up　and　into　the　thicket　before　I　had　much　more　than　time　to　pump　up　another　shell　from　the　magazine。　Memba　Sasa　in　his　eagerness　got　in　the　way…the　first　and　last　time　he　ever　made　a　mistake　in　the　field。

By　this　time　the　others　had　got　hold　of　their　weapons。　We　fronted　the　blank　face　of　the　thicket。

The　wounded　animal　would　stand　a　little　waiting。　We　made　a　wide　circle　to　the　other　side　of　the　stream。　There　we　quickly　picked　up　the　trail　of　the　two　uninjured　beasts。　They　had　headed　directly　over　the　hill；　where　we　speedily　lost　all　trace　of　them　on　the　flint…like　surface　of　the　ground。　We　saw　a　big　pack　of　baboons　in　the　only　likely　direction　for　a　lion　to　go。　Being　thus　thrown　back　on　a　choice　of　a　hundred　other　unlikely　directions；　we　gave　up　that　slim　chance　and　returned　to　the　thicket。

This　proved　to　be　a　very　dense　piece　of　cover。　Above　the　height　of　the　waist　the　interlocking　branches　would　absolutely　prevent　any　progress；　but　by　stooping　low　we　could　see　dimly　among　the　simpler　main　stems　to　a　distance　of　perhaps　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　This　combination　at　once　afforded　the　wounded　lioness　plenty　of　cover　in　which　to　hide；　plenty　of　room　in　which　to　charge　home；　and　placed　us　under　the　disadvantage　of　a　crouched　or　crawling　attitude　with　limited　vision。　We　talked　the　matter　over　very　thoroughly。　There　was　only　one　way　to　get　that　lioness　out；　and　that　was　to　go　after　her。　The　job　of　going　after　her　needed　some　planning。　The　lion　is　cunning　and　exceeding　fierce。　A　flank　attack；　once　we　were　in　the　thicket；　was　as　much　to　be　expected　as　a　frontal　charge。

We　advanced　to　the　thicket's　edge　with　many　precautions。　To　our　relief　we　found　she　had　left　us　a　definite　trail。　B。　and　I　kneeling　took　up　positions　on　either　side；　our　rifles　ready。　F。　and　Simba　crawled　by　inches　eight　or　ten　feet　inside　the　thicket。　Then；　having　executed　this　manoeuvre　safely；　B。　moved　up　to　protect　our　rear　while　I；　with　Memba　Sasa；　slid　down　to　join　F。

》From　this　point　we　moved　forward　alternately。　I　would　crouch；　all　alert；　my　rifle　ready；　while　F。　slipped　by　me　and　a　few　feet　ahead。　Then　he　get　organized　for　battle　while　I　passed　him。　Memba　Sasa　and　Simba；　game　as　badgers；　their　fine　eyes　gleaming　with　excitement；　their　faces　shining；　crept　along　at　the　rear。　B。　knelt　outside　the　thicket；　straining　his　eyes　for　the　slightest　movement　either　side　of　the　line　of　our　advance。　Often　these　wily　animals　will　sneak　back　in　a　half　circle　to　attack　their　pursuers　from　behind。　Two　or　three　of　the　bolder　porters　crouched　alongside　B。；　peering　eagerly。　The　rest　had　quite　properly　retired　to　the　safe　distance　where　the　horses　stood。

We　progressed　very；　very　slowly。　Every　splash　of　light　or　mottled　shadow；　every　clump　of　bush　stems；　every　fallen　log　had　to　be　examined；　and　then　examined　again。　And　how　we　did　strain　our　eyes　in　a　vain　attempt　to　penetrate　the　half　lights；　the　duskinesses　of　the　closed…in　thicket　not　over　fifteen　feet　away！　And　then　the　movement　forward　of　two　feet　would　bring　into　our　field　of　vision　an　entirely　new　set　of　tiny　vistas　and　possible　lurking　places。

Speaking　for　myself；　I　was　keyed　up　to　a　tremendous　tension。　I　stared　until　my　eyes　ached；　every　muscle　and　nerve　was　taut。　Everything　depended　on　seeing　the　beast　promptly；　and　firing　quickly。　With　the　manifest　advantage　of　being　able　to　see　us；　she　would　spring　to　battle　fully　prepared。　A　yellow　flash　and　a　quick　shot　seemed　about　to　size　up　that　situation。　Every　few　moments；　I　remember；　I　surreptitiously　held　out　my　hand　to　see　if　the　constantly　growing　excitement　and　the　long…continued　strain　had　affected　its　steadiness。

The　combination　of　heat　and　nervous　strain　was　very　exhausting。　The　sweat　poured　from　me；　and　as　F。　passed　me　I　saw　the　great　drops　standing　out　on　his　face。　My　tongue　got　dry；　my　breath　came　laboriously。　Finally　I　began　to　wonder　whether　physically　I　should　be　able　to　hold　out。　We　had　been　crawling；　it　seemed；　for　hours。　I　dared　not　look　back；　but　we　must　have　come　a　good　quarter　mile。　Finally　F。　stopped。

〃I'm　all　in　for　water；〃　he　gasped　in　a　whisper。

Somehow　that　confession　made　me　feel　a　lot　better。　I　had　thought　that　I　was　the　only　one。　Cautiously　we　settled　back　on　our　heels。　Memba　Sasa　and　Simba　wiped　the　sweat　from　their　faces。　It　seemed　that　they　too　had　found　the　work　severe。　That　cheered　me　up　still　more。

Simba　grinned　at　us；　and；　worming　his　way　backward　with　the　sinuousity　of　a　snake；　he　disappeared　in　the　direction　from　which　we　had　come。　F。　cursed　after　him　in　a　whisper　both　for　departing　and　for　taking　the　risk。　But　in　a　moment　he　had　returned　carrying　two　canteens　of　blessed　water。　We　took　a　drink　most　gratefully。

I　glanced　at　my　watch。　It　was　just　under　two　hours　since　I　had　fired　my　shot。　I　looked　back。　My　supposed　quarter　mile　had　shrunk　to　not　over　fifty　feet！

After　resting　a　few　moments　longer；　we　again　took　up　our　systematic　advance。　We　made　perhaps　another　fifty　feet。　We　were　ascending　a　very　gentle　slope。　F。　was　for　the　moment　ahead。　Right　before　us　the　lion　growled；　a　deep　rumbling　like　the　end　of　a　great　thunder　roll；　fathoms　and　fathoms　deep；　with　the　inner　subterranean　vibrations　of　a　heavy　train　of　cars　passing　a　man　inside　a　sealed　building。　At　the　same　moment　over　F。's　shoulder　I　saw　a　huge　yellow　head　rise　up；　the　round　eyes　flashing　anger；　the　small　black…tipped　ears　laid　back；　the　great　fangs　snarling。　The　beast　was　not　over　twelve　feet　distant。　F。　immediately　fired。　His　shot；　hitting　an　intervening　twig；　went　wild。　With　the　utmost　coolness　he　immediately　pulled　the　other　trigger　of　his　double　barrel。　The　cartridge　snapped。

〃If　you　will　kindly　stoop　down…〃　said　I；　in　what　I　now　remember　to　be　rather　an　exaggeratedly　polite　tone。　As　F。's　head　disappeared；　I　placed　the　little　gold　bead　of　my　405　Winchester　where　I　thought　it　would　do　the　most　good；　and　pulled　trigger。　She　rolled　over　dead。

The　whole　affair　had　begun　and　finished　with　unbelievable　swiftness。　From　the　growl　to　the　fatal　shot　I　don't　suppose　four　seconds　elapsed；　for　our　various　actions　had　followed　one　another　with　the　speed　of　the　instinctive。　The　lioness　had　growled　at　our　approach；　had　raised　her　head　to　charge；　and　had　received　her　deathblow　before　she　had　released　her　muscles　in　the　spring。　There　had　been　no　time　to　get　frightened。

We　sat　back　for　a　second。　A　brown　hand　reached　over　my　shoulder。

〃Mizouri…mizouri　sana！〃　cried　Memba　Sasa　joyously。　I　shook　the　hand。

〃Good　business！〃　said　F。　〃Congratulate　you　on　your　first　lion。〃

We　then　remembered　B。；　and　shouted　to　him　that　all　was　over。　He　and　the　other　men　wriggled　in　to　where　we　were　lying。　He　made　this　distance　in　about　fifteen　seconds。　It　had　taken　us　nearly　an　hour。

We　had　the　lioness　dragged　out　into　the　open。　She　was　not　an　especially　large　beast；　as　compared　to　most　of　the　others　I　killed　later；　but　at　that　time　she　looked　to　me　about　as　big　as　they　made　them。　As　a　matter　of　fact　she　was　quite　big　enough；　for　she　stood　three　feet　t