the land of footprints-第2章

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We　ate　by　lantern　and　at　the　first　light　were　ready　to　start。　But　at　that　moment；　across　the　slope　of　the　rim　a　few　hundred　yards　away；　appeared　a　small　group　of　sing…sing。　These　are　a　beautiful　big　beast；　with　widespread　horns；　proud　and　wonderful；　like　Landseer's　stags；　and　I　wanted　one　of　them　very　much。　So　I　took　the　Springfield；　and　dropped　behind　the　line　of　some　bushes。　The　stalk　was　of　the　ordinary　sort。　One　has　to　remain　behind　cover；　to　keep　down　wind；　to　make　no　quick　movements。　Sometimes　this　takes　considerable　manoeuvring；　especially；　as　now；　in　the　case　of　a　small　band　fairly　well　scattered　out　for　feeding。　Often　after　one　has　succeeded　in　placing　them　all　safely　behind　the　scattered　cover；　a　straggler　will　step　out　into　view。　Then　the　hunter　must　stop　short；　must　slowly；　oh　very；　very　slowly；　sink　down　out　of　sight；　so　slowly；　in　fact；　that　he　must　not　seem　to　move；　but　rather　to　melt　imperceptibly　away。　Then　he　must　take　up　his　progress　at　a　lower　plane　of　elevation。　Perhaps　he　needs　merely　to　stoop；　or　he　may　crawl　on　hands　and　knees；　or　he　may　lie　flat　and　hitch　himself　forward　by　his　toes；　pushing　his　gun　ahead。　If　one　of　the　beasts　suddenly　looks　very　intently　in　his　direction；　he　must　freeze　into　no　matter　what　uncomfortable　position；　and　so　remain　an　indefinite　time。　Even　a　hotel…bred　child　to　whom　you　have　rashly　made　advances　stares　no　longer　nor　more　intently　than　a　buck　that　cannot　make　you　out。

I　had　no　great　difficulty　with　this　lot；　but　slipped　up　quite　successfully　to　within　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards。　There　I　raised　my　head　behind　a　little　bush　to　look。　Three　does　grazed　nearest　me；　their　coats　rough　against　the　chill　of　early　morning。　Up　the　slope　were　two　more　does　and　two　funny；　fuzzy　babies。　An　immature　buck　occupied　the　extreme　left　with　three　young　ladies。　But　the　big　buck；　the　leader；　the　boss　of　the　lot；　I　could　not　see　anywhere。　Of　course　he　must　be　about；　and　I　craned　my　neck　cautiously　here　and　there　trying　to　make　him　out。

Suddenly；　with　one　accord；　all　turned　and　began　to　trot　rapidly　away　to　the　right；　their　heads　high。　In　the　strange　manner　of　animals；　they　had　received　telepathic　alarm；　and　had　instantly　obeyed。　Then　beyond　and　far　to　the　right　I　at　last　saw　the　beast　I　had　been　looking　for。　The　old　villain　had　been　watching　me　all　the　time！

The　little　herd　in　single　file　made　their　way　rapidly　along　the　face　of　the　rise。　They　were　headed　in　the　direction　of　the　stream。　Now；　I　happened　to　know　that　at　this　point　the　stream…canyon　was　bordered　by　sheer　cliffs。　Therefore；　the　sing…sing　must　round　the　hill；　and　not　cross　the　stream。　By　running　to　the　top　of　the　hill　I　might　catch　a　glimpse　of　them　somewhere　below。　So　I　started　on　a　jog　trot；　trying　to　hit　the　golden　mean　of　speed　that　would　still　leave　me　breath　to　shoot。　This　was　an　affair　of　some　nicety　in　the　tall　grass。　Just　before　I　reached　the　actual　slope；　however；　I　revised　my　schedule。　The　reason　was　supplied　by　a　rhino　that　came　grunting　to　his　feet　about　seventy　yards　away。　He　had　not　seen　me；　and　he　had　not　smelled　me；　but　the　general　disturbance　of　all　these　events　had　broken　into　his　early　morning　nap。　He　looked　to　me　like　a　person　who　is　cross　before　breakfast；　so　I　ducked　low　and　ran　around　him。　The　last　I　saw　of　him　he　was　still　standing　there；　quite　disgruntled；　and　evidently　intending　to　write　to　the　directors　about　it。

Arriving　at　the　top；　I　looked　eagerly　down。　The　cliff　fell　away　at　an　impossible　angle；　but　sheer　below　ran　out　a　narrow　bench　fifty　yards　wide。　Around　the　point　of　the　hill　to　my　right…where　the　herd　had　gone…a　game　trail　dropped　steeply　to　this　bench。　I　arrived　just　in　time　to　see　the　sing…sing；　still　trotting；　file　across　the　bench　and　over　its　edge；　on　some　other　invisible　game　trail；　to　continue　their　descent　of　the　cliff。　The　big　buck　brought　up　the　rear。　At　the　very　edge　he　came　to　a　halt；　and　looked　back；　throwing　his　head　up　and　his　nose　out　so　that　the　heavy　fur　on　his　neck　stood　forward　like　a　ruff。　It　was　a　last　glimpse　of　him；　so　I　held　my　little　best；　and　pulled　trigger。

This　happened　to　be　one　of　those　shots　I　spoke　of…which　the　perpetrator　accepts　with　a　thankful　and　humble　spirit。　The　sing…sing　leaped　high　in　the　air　and　plunged　over　the　edge　of　the　bench。　I　signalled　the　camp…in　plain　sight…to　come　and　get　the　head　and　meat；　and　sat　down　to　wait。　And　while　waiting；　I　looked　out　on　a　scene　that　has　since　been　to　me　one　of　my　four　symbolizations　of　Africa。

The　morning　was　dull；　with　gray　clouds　through　which　at　wide　intervals　streamed　broad　bands　of　misty　light。　Below　me　the　cliff　fell　away　clear　to　a　gorge　in　the　depths　of　which　flowed　a　river。　Then　the　land　began　to　rise；　broken；　sharp；　tumbled；　terrible；　tier　after　tier；　gorge　after　gorge；　one　twisted　range　after　the　other；　across　a　breathlessly　immeasurable　distance。　The　prospect　was　full　of　shadows　thrown　by　the　tumult　of　lava。　In　those　shadows　one　imagined　stranger　abysses。　Far　down　to　the　right　a　long　narrow　lake　inaugurated　a　flatter；　alkali…whitened　country　of　low　cliffs　in　long　straight　lines。　Across　the　distances　proper　to　a　dozen　horizons　the　tumbled　chaos　heaved　and　fell。　The　eye　sought　rest　at　the　bounds　usual　to　its　accustomed　world…and　went　on。　There　was　no　roundness　to　the　earth；　no　grateful　curve　to　drop　this　great　fierce　country　beyond　a　healing　horizon　out　of　sight。　The　immensity　of　primal　space　was　in　it；　and　the　simplicity　of　primal　things…rough；　unfinished；　full　of　mystery。　There　was　no　colour。　The　scene　was　done　in　slate　gray；　darkening　to　the　opaque　where　a　tiny　distant　rain　squall　started；　lightening　in　the　nearer　shadows　to　reveal　half…guessed　peaks；　brightening　unexpectedly　into　broad　short　bands　of　misty　gray　light　slanting　from　the　gray　heavens　above　to　the　sombre　tortured　immensity　beneath。　It　was　such　a　thing　as　Gustave　Dore　might　have　imaged　to　serve　as　an　abiding　place　for　the　fierce　chaotic　spirit　of　the　African　wilderness。

I　sat　there　for　some　time　hugging　my　knees；　waiting　for　the　men　to　come。　The　tremendous　landscape　seemed　to　have　been　willed　to　immobility。　The　rain　squalls　forty　miles　or　more　away　did　not　appear　to　shift　their　shadows；　the　rare　slanting　bands　of　light　from　the　clouds　were　as　constant　as　though　they　were　falling　through　cathedral　windows。　But　nearer　at　hand　other　things　were　forward。　The　birds；　thousands　of　them；　were　doing　their　best　to　cheer　things　up。　The　roucoulements　of　doves　rose　from　the　bushes　down　the　face　of　the　cliffs；　the　bell　bird　uttered　his　clear　ringing　note；　the　chime　bird　gave　his　celebrated　imitation　of　a　really　gentlemanly　sixty…horse　power　touring　car　hinting　you　out　of　the　way　with　the　mellowness　of　a　chimed　horn；　the　bottle　bird　poured　gallons　of　guggling　essence　of　happiness　from　his　silver　jug。　From　the　direction　of　camp；　evidently　jumped　by　the　boys；　a　steinbuck　loped　gracefully；　pausing　every　few　minutes　to　look　back；　his　dainty　legs　tense；　his　sensitive　ears　pointed　toward　the　direction　of　disturbance。

And　now；　along　the　face　of　the　cliff；　I　make　out　the　flashing　of　much　movement；　half　glimpsed　through　the　bushes。　Soon　a　fine　old…man　baboon；　his　tail　arched　after　the　dandified　fashion　of　the　baboon　aristocracy　stepped　out；　looked　around；　and　bounded　forward。　Other　old　men　followed　him；　and　then　the　young　men；　and　a　miscellaneous　lot　of　half…grown　youngsters。　The　ladies　brought　up　the　rear；　with　the　babies。　These　rode　their　mothers'　backs；　clinging　desperately　while　they　leaped　along；　for　all　the　world　like　the　pathetic　monkey　〃jockeys〃　one　sees　strapped　to　the　backs　of　big　dogs　in　circuses。　When　they　had　approached　to　within　fifty　yards；　remarked　〃hullo！〃　to　them。　Instantly　they　all　stopped。　Those　in　front　stood　up　on　their　hind　legs；　those　behind　clambered　to　points　of　vantage　on　rocks　and　the　tops　of　small　bushes：　They　all　took　a　good　long　look　at　me。　Then　they　told　me　what　they　thought　about　me　personally；　the　fact　of　my　being　there；　and　the　rude　way　I　had　startled　them。　Their　remarks　were　neither　complimentary　nor　refined。　The　old　men；　in　especial；　got　quite　profane；　and　screamed　excited　billingsgate。　Finally　they　all　stopped　at　once；　dropped　on　all　fours；　and　loped　away；　their　ridiculous　long　tails　curved　in　a　half　arc。　Then　for　the　first　time　I　noticed　that；　under　cover　of　the　insults；　the　women　and　children　had　silently　retired。　Once　more　I　was　left　to　the　familiar　gentle　bird　calls；　and　the　vast　silence　of　the　wilderness　beyond。

The　second　picture；　also；　was　a　view　from　a　height；　but　of　a　totally　different　character。　It　was　also；　perhaps；　more　typical　of　a　greater　part　of　East　Equatorial　Africa。　Four　of　us　were　hunting　lions　with　natives…both　wild　and　tame…and　a　scratch　pack　of　dogs。　More　of　that　later。　We　had　rummaged　around　all　the　morning　without　any　results；　and　now　at　noon　had　climbed　to　the　top　of　a　butte　to　eat　lunch　and　look　abroad。

Our　butte　ran　up　a　gentle　but　accelerating　slope　to　a　peak　of　big　rounded　rocks　and　slabs　sticking　out　boldly　from　the　soil　of　the　hill。　We　made　ourselves　comfortable　each　after　his　fashion。　The　gunbearers　leaned　against　rocks　and　rolled　cigarettes。　The　savages　squatted　on　their　heels；　planting　their　spears　ceremonially　in　front　of　them。　One　of　my　friends　lay　on　his　back；　resting　a　huge　telescope　over　his　crossed　feet。　With　this　he　purposed　seeing　any　lion　that　moved　within　ten　miles。　None　of　the　rest　of　us　could　ever　make　out　anything　through　the　fearsome　weapon。　Therefore；　relieved　from　responsibility　by　the　presence　of　this　Dreadnaught　of　a　'scope；　we　loafed　and　looked　about　us。　This　is　what　we　saw：

Mountains　at　our　backs；　of　course…at　some　distance；　then　plains　in　long　low　swells　like　the　easy　rise　and　fall　of　a　tropical　sea；　wave　after　wave；　and　over　the　edge　of　the　world　beyond　a　distant　horizon。　Here　and　there　on　this　plain；　single　hills　lay　becalmed；　like　ships　at　sea；　some　peaked；　some　cliffed　like　buttes；　some　long　and　low　like　the　hulls　of　battleships。　The　brown　plain　flowed　up　to　wash　their　bases；　liquid　as　the　sea　itself；　its　tides　rising　in　the　coves　of　the　hills；　and　ebbing　in　the　valleys　between。　Near　at　hand；　in　the　middle　distance；　far　away；　these　fleets　of　the　plain　sailed；　until　at　last　hull…down　over　the　horizon　their　topmasts　disappeared。　Above　them　sailed　too　the　phantom　fleet　of　the　clouds；　shot　with　light；　shining　like　silver；　airy　as　racing　yachts；　yet　casting　here　and　there　exaggerated　shadows　below。

The　sky　in　Africa　is　always　very　wide；　greater　than　any　other　skies。　Between　horizon　and　horizon　is　more　space　than　any　other　world　contains。　It　is　as　though　the　cup　of　heaven　had　been　pressed　a　little　flatter；　so　that　while　the　boundaries　have　widened；　the　zenith；　with　its　flaming　sun；　has　come　nearer。　And　yet　that　is　not　a　constant　quantity　either。　I　have　seen　one　edge　of　the　sky　raised　straight　up　a　few　million　miles；　as　though　some　one　had　stuck　poles　under　its　corners；　so　that　the　western　heaven　did　not　curve　cup…wise　over　to　the　horizon　at　all　as　it　did　everywhere　else；　but　rather　formed　the　proscenium　of　a　gigantic　stage。　On　this　stage　they　had　piled　great　heaps　of　saffron　yellow　clouds；　and　struck　shafts　of　yellow　light；　and　filled　the　spaces　with　the　lurid　portent　of　a　storm…while　the　twenty　thousand　foot　mountains　below；　crouched　whipped　and　insignificant