the land of footprints-第31章

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hen　we　retrieved　him　we　found　that　the　first　shot　had　not　hit　him　at　all！

At　the　time　I　thought　he　must　have　been　frightened　into　falling；　but　many　subsequent　experiences　showed　me　that　this　sheer　let…go…all…holds　drop　is　characteristic　of　the　colobus　and　his　mode　of　progression。　He　rarely；　as　far　as　my　observation　goes；　leaps　out　and　across　as　do　the　ordinary　monkeys；　but　prefers　to　progress　by　a　series　of　slanting　ascents　followed　by　breath…taking　straight　drops　to　lower　levels。　When　closely　pressed　from　beneath；　he　will　go　as　high　as　he　can；　and　will　then　conceal　himself　in　the　thick　leaves。

B。　and　I　procured　our　desired　number　of　colobus　by　taking　advantage　of　this　habit…as　soon　as　we　had　learned　it。　Shooting　the　beasts　with　our　rifles　we　soon　found　to　be　not　only　very　difficult；　but　also　destructive　of　the　skins。　On　the　other　hand；　a　man　could　not；　save　by　sheer　good　fortune；　rely　on　stalking　near　enough　to　use　a　shotgun。　Therefore　we　evolved　a　method　productive　of　the　maximum　noise；　row；　barked　shins；　thorn　wounds；　tumbles；　bruises…and　colobus！　It　was　very　simple。　We　took　about　twenty　boys　into　the　jungle　with　us；　and　as　soon　as　we　caught　sight　of　a　colobus　we　chased　him　madly。　That　was　all　there　was　to　it。

And　yet　this　method；　simple　apparently　to　the　point　of　imbecility；　had　considerable　logic　back　of　it　after　all；　for　after　a　time　somebody　managed　to　get　underneath　that　colobus　when　he　was　at　the　top　of　a　tree。　Then　the　beast　would　hide。

Consider　then　a　tumbling　riotous　mob　careering　through　the　jungle　as　fast　as　the　jungle　would　let　it；　slipping；　stumbling；　falling　flat；　getting　tangled　hopelessly；　disentangling　with　profane　remarks；　falling　behind　and　catching　up　again；　everybody　yelling　and　shrieking。　Ahead　of　us　we　caught　glimpses　of　the　sleek　bounding　black　and　white　creature；　running　up　the　long　slanting　limbs；　and　dropping　like　a　plummet　into　the　lower　branches　of　the　next　tree。　We　white　men　never　could　keep　up　with　the　best　of　our　men　at　this　sort　of　work；　although　in　the　open　country　I　could　hold　them　well　enough。　We　could　see　them　dashing　through　the　thick　cover　at　a　great　rate　of　speed　far　ahead　of　us。　After　an　interval　came　a　great　shout　in　chorus。　By　this　we　knew　that　the　quarry　had　been　definitely　brought　to　a　stand。　Arriving　at　the　spot　we　craned　our　heads　backward；　and　proceeded　to　get　a　crick　in　the　neck　trying　to　make　out　invisible　colobus　in　the　very　tops　of　the　trees　above　us。　For　gaudily　marked　beasts　the　colobus　were　extraordinarily　difficult　to　see。　This　was　in　no　sense　owing　to　any　far…fetched　application　of　protective　colouration；　but　to　the　remarkable　skill　the　animals　possessed　in　concealing　themselves　behind　apparently　the　scantiest　and　most　inadequate　cover。　Fortunately　for　us　our　boys'　ability　to　see　them　was　equally　remarkable。　Indeed；　the　most　difficult　part　of　their　task　was　to　point　the　game　out　to　us。　We　squinted；　and　changed　position；　and　tried　hard　to　follow　directions　eagerly　proffered　by　a　dozen　of　the　men。　Finally　one　of　us　would；　by　the　aid　of　six　power…glasses；　make　out；　or　guess　at　a　small　tuft　of　white　or　black　hair　showing　beyond　the　concealment　of　a　bunch　of　leaves。　We　would　unlimber　the　shotgun　and　send　a　charge　of　BB　into　that　bunch。　Then　down　would　plump　the　game；　to　the　huge　and　vociferous　delight　of　all　the　boys。　Or；　as　occasionally　happened；　the　shot　was　followed　merely　by　a　shower　of　leaves　and　a　chorus　of　expostulations　indicating　that　we　had　mistaken　the　place；　and　had　fired　into　empty　air。

In　this　manner　we　gathered　the　twelve　we　required　between　us。　At　noon　we　sat　under　the　bank；　with　the　tangled　roots　of　trees　above　us；　and　the　smooth　oily　river　slipping　by。　You　may　be　sure　we　always　selected　a　spot　protected　by　very　shoal　water；　for　the　crocodiles　were　numerous。　I　always　shot　these　loathsome　creatures　whenever　I　got　a　chance；　whenever　the　sound　of　a　shot　would　not　alarm　more　valuable　game。　Generally　they　were　to　be　seen　in　midstream；　just　the　tip　of　their　snouts　above　water；　and　extraordinarily　like　anything　but　crocodiles。　Often　it　took　several　close　scrutinies　through　the　glass　to　determine　the　brutes。　This　required　rather　nice　shooting。　More　rarely　we　managed　to　see　them　on　the　banks；　or　only　half　submerged。　In　this　position；　too；　they　were　all　but　undistinguishable　as　living　creatures。　I　think　this　is　perhaps　because　of　their　complete　immobility。　The　creatures　of　the　woods；　standing　quite　still；　are　difficult　enough　to　see；　but　I　have　a　notion　that　the　eye；　unknown　to　itself；　catches　the　sum　total　of　little　flexings　of　the　muscles；　movements　of　the　skin；　winkings；　even　the　play　of　wind　and　light　in　the　hair　of　the　coat；　all　of　which；　while　impossible　of　analysis；　together　relieve　the　appearance　of　dead　inertia。　The　vitality　of　a　creature　like　the　crocodile；　however；　seems　to　have　withdrawn　into　the　inner　recesses　of　its　being。　It　lies　like　a　log　of　wood；　and　for　a　log　of　wood　it　is　mistaken。

Nevertheless　the　crocodile　has　stored　in　it　somewhere　a　fearful　vitality。　The　swiftness　of　its　movements　when　seizing　prey　is　most　astonishing；　a　swirl　of　water；　the　sweep　of　a　powerful　tail；　and　the　unfortunate　victim　has　disappeared。　For　this　reason　it　is　especially　dangerous　to　approach　the　actual　edge　of　any　of　the　great　rivers；　unless　the　water　is　so　shallow　that　the　crocodile　could　not　possibly　approach　under　cover；　as　is　its　cheerful　habit。　We　had　considerable　difficulty　in　impressing　this　elementary　truth　on　our　hill…bred　totos　until　one　day；　hearing　wild　shrieks　from　the　direction　of　the　river；　I　rushed　down　to　find　the　lot　huddled　together　in　the　very　middle　of　a　sand　spit　that…reached　well　out　into　the　stream。　Inquiry　developed　that　while　paddling　in　the　shallows　they　had　been　surprised　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　an　ugly　snout　and　well　drenched　by　the　sweep　of　an　eager　tail。　The　stroke　fortunately　missed。　We　stilled　the　tumult；　sat　down　quietly　to　wait；　and　at　the　end　of　ten　minutes　had　the　satisfaction　of　abating　that　croc。

Generally　we　killed　the　brutes　where　we　found　them　and　allowed　them　to　drift　away　with　the　current。　Occasionally　however　we　wanted　a　piece　of　hide；　and　then　tried　to　retrieve　them。　One　such　occasion　showed　very　vividly　the　tenacity　of　life　and　the　primitive　nervous　systems　of　these　great　saurians。

I　discovered　the　beast；　head　out　of　water；　in　a　reasonable　sized　pool　below　which　were　shallow　rapids。　My　Springfield　bullet　hit　him　fair；　whereupon　he　stood　square　on　his　head　and　waved　his　tail　in　the　air；　rolled　over　three　or　four　times；　thrashed　the　water；　and　disappeared。　After　waiting　a　while　we　moved　on　downstream。　Returning　four　hours　later　I　sneaked　up　quietly。　There　the　crocodile　lay　sunning　himself　on　the　sand　bank。　I　supposed　he　must　be　dead；　but　when　I　accidentally　broke　a　twig；　he　immediately　commenced　to　slide　off　into　the　water。　Thereupon　I　stopped　him　with　a　bullet　in　the　spine。　The　first　shot　had　smashed　a　hole　in　his　head；　just　behind　the　eye；　about　the　size　of　an　ordinary　coffee　cup。　In　spite　of　this　wound；　which　would　have　been　instantly　fatal　to　any　warm…blooded　animal；　the　creature　was　so　little　affected　that　it　actually　reacted　to　a　slight　noise　made　at　some　distance　from　where　it　lay。　Of　course　the　wound　would　probably　have　been　fatal　in　the　long　run。

The　best　spot　to　shoot　at；　indeed；　is　not　the　head　but　the　spine　immediately　back　of　the　head。

These　brutes　are　exceedingly　powerful。　They　are　capable　of　taking　down　horses　and　cattle；　with　no　particular　effort。　This　I　know　from　my　own　observation。　Mr。　Fleischman；　however；　was　privileged　to　see　the　wonderful　sight　of　the　capture　and　destruction　of　a　full…grown　rhinoceros　by　a　crocodile。　The　photographs　he　took　of　this　most　extraordinary　affair　leave　no　room　for　doubt。　Crossing　a　stream　was　always　a　matter　of　concern　to　us。　The　boys　beat　the　surface　of　the　water　vigorously　with　their　safari　sticks。　On　occasion　we　have　even　let　loose　a　few　heavy　bullets　to　stir　up　the　pool　before　venturing　in。

A　steep　climb　through　thorn　and　brush　would　always　extricate　us　from　the　river　jungle　when　we　became　tired　of　it。　Then　we　found　ourselves　in　a　continuous　but　scattered　growth　of　small　trees。　Between　the　trunks　of　these　we　could　see　for　a　hundred　yards　or　so　before　their　numbers　closed　in　the　view。　Here　was　the　favourite　haunt　of　numerous　beautiful　impalla。　We　caught　glimpses　of　them；　flashing　through　the　trees；　or　occasionally　standing；　gazing　in　our　direction；　their　slender　necks　stretched　high；　their　ears　pointed　for　us。　These　curious　ones　were　generally　the　does。　The　bucks　were　either　more　cautious　or　less　inquisitive。　A　herd　or　so　of　eland　also　liked　this　covered　country；　and　there　were　always　a　few　waterbuck　and　rhinoceroses　about。　Often　too　we　here　encountered　stragglers　from　the　open　plains…zebra　or　hartebeeste；　very　alert　and　suspicious　in　unaccustomed　surroundings。

A　great　deal　of　the　plains　country　had　been　burned　over；　and　a　considerable　area　was　still　afire。　The　low　bright　flames　licked　their　way　slowly　through　the　grass　in　a　narrow　irregular　band　extending　sometimes　for　miles。　Behind　it　was　blackened　soil；　and　above　it　rolled　dense　clouds　of　smoke。　Always　accompanied　it　thousands　of　birds　wheeling　and　dashing　frantically　in　and　out　of　the　murk；　often　fairly　at　the　flames　themselves。　The　published　writings　of　a　certain　worthy　and　sentimental　person　waste　much　sympathy　over　these　poor　birds　dashing　frenziedly　about　above　their　destroyed　nests。　As　a　matter　of　fact　they　are　taking　greedy　advantage　of　a　most　excellent　opportunity　to　get　insects　cheap。　Thousands　of　the　common　red…billed　European　storks　patrolled　the　grass　just　in　front　of　the　advancing　flames；　or　wheeled　barely　above　the　fire。　Grasshoppers　were　their　main　object；　although　apparently　they　never　objected　to　any　small　mammals　or　reptiles　that　came　their　way。　Far　overhead　wheeled　a　few　thousand　more　assorted　soarers　who　either　had　no　appetite　or　had　satisfied　it。

The　utter　indifference　of　the　animals　to　the　advance　of　a　big　conflagration　always　impressed　me。　One　naturally　pictures　the　beasts　as　fleeing　wildly；　nostrils　distended；　before　the　devouring　element。　On　the　contrary　I　have　seen　kongoni　grazing　quite　peacefully　with　flames　on　three　sides　of　them。　The　fire　seems　to　travel　rather　slowly　in　the　tough　grass；　although　at　times　and　for　a　short　distance　it　will　leap　to　a　wild　and　roaring　life。　Beasts　will　then　lope　rapidly　away　to　right　or　left；　but　without　excitement。

On　these　open　plains　we　were　more　or　less　pestered　with　ticks　of　various　sizes。　These　clung　to　the　grass　blades；　but　with　no　invincible　preference　for　that　habitat；　trousers　did　them　just　as　well。　Then　they　ascended　looking　for　openings。　They　ranged　in　size　from　little　red　ones　as　small　as　the　period　of　a　printed　page　to　big　patterned　fellows　the　size　of　a　pea。　The　little　ones　were　much　the　most　abundant。　At　times　I　have　had　the　front　of　my　breeches　so　covered　with　them　that　their　numbers　actually　imparted　a　reddish　tinge　to　the　surface　of　the　cloth。　This　sounds　like　exaggeration；　but　it　is　a　measured　statement。　The　process　of　de…ticking　（new　and　valuable　word）　can　then　be　done　only　by　scraping　with　the　back　of　a　hunting　knife。

Some　people；　of　tender　skin；　are　driven　nearly　frantic　by　these　pests。　Others；　of　whom　I　am　thankf