the land of footprints-第34章

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and　hold　still。　The　chances　are　he　will　pass　to　one　side　or　the　other　of　you；　and　go　snorting　away　into　the　distance。　Keep　your　eye　on　him　very　closely。　If　he　swerves　definitely　in　your　direction；　AND　DROPS　HIS　HEAD　A　LITTLE　LOWER；　it　would　be　just　as　well　to　open　fire。　Provided　the　beast　was　still　far　enough　away　to　give　me　〃sea…room；〃　I　used　to　put　a　small　bullet　in　the　flesh　of　the　outer　part　of　the　shoulder。　The　wound　thus　inflicted　was　not　at　all　serious；　but　the　shock　of　the　bullet　usually　turned　the　beast。　This　was　generally　in　the　direction　of　the　wounded　shoulder；　which　would　indicate　that　the　brute　turned　toward　the　apparent　source　of　the　attack；　probably　for　the　purpose　of　getting　even。　At　any　rate；　the　shot　turned　the　rush　to　one　side；　and　the　rhinoceros；　as　usual；　went　right　on　through。　If；　however；　he　seemed　to　mean　business；　or　was　too　close　for　comfort；　the　point　to　aim　for　was　the　neck　just　above　the　lowered　horn。

In　my　own　experience　I　came　to　establish　a　〃dead　line〃　about　twenty　yards　from　myself。　That　seemed　to　be　as　near　as　I　cared　to　let　the　brutes　come。　Up　to　that　point　I　let　them　alone　on　the　chance　that　they　might　swerve　or　change　their　minds；　as　they　often　did。　But　inside　of　twenty　yards；　whether　the　rhinoceros　meant　to　charge　me；　or　was　merely　running　blindly　by；　did　not　particularly　matter。　Even　in　the　latter　case　he　might　happen　to　catch　sight　of　me　and　change　his　mind。　Thus；　looking　over　my　notebook　records；　I　find　that　I　was　〃charged〃　forty　odd　times…that　is　to　say；　the　rhinoceros　rushed　in　my　general　direction。　Of　this　lot　I　can　be　sure　of　but　three；　and　possibly　four；　that　certainly　meant　mischief。　Six　more　came　so　directly　at　us；　and　continued　so　to　come；　that　in　spite　of　ourselves　we　were　compelled　to　kill　them。　The　rest　were　successfully　dodged。

As　I　have　heard　old　hunters　of　many　times　my　experience；　affirm　that　only　in　a　few　instances　have　they　themselves　been　charged　indubitably　and　with　malice　aforethought；　it　might　be　well　to　detail　my　reasons　for　believing　myself　definitely　and　not　blindly　attacked。

The　first　instance　was　that　when　B。　killed　his　second　trophy　rhinoceros。　The　beast's　companion　refused　to　leave　the　dead　body　for　a　long　time；　but　finally　withdrew。　On　our　approaching；　however；　and　after　we　had　been　some　moments　occupied　with　the　trophy；　it　returned　and　charged　viciously。　It　was　finally　killed　at　fifteen　yards。

The　second　instance　was　of　a　rhinoceros　that　got　up　from　the　grass　sixty　yards　away；　and　came　headlong　in　my　direction。　At　the　moment　I　was　standing　on　the　edge　of　a　narrow　eroded　ravine；　ten　feet　deep；　with　perpendicular　sides。　The　rhinoceros　came　on　bravely　to　the　edge　of　this　ravine…and　stopped。　Then　he　gave　an　exhibition　of　unmitigated　bad　temper　most　amusing　to　contemplate…from　my　safe　position。　He　snorted；　and　stamped；　and　pawed　the　earth；　and　tramped　up　and　down　at　a　great　rate。　I　sat　on　the　opposite　bank　and　laughed　at　him。　This　did　not　please　him　a　bit；　but　after　many　short　rushes　to　the　edge　of　the　ravine；　he　gave　it　up　and　departed　slowly；　his　tail　very　erect　and　rigid。　》From　the　persistency　with　which　he　tried　to　get　at　me；　I　cannot　but　think　he　intended　something　of　the　sort　from　the　first。

The　third　instance　was　much　more　aggravating。　In　company　with　Memba　Sasa　and　Fundi　I　left　camp　early　one　morning　to　get　a　waterbuck。　Four　or　five　hundred　yards　out；　however；　we　came　on　fresh　buffalo　signs；　not　an　hour　old。　To　one　who　knew　anything　of　buffaloes'　habits　this　seemed　like　an　excellent　chance；　for　at　this　time　of　the　morning　they　should　be　feeding　not　far　away　preparatory　to　seeking　cover　for　the　day。　Therefore　we　immediately　took　up　the　trail。

It　led　us　over　hills；　through　valleys；　high　grass；　burned　country；　brush；　thin　scrub；　and　small　woodland　alternately。　Unfortunately　we　had　happened　on　these　buffalo　just　as　they　were　about　changing　district；　and　they　were　therefore　travelling　steadily。　At　times　the　trail　was　easy　to　follow　and　at　other　times　we　had　to　cast　about　very　diligently　to　find　traces　of　the　direction　even　such　huge　animals　had　taken。　It　was　interesting　work；　however；　and　we　drew　on　steadily；　keeping　a　sharp　lookout　ahead　in　case　the　buffalo　had　come　to　a　halt　in　some　shady　thicket　out　of　the　sun。　As　the　latter　ascended　the　heavens　and　the　scorching　heat　increased；　our　confidence　in　nearing　our　quarry　ascended　likewise；　for　we　knew　that　buffaloes　do　not　like　great　heat。　Nevertheless　this　band　continued　straight　on　its　way。　I　think　now　they　must　have　got　scent　of　our　camp；　and　had　therefore　decided　to　move　to　one　of　the　alternate　and　widely　separated　feeding　grounds　every　herd　keeps　in　its　habitat。　Only　at　noon；　and　after　six　hours　of　steady　trailing；　covering　perhaps　a　dozen　miles；　did　we　catch　them　up。

》From　the　start　we　had　been　bothered　with　rhinoceroses。　Five　times　did　we　encounter　them；　standing　almost　squarely　on　the　line　of　the　spoor　we　were　following。　Then　we　had　to　make　a　wide　quiet　circle　to　leeward　in　order　to　avoid　disturbing　them；　and　were　forced　to　a　very　minute　search　in　order　to　pick　up　the　buffalo　tracks　again　on　the　other　side。　This　was　at　once　an　anxiety　and　a　delay；　and　we　did　not　love　those　rhino。

Finally；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　Yatta　Plains　we　overtook　the　herd；　resting　for　noon　in　a　scattered　thicket。　Leaving　Fundi；　I；　with　Memba　Sasa；　stalked　down　to　them。　We　crawled　and　crept　by　inches　flat　to　the　ground；　which　was　so　hot　that　it　fairly　burned　the　hand。　The　sun　beat　down　on　us　fiercely；　and　the　air　was　close　and　heavy　even　among　the　scanty　grass　tufts　in　which　we　were　trying　to　get　cover。　It　was　very　hard　work　indeed；　but　after　a　half　hour　of　it　we　gained　a　thin　bush　not　over　thirty　yards　from　a　half　dozen　dark　and　indeterminate　bodies　dozing　in　the　very　centre　of　a　brush　patch。　Cautiously　I　wiped　the　sweat　from　my　eyes　and　raised　my　glasses。　It　was　slow　work　and　patient　work；　picking　out　and　examining　each　individual　beast　from　the　mass。　Finally　the　job　was　done。　I　let　fall　my　glasses。

〃Monumookee　y'otey…all　cows；〃　I　whispered　to　Memba　Sasa。

We　backed　out　of　there　inch　by　inch；　with　intention　of　circling　a　short　distance　to　the　leeward；　and　then　trying　the　herd　again　lower　down。　But　some　awkward　slight　movement；　probably　on　my　part；　caught　the　eye　of　one　of　those　blessed　cows。　She　threw　up　her　head；　instantly　the　whole　thicket　seemed　alive　with　beasts。　We　could　hear　them　crashing　and　stamping；　breaking　the　brush；　rushing　headlong　and　stopping　again；　we　could　even　catch　momentary　glimpses　of　dark　bodies。　After　a　few　minutes　we　saw　the　mass　of　the　herd　emerge　from　the　thicket　five　hundred　yards　away　and　flow　up　over　the　hill。　There　were　probably　a　hundred　and　fifty　of　them；　and；　looking　through　my　glasses；　I　saw　among　them　two　fine　old　bulls。　They　were　of　course　not　much　alarmed；　as　only　the　one　cow　knew　what　it　was　all　about　anyway；　and　I　suspected　they　would　stop　at　the　next　thicket。

We　had　only　one　small　canteen　of　water　with　us；　but　we　divided　that。　It　probably　did　us　good；　but　the　quantity　was　not　sufficient　to　touch　our　thirst。　For　the　remainder　of　the　day　we　suffered　rather　severely；　as　the　sun　was　fierce。

After　a　short　interval　we　followed　on　after　the　buffaloes。　Within　a　half　mile　beyond　the　crest　of　the　hill　over　which　they　had　disappeared　was　another　thicket。　At　the　very　edge　of　the　thicket；　asleep　under　an　outlying　bush；　stood　one　of　the　big　bulls！

Luck　seemed　with　us　at　last。　The　wind　was　right；　and　between　us　and　the　bull　lay　only　four　hundred　yards　of　knee…high　grass。　All　we　had　to　do　was　to　get　down　on　our　hands　and　knees；　and；　without　further　precautions；　crawl　up　within　range　and　pot　him。　That　meant　only　a　bit　of　hard；　hot　work。

When　we　were　about　halfway　a　rhinoceros　suddenly　arose　from　the　grass　between　us　and　the　buffalo；　and　about　one　hundred　yards　away。

What　had　aroused　him；　at　that　distance　and　upwind；　I　do　not　know。　It　hardly　seemed　possible　that　he　could　have　heard　us；　for　we　were　moving　very　quietly；　and；　as　I　say；　we　were　downwind。　However；　there　he　was　on　his　feet；　sniffing　now　this　way；　now　that；　in　search　for　what　had　alarmed　him。　We　sank　out　of　sight　and　lay　low；　fully　expecting　that　the　brute　would　make　off。

For　just　twenty…five　minutes　by　the　watch　that　rhinoceros　looked　and　looked　deliberately　in　all　directions　while　we　lay　hidden　waiting　for　him　to　get　over　it。　Sometimes　he　would　start　off　quite　confidently　for　fifty　or　sixty　yards；　so　that　we　thought　at　last　we　were　rid　of　him；　but　always　he　returned　to　the　exact　spot　where　we　had　first　seen　him；　there　to　stamp；　and　blow。　The　buffalo　paid　no　attention　to　these　manifestations。　I　suppose　everybody　in　jungleland　is　accustomed　to　rhinoceros　bad　temper　over　nothing。　Twice　he　came　in　our　direction；　but　both　times　gave　it　up　after　advancing　twenty…five　yards　or　so。　We　lay　flat　on　our　faces；　the　vertical　sun　slowly　roasting　us；　and　cursed　that　rhino。

Now　the　significance　of　this　incident　is　twofold：　first；　the　fact　that；　instead　of　rushing　off　at　the　first　intimation　of　our　presence；　as　would　the　average　rhino；　he　went　methodically　to　work　to　find　us；　second；　that　he　displayed　such　remarkable　perseverance　as　to　keep　at　it　nearly　a　half　hour。　This　was　a　spirit　quite　at　variance　with　that　finding　its　expression　in　the　blind　rush　or　in　the　sudden　passionate　attack。　From　that　point　of　view　it　seems　to　me　that　the　interest　and　significance　of　the　incident　can　hardly　be　overstated。

Four　or　five　times　we　thought　ourselves　freed　of　the　nuisance；　but　always；　just　as　we　were　about　to　move　on；　back　he　came；　as　eager　as　ever　to　nose　us　out。　Finally　he　gave　it　up；　and；　at　a　slow　trot；　started　to　go　away　from　there。　And　out　of　the　three　hundred　and　sixty　degrees　of　the　circle　where　he　might　have　gone　he　selected　just　our　direction。　Note　that　this　was　downwind　for　him；　and　that　rhinoceroses　usually　escape　upwind。

We　laid　very　low；　hoping　that；　as　before；　he　would　change　his　mind　as　to　direction。　But　now　he　was　no　longer　looking；　but　travelling。　Nearer　and　nearer　he　came。　We　could　see　plainly　his　little　eyes；　and　hear　the　regular　swish；　swish；　swish　of　his　thick　legs　brushing　through　the　grass。　The　regularity　of　his　trot　never　varied；　but　to　me　lying　there　directly　in　his　path；　he　seemed　to　be　coming　on　altogether　too　fast　for　comfort。　From　our　low　level　he　looked　as　big　as　a　barn。　Memba　Sasa　touched　me　lightly　on　the　leg。　I　hated　to　shoot；　but　finally　when　he　loomed　fairly　over　us　I　saw　it　must　be　now　or　never。　If　I　allowed　him　to　come　closer；　he　must　indubitably　catch　the　first　movement　of　my　gun　and　so　charge　right　on　us　before　I　would　have　time　to　deliver　even　an　ineffective　shot。　Therefore；　most　reluctantly；　I　placed　the　ivory　bead　of　the　great　Holland　gun　just　to　the　point　of　his　shoulder　and　pulled　the　trigger。　So　close　was　he　that　as　he　toppled　forward　I　instinctively；　though　unnecessarily　of　course；　shrank　back　as　though　he　might　fall　on　me。　Fortunately　I　had　picked　my　spot　properly；　and　no　second　shot　was　necessary。　He　fell　just　twenty…seven　feet…nine　yards　…from　where　we　lay！

The　buffalo　vanished　into　the　blue。　We　were　left　with　a　dead　rhino；　which　we　did　not　want；　twelve　miles　from　camp；　and　no　water。　It　was　a　hard　hike　back；　but　we　made　it　finally；　though　nearly　perished　from　thirst。

This　beast；　be