the land of footprints-第42章

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veranda　in　the　rear　to　enter　a　spacious　separate　dining…room。　The　table　was　white　with　napery；　glittering　with　silver　and　glass；　bright　with　flowers。　We　ate　leisurely　of　a　well…served　course　dinner；　ending　with　black　coffee；　shelled　nuts；　and　candied　fruit。　Replete　and　satisfied　we　strolled　back　across　the　veranda　to　the　main　house。　F。　raised　his　hand。

〃Hark！〃　he　admonished　us。

We　held　still。　From　the　velvet　darkness　came　the　hurried　petulant　barking　of　zebra；　three　hyenas　howled。



XXVII。　A　VISIT　AT　JUJA

Next　day　we　left　all　this；　and　continued　our　march。　About　a　month　later；　however；　we　encountered　McMillan　himself　in　Nairobi。　I　was　just　out　from　a　very　hard　trip　to　the　coast…Billy　not　with　me…and　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　a　few　days'　rest。　McMillan's　cordiality　was　not　to　be　denied；　however；　so　the　very　next　day　found　us　tucking　ourselves　into　a　buckboard　behind　four　white　Abyssinian　mules。　McMillan；　some　Somalis　and　Captain　Duirs　came　along　in　another　similar　rig。　Our　driver　was　a　Hottentot　half…caste　from　South　Africa。　He　had　a　flat　face；　a　yellow　skin；　a　quiet　manner；　and　a　competent　hand。　His　name　was　Michael。　At　his　feet　crouched　a　small　Kikuyu　savage；　in　blanket　ear　ornaments　and　all　the　fixings；　armed　with　a　long　lashed　whip　and　raucous　voice。　At　any　given　moment　he　was　likely　to　hop　out　over　the　moving　wheel；　run　forward；　bat　the　off　leading　mule；　and　hop　back　again；　all　with　the　most　extraordinary　agility。　He　likewise　hurled　what　sounded　like　very　opprobrious　epithets　at　such　natives　as　did　not　get　out　the　way　quickly　enough　to　suit　him。　The　expression　of　his　face；　which　was　that　of　a　person　steeped　in　woe；　never　changed。

We　rattled　out　of　Nairobi　at　a　great　pace；　and　swung　into　the　Fort　Hall　Road。　This　famous　thoroughfare；　one　of　the　three　or　four　made　roads　in　all　East　Africa；　is　about　sixty　miles　long。　It　is　a　strategic　necessity　but　is　used　by　thousands　of　natives　on　their　way　to　see　the　sights　of　the　great　metropolis。　As　during　the　season　there　is　no　water　for　much　of　the　distance；　a　great　many　pay　for　their　curiosity　with　their　lives。　The　road　skirts　the　base　of　the　hills；　winding　in　and　out　of　shallow　canyons　and　about　the　edges　of　rounded　hills。　To　the　right　one　can　see　far　out　across　the　Athi　Plains。

We　met　an　almost　unbroken　succession　of　people。　There　were　long　pack　trains　of　women；　quite　cheerful；　bent　over　under　the　weight　of　firewood　or　vegetables；　many　with　babies　tucked　away　in　the　folds　of　their　garments；　mincing　dandified　warriors　with　poodle…dog　hair；　skewers　in　their　ears；　their　jewelery　brought　to　a　high　polish　a　fatuous　expression　of　self…satisfaction　on　their　faces；　carrying　each　a　section　of　sugarcane　which　they　now　used　as　a　staff　but　would　later　devour　for　lunch；　bearers；　under　convoy　of　straight　soldierly　red…sashed　Sudanese；　transporting　Government　goods；　wild…eyed　staring　shenzis　from　the　forest；　with　matted　hair　and　goatskin　garments；　looking　ready　to　bolt　aside　at　the　slightest　alarm；　coveys　of　marvellous　and　giggling　damsels；　their　fine…grained　skin　anointed　and　shining　with　red　oil；　strung　with　beads　and　shells；　very　coquettish　and　sure　of　their　feminine　charm；　naked　small　boys　marching　solemnly　like　their　elders；　camel　trains　from　far…off　Abyssinia　or　Somaliland　under　convoy　of　white…clad　turbaned　grave　men　of　beautiful　features；　donkey　safaris　in　charge　of　dirty　degenerate　looking　East　Indians　carrying　trade　goods　to　some　distant　post…all　these　and　many　more；　going　one　way　or　the　other；　drew　one　side；　at　the　sight　of　our　white　faces；　to　let　us　pass。

About　two　o'clock　we　suddenly　turned　off　from　the　road；　apparently　quite　at　random；　down　the　long　grassy　interminable　incline　that　dipped　slowly　down　and　slowly　up　again　over　great　distance　to　form　the　Athi　Plains。　Along　the　road；　with　its　endless　swarm　of　humanity；　we　had　seen　no　game；　but　after　a　half　mile　it　began　to　appear。　We　encountered　herds　of　zebra；　kongoni；　wildebeeste；　and　〃Tommies〃　standing　about　or　grazing；　sometimes　almost　within　range　from　the　moving　buckboard。　After　a　time　we　made　out　the　trees　and　water　tower　of　Juja　ahead；　and　by　four　o'clock　had　turned　into　the　avenue　of　trees。　Our　approach　had　been　seen。　Tea　was　ready；　and　a　great　and　hospitable　table　of　bottles；　ice；　and　siphons。

The　next　morning　we　inspected　the　stables；　built　of　stone　in　a　hollow　square；　like　a　fort；　with　box　stalls　opening　directly　into　the　courtyard　and　screened　carefully　against　the　deadly　flies。　The　horses；　beautiful　creatures；　were　led　forth　each　by　his　proud　and　anxious　syce。　We　tried　them　all；　and　selected　our　mounts　for　the　time　of　our　stay。　The　syces　were　small　black　men；　lean　and　well　formed；　accustomed　to　running　afoot　wherever　their　charges　went；　at　walk；　lope　or　gallop。　Thus　in　a　day　they　covered　incredible　distances　over　all　sorts　of　country；　but　were　always　at　hand　to　seize　the　bridle　reins　when　the　master　wished　to　dismount。　Like　the　rickshaw　runners　in　Nairobi；　they　wore　their　hair　clipped　close　around　their　bullet　heads　and　seemed　to　have　developed　into　a　small　compact　hard　type　of　their　own。　They　ate　and　slept　with　their　horses。

Just　outside　the　courtyard　of　the　stables　a　little　barred　window　had　been　cut　through。　Near　this　were　congregated　a　number　of　Kikuyu　savages　wrapped　in　their　blankets；　receiving　each　in　turn　a　portion　of　cracked　corn　from　a　dusty　white　man　behind　the　bars。　They　were　a　solemn；　unsmiling；　strange　type　of　savage；　and　they　performed　all　the　manual　work　within　the　enclosure；　squatting　on　their　heels　and　pulling　methodically　but　slowly　at　the　weeds；　digging　with　their　pangas；　carrying　loads：　to　and　fro；　or　solemnly　pushing　a　lawn　mower；　blankets　wrapped　shamelessly　about　their　necks。　They　were　harried　about　by　a　red…faced　beefy　English　gardener　with　a　marvellous　vocabulary　of　several　native　languages　and　a　short　hippo…hide　whip。　He　talked　himself　absolutely　purple　in　the　face　without；　as　far　as　my　observation　went；　penetrating　an　inch　below　the　surface。　The　Kikuyus　went　right　on　doing　what　they　were　already　doing　in　exactly　the　same　manner。　Probably　the　purple　Englishman　was　satisfied　with　that；　but　I　am　sure　apoplexy　of　either　the　heat　or　thundering　variety　has　him　by　now。

Before　the　store　building　squatted　another　group　of　savages。　Perhaps　in　time　one　of　the　lot　expected　to　buy　something；　or　possibly　they　just　sat。　Nobody　but　a　storekeeper　would　ever　have　time　to　find　out。　Such　is　the　native　way。　The　storekeeper　in　this　case　was　named　John。　Besides　being　storekeeper；　he　had　charge　of　the　issuing　of　all　the　house　supplies；　and　those　for　the　white　men's　mess；　he　must　do　all　the　worrying　about　the　upper　class　natives；　he　must　occasionally　kill　a　buck　for　the　meat　supply；　and　he　must　be　prepared　to　take　out　any　stray　tenderfeet　that　happen　along　during　McMillan's　absence；　and　persuade　them　that　they　are　mighty　hunters。　His　domain　was　a　fascinating　place；　for　it　contained　everything　from　pianola　parts　to　patent　washstands。　The　next　best　equipped　place　of　the　kind　I　know　of　is　the　property　room　of　a　moving　picture　company。

We　went　to　mail　a　letter；　and　found　the　postmaster　to　be　a　gentle…voiced；　polite　little　Hindu；　who　greeted　us　smilingly；　and　attempted　to　conceal　a　work　of　art。　We　insisted；　whereupon　he　deprecatingly　drew　forth　a　copy　of　a　newspaper　cartoon　having　to　do　with　Colonel　Roosevelt's　visit。　It　was　copied　with　mathematical　exactness；　and　highly　coloured　in　a　manner　to　throw　into　profound　melancholy　the　chauffeur　of　a　coloured　supplement　press。　We　admired　and　praised；　whereupon；　still　shyly；　he　produced　more；　and　yet　again　more　copies　of　the　same　cartoon。　When　we　left；　he　was　reseating　himself　to　the　painstaking　valueless　labour　with　which　he　filled　his　days。　Three　times　a　week　such　mail　as　Juja　gets　comes　in　via　native　runner。　We　saw　the　latter；　a　splendid　figure；　almost　naked；　loping　easily；　his　little　bundle　held　before　him。

Down　past　the　office　and　dispensary　we　strolled；　by　the　comfortable；　airy；　white　man's　clubhouse。　The　headman　of　the　native　population　passed　us　with　a　dignified　salute；　a　fine　upstanding　deep…chested　man；　with　a　lofty　air　of　fierce　pride。　He　and　his　handful　of　soldiers　alone　of　the　natives；　except　the　Somalis　and　syces；　dwelt　within　the　compound　in　a　group　of　huts　near　the　gate。　There　when　off　duty　they　might　be　seen　polishing　their　arms；　or　chatting　with　their　women。　The　latter　were　ladies　of　leisure；　with　wonderful　chignons；　much　jewelery；　and　patterned　Mericani　wrapped　gracefully　about　their　pretty　figures。

By　the　time　we　had　seen　all　these　things　it　was　noon。　We　ate　lunch。　The　various　members　of　the　party　decided　to　do　various　things。　I　elected　to　go　out　with　McMillan　while　he　killed　a　wildebeeste；　and　I　am　very　glad　I　did。　It　was　a　most　astonishing　performance。

You　must　imagine　us　driving　out　the　gate　in　a　buckboard　behind　four　small　but　lively　white　Abyssinian　mules。　In　the　front　seat　were　Michael；　the　Hottentot　driver；　and　McMillan's　Somali　gunbearer。　In　the　rear　seat　were　McMillan　and　myself；　while　a　small　black　syce　perched　precariously　behind。　Our　rifles　rested　in　a　sling　before　us。　So　we　jogged　out　on　the　road　to　Long　Juju；　examining　with　a　critical　eye　the　herds　of　game　to　right　and　left　of　us。　The　latter　examined　us；　apparently；　with　an　eye　as　critical。　Finally；　in　a　herd　of　zebra；　we　espied　a　lone　wildebeeste。

The　wildebeeste　is　the　Jekyll　and　Hyde　of　the　animal　kingdom。　His　usual　and　familiar　habit　is　that　of　a　heavy；　sluggish　animal；　like　our　vanished　bison。　He　stands　solid　and　inert；　his　head　down；　he　plods　slowly　forward　in　single　file；　his　horns　swinging；　each　foot　planted　deliberately。　In　short；　he　is　the　personification　of　dignity；　solid　respectability；　gravity　of　demeanour。　But　then　all　of　a　sudden；　at　any　small　interruption；　he　becomes　the　giddiest　of　created　beings。　Up　goes　his　head　and　tail；　he　buck　jumps；　cavorts；　gambols；　kicks　up　his　heels；　bounds　stiff…legged；　and　generally　performs　like　an　irresponsible　infant。　To　see　a　whole　herd　at　once　of　these　grave　and　reverend　seigneurs　suddenly　blow　up　into　such　light…headed　capers　goes　far　to　destroy　one's　faith　in　the　stability　of　institutions。

Also　the　wildebeeste　is　not　misnamed。　He　is　a　conservative；　and　he　sees　no　particular　reason　for　allowing　his　curiosity　to　interfere　with　his　preconceived　beliefs。　The　latter　are　distrustful。　Therefore　he　and　his　females　and　his　young…I　should　say　small…depart　when　one　is　yet　far　away。　I　say　small；　because　I　do　not　believe　that　any　wildebeeste　is　ever　young。　They　do　not　resemble　calves；　but　are　exact　replicas　of　the　big　ones；　just　as　Niobe's　daughters　are　in　nothing　childlike；　but　merely　smaller　women。

When　we　caught　sight　of　this　lone　wildebeeste　among　the　zebra；　I　naturally　expected　that　we　would　pull　up　the　buckboard；　descend；　and　approach　to　within　some　sort　of　long　range。　Then　we　would　open　fire。　Barring　luck；　the　wildebeeste　would　thereupon　depart　〃wilder　and　beestier　than　ever；〃　as　John　McCutcheon　has　it。　Not　at　all！　Michael；　the　Hottentot；　turned　the　buckboard　off　the　road；　headed　toward　the　distant　quarry；　and　charged　at　full　speed！　Over　stones　we　went　that　sent　us　feet　into　the　air；　down　and　out　of　shallow　gullies　that　seemed　as　though　they　would　jerk　the　pole　from　the　vehicle　with　a　grand　rattlety…bang；　every　one　hanging