allan quatermain-第6部分

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as　to　serve　the　purposes　of　a　belt；　and　through　it　were　stuck；　

on　the　right　and　left　sides　respectively；　his　short　pear…shaped　

sime；　or　sword；　which　is　made　of　a　single　piece　of　steel；　and　

carried　in　a　wooden　sheath；　and　an　enormous　knobkerrie。　　But　

perhaps　the　most　remarkable　feature　of　his　attire　consisted　of　

a　headdress　of　ostrich…feathers；　which　was　fixed　on　the　chin；　

and　passed　in　front　of　the　ears　to　the　forehead；　and；　being　shaped　

like　an　ellipse；　completely　framed　the　face；　so　that　the　diabolical　

countenance　appeared　to　project　from　a　sort　of　feather　fire…screen。　　

Round　the　ankles　he　wore　black　fringes　of　hair；　and；　projecting　

from　the　upper　portion　of　the　calves；　to　which　they　were　attached；　

were　long　spurs　like　spikes；　from　which　flowed　down　tufts　of　

the　beautiful　black　and　waving　hair　of　the　Colobus　monkey。　　Such　

was　the　elaborate　array　of　the　Masai　Elmoran　who　stood　watching　

the　approach　of　our　two　canoes；　but　it　is　one　which；　to　be　appreciated；　

must　be　seen；　only　those　who　see　it　do　not　often　live　to　describe　

it。　　Of　course　I　could　not　make　out　all　these　details　of　his　

full　dress　on　the　occasion　of　this　my　first　introduction；　being；　

indeed；　amply　taken　up　with　the　consideration　of　the　general　

effect；　but　I　had　plenty　of　subsequent　opportunities　of　becoming　

acquainted　with　the　items　that　went　to　make　it　up。



Whilst　we　were　hesitating　what　to　do；　the　Masai　warrior　drew　

himself　up　in　a　dignified　fashion；　shook　his　huge　spear　at　us；　

and；　turning；　vanished　on　the　further　side　of　the　slope。



'Hulloa！'　holloaed　Sir　Henry　from　the　other　boat；　'our　friend　

the　caravan　leader　has　been　as　good　as　his　word；　and　set　the　

Masai　after　us。　　Do　you　think　it　will　be　safe　to　go　ashore？'



I　did　not　think　it　would　be　at　all　safe；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　

we　had　no　means　of　cooking　in　the　canoes；　and　nothing　that　we　

could　eat　raw；　so　it　was　difficult　to　know　what　to　do。　　At　last　

Umslopogaas　simplified　matters　by　volunteering　to　go　and　reconnoitre；　

which　he　did；　creeping　off　into　the　bush　like　a　snake；　while　

we　hung　off　in　the　stream　waiting　for　him。　　In　half　an　hour　he　

returned；　and　told　us　that　there　was　not　a　Masai　to　be　seen　anywhere　

about；　but　that　he　had　discovered　a　spot　where　they　had　recently　

been　encamped；　and　that　from　various　indications　he　judged　that　

they　must　have　moved　on　an　hour　or　so　before；　the　man　we　saw　

having；　no　doubt；　been　left　to　report　upon　our　movements。



Thereupon　we　landed；　and；　having　posted　a　sentry；　proceeded　to　

cook　and　eat　our　evening　meal。　　This　done；　we　took　the　situation　

into　our　serious　consideration。　　Of　course；　it　was　possible　that　

the　apparition　of　the　Masai　warrior　had　nothing　to　do　with　us；　

that　he　was　merely　one　of　a　band　bent　upon　some　marauding　and　

murdering　expedition　against　another　tribe。　　But　when　we　recalled　

the　threat　of　the　caravan　leader；　and　reflected　on　the　ominous　

way　in　which　the　warrior　had　shaken　his　spear　at　us；　this　did　

not　appear　very　probable。　　On　the　contrary；　what　did　seem　probable　

was　that　the　part　was　after　us　and　awaiting　a　favourable　opportunity　

to　attack　us。　　This　being　so；　there　were　two　things　that　we　could　

do　　one　of　which　was　to　go　on；　and　the　other　to　go　back。　　The　

latter　idea　was；　however；　rejected　at　once；　it　being　obvious　

that　we　should　encounter　as　many　dangers　in　retreat　as　in　advance；　

and；　besides；　we　had　made　up　our　minds　to　journey　onwards　at　

any　price。　　Under　these　circumstances；　however；　we　did　not　consider　

it　safe　to　sleep　ashore；　so　we　got　into　our　canoes；　and；　paddling　

out　into　the　middle　of　the　stream；　which　was　not　very　wide　here；　

managed　to　anchor　them　by　means　of　big　stones　fastened　to　ropes　

made　of　coconut…fibre；　of　which　there　were　several　fathoms　in　

each　canoe。



Here　the　mosquitoes　nearly　ate　us　up　alive；　and　this；　combined　

with　anxiety　as　to　our　position；　effectually　prevented　me　from　

sleeping　as　the　others　were　doing；　notwithstanding　the　attacks　

of　the　aforesaid　Tana　mosquitoes。　　And　so　I　lay　awake；　smoking　

and　reflecting　on　many　things；　but；　being　of　a　practical　turn　

of　mind；　chiefly　on　how　we　were　to　give　those　Masai　villains　

the　slip。　　It　was　a　beautiful　moonlight　night；　and；　notwithstanding　

the　mosquitoes；　and　the　great　risk　we　were　running　from　fever　

from　sleeping　in　such　a　spot；　and　forgetting　that　I　had　the　cramp　

very　badly　in　my　right　leg　from　squatting　in　a　constrained　position　

in　the　canoe；　and　that　the　Wakwafi　who　was　sleeping　beside　me　

smelt　horribly；　I　really　began　to　enjoy　myself。　　The　moonbeams　

played　upon　the　surface　of　the　running　water　that　speeded　unceasingly　

past　us　towards　the　sea；　like　men's　lives　towards　the　grave；　

till　it　glittered　like　a　wide　sheet　of　silver；　that　is　in　the　

open　where　the　trees　threw　no　shadows。　　Near　the　banks；　however；　

it　was　very　dark；　and　the　night　wind　sighed　sadly　in　the　reeds。　　

To　our　left；　on　the　further　side　of　the　river；　was　a　little　

sandy　bay　which　was　clear　of　trees；　and　here　I　could　make　out　

the　forms　of　numerous　antelopes　advancing　to　the　water；　till　

suddenly　there　came　an　ominous　roar；　whereupon　they　all　made　

off　hurriedly。　　Then　after　a　pause　I　caught　sight　of　the　massive　

form　of　His　Majesty　the　Lion；　coming　down　to　drink　his　fill　after　

meat。　　Presently　he　moved　on；　then　came　a　crashing　of　the　reeds　

about　fifty　yards　above　us；　and　a　few　minutes　later　a　huge　black　

mass　rose　out　of　the　water；　about　twenty　yards　from　me；　and　snorted。　　

It　was　the　head　of　a　hippopotamus。　　Down　it　went　without　a　sound；　

only　to　rise　again　within　five　yards　of　where　I　sat。　　This　was　

decidedly　too　near　to　be　comfortable；　more　especially　as　the　

hippopotamus　was　evidently　animated　by　intense　curiosity　to　know　

what　on　earth　our　canoes　were。　　He　opened　his　great　mouth；　to　

yawn；　I　suppose；　and　gave　me　an　excellent　view　of　his　ivories；　

and　I　could　not　help　reflecting　how　easily　he　could　crunch　up　

our　frail　canoe　with　a　single　bite。　　Indeed；　I　had　half　a　mind　

to　give　him　a　ball　from　my　eight…bore；　but　on　reflection　determined　

to　let　him　alone　unless　he　actually　charged　the　boat。　　Presently　

he　sank　again　as　noiselessly　as　before；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　

him。　　Just　then；　on　looking　towards　the　bank　on　our　right；　I　

fancied　that　I　caught　sight　of　a　dark　figure　flitting　between　

the　tree　trunks。　　I　have　very　keen　sight；　and　I　was　almost　sure　

that　I　saw　something；　but　whether　it　was　bird；　beast；　or　man　

I　could　not　say。　　At　the　moment；　however；　a　dark　cloud　passed　

over　the　moon；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　it。　　Just　then；　too；　although　

all　the　other　sounds　of　the　forest　had　ceased；　a　species　of　horned　

owl　with　which　I　was　well　acquainted　began　to　hoot　with　great　

persistency。　　After　that；　save　for　the　rustling　of　trees　and　

reeds　when　the　wind　caught　them；　there　was　complete　silence。



But　somehow；　in　the　most　unaccountable　way；　I　had　suddenly　become　

nervous。　　There　was　no　particular　reason　why　I　should　be；　beyond　

the　ordinary　reasons　which　surround　the　Central　African　traveller；　

and　yet　I　undoubtedly　was。　　If　there　is　one　thing　more　than　another　

of　which　I　have　the　most　complete　and　entire　scorn　and　disbelief；　

it　is　of　presentiments；　and　yet　here　I　was　all　of　a　sudden　filled　

with　and　possessed　by　a　most　undoubted　presentiment　of　approaching　

evil。　　I　would　not　give　way　to　it；　however；　although　I　felt　the　

cold　perspiration　stand　out　upon　my　forehead。　　I　would　not　arouse　

the　others。　　Worse　and　worse　I　grew；　my　pulse　fluttered　like　

a　dying　man's；　my　nerves　thrilled　with　the　horrible　sense　of　

impotent　terror　which　anybody　who　is　subject　to　nightmare　will　

be　familiar　with；　but　still　my　will　triumphed　over　my　fears；　

and　I　lay　quiet　（for　I　was　half　sitting；　half　lying；　in　the　bow　

of　the　canoe）；　only　turning　my　face　so　as　to　command　a　view　of　

Umslopogaas　and　the　two　Wakwafi　who　were　sleeping　alongside　of　

and　beyond　me。



In　the　distance　I　heard　a　hippopotamus　splash　faintly；　then　the　

owl　hooted　again　in　a　kind　of　unnatural　screaming　note　｛Endnote　4｝；　

and　the　wind　began　to　moan　plaintively　through　the　trees；　

making　a　heart…chilling　music。　　Above　was　the　black　bosom　of　

the　cloud；　and　beneath　me　swept　the　black　flood　of　the　water；　

and　I　felt　as　though　I　and　Death　were　utterly　alone　between　them。　　

It　was　very　desolate。



Suddenly　my　blood　seemed　to　freeze　in　my　veins；　and　my　heart　

to　stand　still。　　Was　it　fancy；　or　were　we　moving？　　I　turned　my　

eyes　to　look　for　the　other　canoe　which　should　be　alongside　of　

us。　　I　could　not　see　it；　but　instead　I　saw　a　lean　and　clutching　

black　hand　lifting　itself　above　the　gunwale　of　the　little　boat。　　

Surely　it　was　a　nightmare！　　At　the　same　instant　a　dim　but　

devilish…looking　face　appeared　to　rise　out　of　the　water；　and　

then　came　a　lurch　of　the　canoe；　the　quick　flash　of　a　knife；　and　

an　awful　yell　from　the　Wakwafi　who　was　sleeping　by　my　side　（the　

same　poor　fellow　whose　odour　had　been　annoying　me）；　and　something　

warm　spurted　into　my　face。　　In　an　instant　the　spell　was　broken；　

I　knew　that　it　was　no　nightmare；　but　that　we　were　attacked　by　

swimming　Masai。　　Snatching　at　the　first　weapon　that　came　to　hand；　

which　happened　to　be　Umslopogaas'　battleaxe；　I　struck　with　all　

my　force　in　the　direction　in　which　I　had　seen　the　flash　of　the　

knife。　　The　blow　fell　upon　a　man's　arm；　and；　catching　it　against　

the　thick　wooden　gunwale　of　the　canoe；　completely　severed　it　

from　the　body　just　above　the　wrist。　　As　for　its　owner；　he　uttered　

no　sound　or　cry。　　Like　a　ghost　he　came；　and　like　a　ghost　he　went；　

leaving　behind　him　a　bloody　hand　still　gripping　a　great　knife；　

or　rather　a　short　sword；　that　was　buried　in　the　heart　of　our　

poor　servant。



Instantly　there　arose　a　hubbub　and　confusion；　and　I　fancied；　

rightly　or　wrongly；　that　I　made　out　several　dark　heads　gliding　

away　towards　the　right…hand　bank；　whither　we　were　rapidly　drifting；　

for　the　rope　by