the land of footprints-第23部分

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My　own　horse　had　the　legs　of　the　others　quite　easily；　and　for　that　reason　I　was　ahead　far　enough　to　see　the　magnificent　sight　of　five　lions　sideways　on；　all　in　a　row；　standing　in　the　grass　gazing　at　me　with　a　sort　of　calm　and　impersonal　dignity。　I　wheeled　my　horse　immediately　so　as　to　be　ready　in　case　of　a　charge；　and　yelled　to　the　others　to　hurry　up。　While　I　sat　there；　they　moved　slowly　off　one　after　the　other；　so　that　by　the　time　the　men　had　come；　the　lions　had　gone。　We　now　had　no　difficulty　in　running　into　them　again。　Once　more　my　better　animal　brought　me　to　the　lead；　so　that　for　the　second　time　I　drew　up　facing　the　lions；　and　at　about　one　hundred　yards　range。　One　by　one　they　began　to　leave　as　before；　very　leisurely　and　haughtily；　until　a　single　old　maned　fellow　remained。　He；　however；　sat　there；　his　great　round　head　peering　over　the　top　of　the　grass。

〃Well；〃　he　seemed　to　say；　〃here　I　am；　what　do　you　intend　to　do　about　it？〃

The　others　arrived；　and　we　all　dismounted。　B。　had　not　yet　killed　his　lion；　so　the　shot　was　his。　Billy　very　coolly　came　up　behind　and　held　his　horse。　I　should　like　here　to　remark　that　Billy　is　very　terrified　of　spiders。　F。　and　I　stood　at　the　ready；　and　B。　sat　down。

Riding　fast　an　exciting　mile　or　so；　getting　chucked　on　your　head　two　or　three　times；　and　facing　your　first　lion　are　none　of　them　conducive　to　steady　shooting。　The　first　shot　therefore　went　high；　but　the　second　hit　the　lion　square　in　the　chest；　and　he　rolled　over　dead。

We　all　danced　a　little　war　dance；　and　congratulated　B。　and　turned　to　get　the　meaning　of　a　queer　little　gurgling　gasp　behind　us。　There　was　Fundi！　That　long…legged　scarecrow；　not　content　with　running　to　get　us　and　then　back　again；　had　trailed　us　the　whole　distance　of　our　mad　chase　over　broken　ground　at　terrific　speed　in　order　to　be　in　at　the　death。　And　he　was　just　about　all　in　at　the　death。　He　could　barely　gasp　his　breath；　his　eyes　stuck　out；　he　looked　close　to　apoplexy。

〃Bwana！　bwana！〃　was　all　he　could　say。　〃Master！　master！〃

We　shook　hands　with　Fundi。

〃My　son；〃　said　I；　〃you're　a　true　sport；　and　you'll　surely　get　yours　later。〃

He　did　not　understand　me；　but　he　grinned。　The　gunbearers　began　to　drift　in；　also　completely　pumped。　They　set　up　a　feeble　shout　when　they　saw　the　dead　lion。　It　was　a　good　maned　beast；　three　feet　six　inches　at　the　shoulder；　and　nine　feet　long。

We　left　Fundi　with　the　lion；　instructing　him　to　stay　there　until　some　of　the　other　men　came　up。　We　remounted　and　pushed　on　slowly　in　hopes　of　coming　on　one　of　the　others。

Here　and　there　we　rode；　our　courses　interweaving；　looking　eagerly。　And　lo！　through　a　tiny　opening　in　the　brush　we　espied　one　of　those　elusive　gerenuk　standing　not　over　one　hundred　yards　away。　Whereupon　I　dismounted　and　did　some　of　the　worst　shooting　I　perpetrated　in　Africa；　for　I　let　loose　three　times　at　him　before　I　landed。　But　land　I　did；　and　there　was　one　Lesser　Hoodoo　broken。　Truly　this　was　our　day。

We　measured　him　and　started　to　prepare　the　trophy；　when　to　us　came　Mavrouki　and　a　porter；　quite　out　of　breath；　but　able　to　tell　us　that　they　had　been　scouting　around　and　had　seen　two　of　the　lions。　Then；　instead　of　leaving　one　up　a　tree　to　watch；　both　had　come　pell…mell　to　tell　us　all　about　it。　We　pointed　this　out　to　them；　and　called　their　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　brush　was　wide；　that　lions　are　not　stationary　objects；　and　that；　unlike　the　leopard；　they　can　change　their　spots　quite　readily。　However；　we　remounted　and　went　to　take　a　look。

Of　course　there　was　nothing。　So　we　rode　on；　rather　aimlessly；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　bushes　and　open　spaces。　I　think　we　were　all　a　little　tired　from　the　long　day　and　the　excitement；　and　hence　a　bit　listless。　Suddenly　we　were　fairly　shaken　out　of　our　saddles　by　an　angry　roar　just　ahead。　Usually　a　lion　growls；　low　and　thunderous；　when　he　wants；　to　warn　you　that　you　have　gone　about　far　enough；　but　this　one　was　angry　all　through　at　being　followed　about　so　much；　and　he　just　plain　yelled　at　us。

He　crouched　near　a　bush　forty　yards　away；　and　was　switching　his　tail。　I　had　heard　that　this　was　a　sure　premonition　of　an　instant　charge；　but　I　had　not　before　realized　exactly　what　〃switching　the　tail〃　meant。　I　had　thought　of　it　as　a　slow　sweeping　from　side　to　side；　after　the　manner　of　the　domestic　cat。　This　lion's　tail　was　whirling　perpendicularly　from　right　to　left；　and　from　left　to　right　with　the　speed　and　energy　of　a　flail　actuated　by　a　particularly　instantaneous　kind　of　machinery。　I　could　see　only　the　outline　of　the　head　and　this　vigorous　tail；　but　I　took　instant　aim　and　let　drive。　The　whole　affair　sank　out　of　sight。

We　made　a　detour　around　the　dead　lion　without　stopping　to　examine　him；　shouting　to　one　of　the　men　to　stay　and　watch　the　carcass。　Billy　alone　seemed　uninfected　with　the　now　prevalent　idea　that　we　were　likely　to　find　lions　almost　anywhere。　Her　skepticism　was　justified。　We　found　no　more　lions；　but　another　miracle　took　place　for　all　that。　We　ran　across　the　second　imbecile　gerenuk；　and　B。　collected　it！　These　two　were　the　only　ones　we　ever　got　within　decent　shot　of；　and　they　sandwiched　themselves　neatly　with　lions。　Truly；　it　WAS　our　day。

After　a　time　we　gave　it　up；　and　went　back　to　measure　and　photograph　our　latest　prize。　It　proved　to　be　a　male；　maneless；　two　inches　shorter　than　that　killed　by　B。；　and　three　feet　five　and　one　half　inches　tall　at　the　shoulder。　My　bullet　had　reached　the　brain　just　over　the　left　eye。

Now；　toward　sunset；　we　headed　definitely　toward　camp。　The　long　shadows　and　beautiful　lights　of　evening　were　falling　across　the　hills　far　the　other　side　the　Isiola。　A　little　breeze　with　a　touch　of　coolness　breathed　down　from　distant　unseen　Kenia。　We　plodded　on　through　the　grass　quite　happily；　noting　the　different　animals　coming　out　to　the　cool　of　the　evening。　The　line　of　brush　that　marked　the　course　of　the　Isiola　came　imperceptibly　nearer　until　we　could　make　out　the　white　gleam　of　the　porters'　tents　and　wisps　of　smoke　curling　upward。

Then　a　small　black　mass　disengaged　itself　from　the　camp　and　came　slowly　across　the　prairie　in　our　direction。　As　it　approached　we　made　it　out　to　be　our　Monumwezis；　twenty　strong。　The　news　of　the　lions　had　reached　them；　and　they　were　coming　to　meet　us。　They　were　huddled　in　a　close　knot；　their　heads　inclined　toward　the　centre。　Each　man　carried　upright　a　peeled　white　wand。　They　moved　in　absolute　unison　and　rhythm；　on　a　slanting　zigzag　in　our　direction：　first　three　steps　to　the　right；　then　three　to　the　left；　with　a　strong　stamp　of　the　foot　between。　Their　bodies　swayed　together。　Sulimani　led　them；　dancing　backward；　his　wand　upheld。

〃Sheeka！〃　he　enunciated　in　a　piercing　half　whistle。

And　the　swaying　men　responded　in　chorus；　half　hushed；　rumbling；　with　strong　aspiration。

〃Goom　zoop！　goom　zoop！〃

When　fifty　yards　from　us；　however；　the　formation　broke　and　they　rushed　us　with　a　yell。　Our　horses　plunged　in　astonishment；　and　we　had　hard　work　to　prevent　their　bolting；　small　blame　to　'em！　The　men　surrounded　us；　shaking　our　hands　frantically。　At　once　they　appropriated　everything　we　or　our　gunbearers　carried。　One　who　got　left　otherwise　insisted　on　having　Billy's　parasol。　Then　we　all　broke　for　camp　at　full　speed；　yelling　like　fiends；　firing　our　revolvers　in　the　air。　It　was　a　grand　entry；　and　a　grand　reception。　The　rest　of　the　camp　poured　out　with　wild　shouts。　The　dark　forms　thronged　about　us；　teeth　flashing；　arms　waving。　And　in　the　background；　under　the　shadows　of　the　trees　were　the　Monumwezis；　their　formation　regained；　close　gathered；　heads　bent；　two　steps　swaying　to　the　right…stamp！　two　steps　swaying　to　the　left…stamp！…the　white　wands　gleaming；　and　the　rumble　of　their　lion　song　rolling　in　an　undertone：

〃Goom　zoop！　goom　zoop！〃



XV。　THE　LION　DANCE

We　took　our　hot　baths　and　sat　down　to　supper　most　gratefully；　for　we　were　tired。　The　long　string　of　men；　bearing　each　a　log　of　wood；　filed　in　from　the　darkness　to　add　to　our　pile　of　fuel。　Saa…sita　and　Shamba　knelt　and　built　the　night　fire。　In　a　moment　the　little　flame　licked　up　through　the　carefully　arranged　structure。　We　finished　the　meal；　and　the　boys　whisked　away　the　table。

Then　out　in　the　blackness　beyond　our　little　globe　of　light　we　became　aware　of　a　dull　confusion；　a　rustling　to　and　fro。　Through　the　shadows　the　eye　could　guess　at　movement。　The　confusion　steadied　to　a　kind　of　rhythm；　and　into　the　circle　of　the　fire　came　the　group　of　Monumwezis。　Again　they　were　gathered　together　in　a　compact　little　mass；　but　now　they　were　bent　nearly　double；　and　were　stripped　to　the　red　blankets　about　their　waists。　Before　them　writhed　Sulimani；　close　to　earth；　darting　irregularly　now　to　right；　now　to　left；　wriggling；　spreading　his　arms　abroad。　He　was　repeating　over　and　over　two　phrases；　or　rather　the　same　phrase　in　two　such　different　intonations　that　they　seemed　to　convey　quite　separate　meanings。

〃Ka　soompeele？〃　he　cried　with　a　strongly　appealing　interrogation。

〃Ka　soompeele！〃　he　repeated　with　the　downward　inflection　of　decided　affirmation。

And　the　bent　men；　their　dark　bodies　gleaming　in　the　firelight；　stamping　in　rhythm　every　third　step；　chorused　in　a　deep　rumbling　bass：

〃Goom　zoop！　goom　zoop！〃

Thus　they　advanced；　circled　between　us　and　the　fire；　and　withdrew　to　the　half　darkness；　where　tirelessly　they　continued　the　same　reiterations。

Hardly　had　they　withdrawn　when　another　group　danced　forward　in　their　places。　These　were　the　Kikuyus。　They　had　discarded　completely　their　safari　clothes；　and　now　came　forth　dressed　out　in　skins；　in　strips　of　white　cloth；　with　feathers；　shells　and　various　ornaments。　They　carried　white　wands　to　represent　spears；　and　they　sang　their　tribal　lion　song。　A　soloist　delivered　the　main　argument　in　a　high　wavering　minor　and　was　followed　by　a　deep　rumbling　emphatic　chorus　of　repetition；　strongly　accented　so　that　the　sheer　rhythm　of　it　was　most　pronounced：

〃An…gee　a　Ka　ga　An…gee　a　Ka　ga　An…gee　a　Ka　ga　Ki　ya　Ka　ga　Ka　ga　an　gee　ya！〃

Solemnly　and　loftily；　their　eyes　fixed　straight　before　them　they　made　the　circle　of　the　fire；　passed　before　our　chairs；　and　withdrew　to　the　half　light。　There；　a　few　paces　from　the　stamping；　crouching　Monumwezis；　they　continued　their　performance。

The　next　to　appear　were　the　Wakambas。　These　were　more　histrionic。　They　too　were　unrecognizable　a