the land of footprints-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ll　but　one。　He　remained　to　stare；　but　his　tail　was　up；　and　we　knew　he　only　stayed　because　he　knew　he　could　easily　catch　up　in　the　next　twenty　seconds。

The　chance　was　very　slim　of　delivering　a　knockout　at　that　distance；　but　we　badly　needed　meat；　anyway；　after　our　march　through　the　Thirst；　so　I　tried　him。　We　heard　the　well…known　plunk　of　the　bullet；　but　down　went　his　head；　up　went　his　heels；　and　away　went　he。　We　watched　him　in　vast　disgust。　He　cavorted　out　into　a　bare　open　space　without　cover　of　any　sort；　and　then　flopped　over。　I　thought　I　caught　a　fleeting　grin　of　delight　on　Mavrouki's　face；　but　he　knew　enough　instantly　to　conceal　his　satisfaction　over　sure　meat。

There　were　now　no　zebra　anywhere　near；　but　since　nobody　ever　thinks　of　omitting　any　chances　in　Africa；　I　sneaked　up　to　the　tree　and　took　a　perfunctory　look。　There　stood　another；　providentially　absent…minded；　zebra！

We　got　that　one。　Everybody　was　now　happy。　The　boys　raced　over　to　the　first　kill；　which　soon　took　its　dismembered　way　toward　camp。　C。　and　I　carefully　organized　our　plan　of　campaign。　We　fixed　in　our　memories　the　exact　location　of　each　and　every　bush；　we　determined　compass　direction　from　camp；　and　any　other　bearings　likely　to　prove　useful　in　finding　so　small　a　spot　in　the　dark。　Then　we　left　a　boy　to　keep　carrion　birds　off　until　sunset；　and　returned　home。

We　were　out　in　the　morning　before　even　the　first　sign　of　dawn。　Billy　rode　her　little　mule；　C。　and　I　went　afoot；　Memba　Sasa　accompanied　us　because　he　could　see　whole　lions　where　even　C。's　trained　eye　could　not　make　out　an　ear；　and　the　syce　went　along　to　take　care　of　the　mule。　The　heavens　were　ablaze　with　the　thronging　stars　of　the　tropics；　so　we　found　we　could　make　out　the　skyline　of　the　distant　butte　over　the　rise　of　the　plains。　The　earth　itself　was　a　pool　of　absolute　blackness。　We　could　not　see　where　we　were　placing　our　feet；　and　we　were　continually　bringing　up　suddenly　to　walk　around　an　unexpected　aloe　or　thornbush。　The　night　was　quite　still；　but　every　once　in　a　while　from　the　blackness　came　rustlings；　scamperings；　low　calls；　and　once　or　twice　the　startled　barking　of　zebra　very　near　at　hand。　The　latter　sounded　as　ridiculous　as　ever。　It　is　one　of　the　many　incongruities　of　African　life　that　Nature　should　have　given　so　large　and　so　impressive　a　creature　the　petulant　yapping　of　an　exasperated　Pomeranian　lap　dog。　At　the　end　of　three　quarters　of　an　hour　of　more　or　less　stumbling　progress；　we　made　out　against　the　sky　the　twisted　treelet　that　served　as　our　landmark。　Billy　dismounted；　turned　the　mule　over　to　the　syce；　and　we　crept　slowly　forward　until　within　a　guessed　two　or　three　hundred　yards　of　our　kill。

Nothing　remained　now　but　to　wait　for　the　daylight。　It　had　already　begun　to　show。　Over　behind　the　distant　mountains　some　one　was　kindling　the　fires；　and　the　stars　were　flickering　out。　The　splendid　ferocity　of　the　African　sunrise　was　at　hand。　Long　bands　of　slate　dark　clouds　lay　close　along　the　horizon；　and　behind　them　glowed　a　heart　of　fire；　as　on　a　small　scale　the　lamplight　glows　through　a　metal…worked　shade。　On　either　side　the　sky　was　pale　green…blue；　translucent　and　pure；　deep　as　infinity　itself。　The　earth　was　still　black；　and　the　top　of　the　rise　near　at　hand　was　clear　edged。　On　that　edge；　and　by　a　strange　chance　accurately　in　the　centre　of　illumination；　stood　the　uncouth　massive　form　of　a　shaggy　wildebeeste；　his　head　raised；　staring　to　the　east。　He　did　not　move；　nothing　of　that　fire　and　black　world　moved；　only　instant　by　instant　it　changed；　swelling　in　glory　toward　some　climax　until　one　expected　at　any　moment　a　fanfare　of　trumpets；　the　burst　of　triumphant　culmination。

Then　very　far　down　in　the　distance　a　lion　roared。　The　wildebeeste；　without　moving；　bellowed　back　an　answer　or　a　defiance。　Down　in　the　hollow　an　ostrich　boomed。　Zebra　barked；　and　several　birds　chirped　strongly。　The　tension　was　breaking　not　in　the　expected　fanfare　and　burst　of　triumphal　music；　but　in　a　manner　instantly　felt　to　be　more　fitting　to　what　was　indeed　a　wonder；　but　a　daily　wonder　for　all　that。　At　one　and　the　same　instant　the　rim　of　the　sun　appeared　and　the　wildebeeste；　after　the　sudden　habit　of　his　kind；　made　up　his　mind　to　go。　He　dropped　his　head　and　came　thundering　down　past　us　at　full　speed。　Straight　to　the　west　he　headed；　and　so　disappeared。　We　could　hear　the　beat　of　his　hoofs　dying　into　the　distance。　He　had　gone　like　a　Warder　of　the　Morning　whose　task　was　finished。　On　the　knife…edged　skyline　appeared　the　silhouette　of　slim…legged　little　Tommies；　flirting　their　rails；　sniffing　at　the　dewy　grass；　dainty；　slender；　confiding；　the　open…day　antithesis　of　the　tremendous　and　awesome　lord　of　the　darkness　that　had　roared　its　way　to　its　lair；　and　to　the　massive　shaggy　herald　of　morning　that　had　thundered　down　to　the　west。



III。　THE　CENTRAL　PLATEAU

Now　is　required　a　special　quality　of　the　imagination；　not　in　myself；　but　in　my　readers；　for　it　becomes　necessary　for　them　to　grasp　the　logic　of　a　whole　country　in　one　mental　effort。　The　difficulties　to　me　are　very　real。　If　I　am　to　tell　you　it　all　in　detail；　your　mind　becomes　confused　to　the　point　of　mingling　the　ingredients　of　the　description。　The　resultant　mental　picture　is　a　composite；　it　mixes　localities　wide　apart；　it　comes　out；　like　the　snake…creeper…swamp…forest　thing　of　grammar…school　South　America；　an　unreal　and　deceitful　impression。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　I　try　to　give　you　a　bird's…eye　view…saying；　here　is　plain；　and　there　follows　upland；　and　yonder　succeed　mountains　and　hills…you　lose　the　sense　of　breadth　and　space　and　the　toil　of　many　days。　The　feeling　of　onward　outward　extending　distance　is　gone；　and　that　impression　so　indispensable　to　finite　understanding…〃here　am　I；　and　what　is　beyond　is　to　be　measured　by　the　length　of　my　legs　and　the　toil　of　my　days。〃　You　will　not　stop　long　enough　on　my　plains　to　realize　their　physical　extent　nor　their　influence　on　the　human　soul。　If　I　mention　them　in　a　sentence；　you　dismiss　them　in　a　thought。　And　that　is　something　the　plains　themselves　refuse　to　permit　you　to　do。　Yet　sometimes　one　must　become　a　guide…book；　and　bespeak　his　reader's　imagination。

The　country；　then；　wherein　we　travelled　begins　at　the　sea。　Along　the　coast　stretches　a　low　rolling　country　of　steaming　tropics；　grown　with　cocoanuts；　bananas；　mangoes；　and　populated　by　a　happy；　half…naked　race　of　the　Swahilis。　Leaving　the　coast；　the　country　rises　through　hills。　These　hills　are　at　first　fertile　and　green　and　wooded。　Later　they　turn　into　an　almost　unbroken　plateau　of　thorn　scrub；　cruel；　monotonous；　almost　impenetrable。　Fix　thorn　scrub　in　your　mind；　with　rhino　trails；　and　occasional　openings　for　game；　and　a　few　rivers　flowing　through　palms　and　narrow　jungle　strips；　fix　it　in　your　mind　until　your　mind　is　filled　with　it；　until　you　are　convinced　that　nothing　else　can　exist　in　the　world　but　more　and　more　of　the　monotonous；　terrible；　dry；　onstretching　desert　of　thorn。

Then　pass　through　this　to　the　top　of　the　hills　inland；　and　journey　over　these　hills　to　the　highland　plains。

Now　sense　and　appreciate　these　wide　seas　of　and　the　hills　and　ranges　of　mountains　rising　from　them；　and　their　infinite　diversity　of　country…their　rivers　marked　by　ribbons　of　jungle；　their　scattered…bush　and　their　thick…bush　areas；　their　grass　expanses；　and　their　great　distances　extending　far　over　exceedingly　wide　horizons。　Realize　how　many　weary　hours　you　must　travel　to　gain　the　nearest　butte；　what　days　of　toil　the　view　from　its　top　will　disclose。　Savour　the　fact　that　you　can　spend　months　in　its　veriest　corner　without　exhausting　its　possibilities。　Then；　and　not　until　then；　raise　your　eyes　to　the　low　rising　transverse　range　that　bands　it　to　the　west　as　the　thorn　desert　bands　it　to　the　east。

And　on　these　ranges　are　the　forests；　the　great　bewildering　forests。　In　what　looks　like　a　grove　lying　athwart　a　little　hill　you　can　lose　yourself　for　days。　Here　dwell　millions　of　savages　in　an　apparently　untouched　wilderness。　Here　rises　a　snow　mountain　on　the　equator。　Here　are　tangles　and　labyrinths；　great　bamboo　forests　lost　in　folds　of　the　mightiest　hills。　Here　are　the　elephants。　Here　are　the　swinging　vines；　the　jungle　itself。

Yet　finally　it　breaks。　We　come　out　on　the　edge　of　things　and　look　down　on　a　great　gash　in　the　earth。　It　is　like　a　sunken　kingdom　in　itself；　miles　wide；　with　its　own　mountain　ranges；　its　own　rivers；　its　own　landscape　features。　Only　on　either　side　of　it　rise　the　escarpments　which　are　the　true　level　of　the　plateau。　One　can　spend　two　months　in　this　valley；　too；　and　in　the　countries　south　to　which　it　leads。　And　on　its　farther　side　are　the　high　plateau　plains　again；　or　the　forests；　or　the　desert；　or　the　great　lakes　that　lie　at　the　source　of　the　Nile。

So　now；　perhaps；　we　are　a　little　prepared　to　go　ahead。　The　guide…book　work　is　finished　for　good　and　all。　There　is　the　steaming　hot　low　coast　belt；　and　the　hot　dry　thorn　desert　belt；　and　the　varied　immense　plains；　and　the　high　mountain　belt　of　the　forests；　and　again　the　variegated　wide　country　of　the　Rift　Valley　and　the　high　plateau。　To　attempt　to　tell　you　seriatim　and　in　detail　just　what　they　are　like　is　the　task　of　an　encyclopaedist。　Perhaps　more　indirectly　you　may　be　able　to　fill　in　the　picture　of　the　country；　the　people；　and　the　beasts。



IV。　THE　FIRST　CAMP

Our　very　first　start　into　the　new　country　was　made　when　we　piled　out　from　the　little　train　standing　patiently　awaiting　the　good　pleasure　of　our　descent。　That　feature　strikes　me　with　ever　new　wonder…the　accommodating　way　trains　of　the　Uganda　Railway　have　of　waiting　for　you。　One　day；　at　a　little　wayside　station；　C。　and　I　were　idly　exchanging　remarks　with　the　only　white　man　in　sight；　killing　time　until　the　engine　should　whistle　to　a　resumption　of　the　journey。　The　guard　lingered　about　just　out　of　earshot。　At　the　end　of　five　minutes　C。　happened　to　catch　his　eye；　whereupon　he　ventured　to　approach。

〃When　you　have　finished　your　conversation；〃　said　he　politely；　〃we　are　all　ready　to　go　on。〃

On　the　morning　in　question　there　were　a　lot　of　us　to　disembark…one　hundred　and　twenty…two；　to　be　exact…of　which　four　were　white。　We　were　not　yet　acquainted　with　our　men；　nor　yet　with　our　stores；　nor　with　the　methods　of　our　travel。　The　train　went　off　and　left　us　in　the　middle　of　a　high　plateau；　with　low　ridges　runn