the land of footprints-第41部分

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　should　publish　also　Little　Simba's　triumph：　to　tell　how；　at　the　end　of　a　certain　very　lucky　three　months'　safari　he　was　perched　atop　a　pole　and　carried　into　town　triumphantly　at　the　head　of　a　howling；　singing　procession　of　a　hundred　men。　He　returned　to　America；　and　now；　having　retired　from　active　professional　life；　is　leading　an　honoured　old　age　among　the　trophies　he　helped　to　procure。

Funny　Face　first　met　Little　Simba　when　on　an　early　investigating　tour。　With　considerable　difficulty　he　had　shinnied　up　the　table　leg；　and　had　hoisted　himself　over　the　awkwardly　projecting　table　edge。　When　almost　within　reach　of　the　fascinating　affairs　displayed　atop；　he　looked　straight　up　into　the　face　of　Little　Simba！　Funny　Face　shrieked　aloud；　let　go　all　holds　and　fell　off　flat　on　his　back。　Recovering　immediately；　he　climbed　just　as　high　as　he　could；　and　proceeded；　during　the　next　hour；　to　relieve　his　feelings　by　the　most　insulting　chatterings　and　grimaces。　He　never　recovered　from　this　initial　experience。　All　that　was　necessary　to　evoke　all　sorts　of　monkey　talk　was　to　produce　Little　Simba。　Against　his　benign　plush　front　then　broke　a　storm　of　remonstrance。　He　became　the　object　of　slow　advances　and　sudden　scurrying；　shrieking　retreats；　that　lasted　just　as　long　as　he　stayed　there；　and　never　got　any　farther　than　a　certain　quite　conservative　point。　Little　Simba　did　not　mind。　He　was　too　busy　being　a　god。



XXIV。　BUFFALO

The　Cape　Buffalo　is　one　of　the　four　dangerous　kinds　of　African　big　game；　of　which　the　other　three　are　the　lion；　the　rhinoceros；　and　the　elephant。　These　latter　are　familiar　to　us　in　zoological　gardens；　although　the　African　and　larger　form　of　the　rhinoceros　and　elephant　are　seldom　or　never　seen　in　captivity。　But　buffaloes　are　as　yet　unrepresented　in　our　living　collections。　They　are　huge　beasts；　tremendous　from　any　point　of　view；　whether　considered　in　height；　in　mass；　or　in　power。　At　the　shoulder　they　stand　from　just　under　five　feet　to　just　under　six　feet　in　height；　they　are　short　legged；　heavy　bodied　bull　necked；　thick　in　every　dimension。　In　colour　they　are　black　as　to　hair；　and　slate　gray　as　to　skin；　so　that　the　individual　impression　depends　on　the　thickness　of　the　coat。　They　wear　their　horns　parted　in　the　middle；　sweeping　smoothly　away　in　the　curves　of　two　great　bosses　either　side　the　head。　A　good　trophy　will　measure　in　spread　from　forty　inches　to　four　feet。　Four　men　will　be　required　to　carry　in　the　head　alone。　As　buffaloes　when　disturbed　or　suspicious　have　a　habit　of　thrusting　their　noses　up　and　forward；　that　position　will　cling　to　one's　memory　as　the　most　typical　of　the　species。

A　great　many　hunters　rank　the　buffalo　first　among　the　dangerous　beasts。　This　is　not　my　own　opinion；　but　he　is　certainly　dangerous　enough。　He　possesses　the　size；　power；　and　truculence　of　the　rhinoceros；　together　with　all　that　animal's　keenness　of　scent　and　hearing　but　with　a　sharpness　of　vision　the　rhinoceros　has　not。　While　not　as　clever　as　either　the　lion　or　the　elephant；　he　is　tricky　enough　when　angered　to　circle　back　for　the　purpose　of　attacking　his　pursuers　in　the　rear　or　flank；　and　to　arrange　rather　ingenious　ambushes　for　the　same　purpose。　He　is　rather　more　tenacious　of　life　than　the　rhinoceros；　and　will　carry　away　an　extraordinary　quantity　of　big　bullets。　Add　to　these　considerations　the　facts　that　buffaloes　go　in　herds；　and　that；　barring　luck；　chances　are　about　even　they　will　have　to　be　followed　into　the　thickest　cover；　it　can　readily　be　seen　that　their　pursuit　is　exciting。

The　problem　would　be　simplified　were　one　able　or　willing　to　slip　into　the　thicket　or　up　to　the　grazing　herd　and　kill　the　nearest　beast　that　offers。　As　a　matter　of　fact　an　ordinary　herd　will　contain　only　two　or　three　bulls　worth　shooting；　and　it　is　the　hunter's　delicate　task　to　glide　and　crawl　here　and　there；　with　due　regard　for　sight；　scent　and　sound；　until　he　has　picked　one　of　these　from　the　scores　of　undesirables。　Many　times　will　he　worm　his　way　by　inches　toward　the　great　black　bodies　half　defined　in　the　screen　of　thick　undergrowth　only　to　find　that　he　has　stalked　cows　or　small　bulls。　Then　inch　by　inch　he　must　back　out　again；　unable　to　see　twenty　yards　to　either　side；　guiding　himself　by　the　probabilities　of　the　faint　chance　breezes　in　the　thicket。　To　right　and　left　he　hears　the　quiet　continued　crop；　crop；　crop；　sound　of　animals　grazing。　The　sweat　runs　down　his　face　in　streams；　and　blinds　his　eyes；　but　only　occasionally　and　with　the　utmost　caution　can　he　raise　his　hand…or；　better；　lower　his　head…to　clear　his　vision。　When　at　last　he　has　withdrawn　from　the　danger　zone；　he　wipes　his　face；　takes　a　drink　from　the　canteen；　and　tries　again。　Sooner　or　later　his　presence　comes　to　the　notice　of　some　old　cow。　Behind　the　leafy　screen　where　unsuspected　she　has　been　standing　comes　the　most　unexpected　and　heart…jumping　crash！　Instantly　the　jungle　all　about　roars　into　life。　The　great　bodies　of　the　alarmed　beasts　hurl　themselves　through　the　thicket；　smash！　bang！　crash！　smash！　as　though　a　tornado　were　uprooting　the　forest。　Then　abruptly　a　complete　silence！　This　lasts　but　ten　seconds　or　so；　then　off　rushes　the　wild　stampede　in　another　direction；　only　again　to　come　to　a　listening　halt　of　breathless　stillness。　So　the　hunter；　unable　to　see　anything；　and　feeling　very　small；　huddles　with　his　gunbearers　in　a　compact　group；　listening　to　the　wild　surging　short　rushes；　now　this　way；　now　that；　hoping　that　the　stampede　may　not　run　over　him。　If　by　chance　it　does；　he　has　his　two　shots　and　the　possibility　of　hugging　a　tree　while　the　rush　divides　around　him。　The　latter　is　the　most　likely；　a　single　buffalo　is　hard　enough　to　stop　with　two　shots；　let　alone　a　herd。　And　yet；　sometimes；　the　mere　flash　and　noise　will　suffice　to　turn　them；　provided　they　are　not　actually　trying　to　attack；　but　only　rushing　indefinitely　about。　Probably　a　man　can　experience　few　more　thrilling　moments　than　he　will　enjoy　standing　in　one　of　the　small　leafy　rooms　of　an　African　jungle　while　several　hundred　tons　of　buffalo　crash　back　and　forth　all　around　him。

In　the　best　of　circumstances　it　is　only　rarely　that　having　identified　his　big　bull；　the　hunter　can　deliver　a　knockdown　blow。　The　beast　is　extraordinarily　vital；　and　in　addition　it　is　exceedingly　difficult　to　get　a　fair；　open　shot。　Then　from　the　danger　of　being　trampled　down　by　the　blind　and　senseless　stampede　of　the　herd　he　passes　to　the　more　defined　peril　from　an　angered　and　cunning　single　animal。　The　majority　of　fatalities　in　hunting　buffaloes　happen　while　following　wounded　beasts。　A　flank　charge　at　close　range　may　catch　the　most　experienced　man；　and　even　when　clearly　seen；　it　is　difficult　to　stop。　The　buffalo's　wide　bosses　are　a　helmet　to　his　brain；　and　the　body　shot　is　always　chancy。　The　beast　tosses　his　victim；　or　tramples　him；　or　pushes　him　against　a　tree　to　crush　him　like　a　fly。

He　who　would　get　his　trophy；　however；　is　not　always…perhaps　is　not　generally…forced　into　the　thicket　to　get　it。　When　not　much　disturbed；　buffaloes　are　in　the　habit　of　grazing　out　into　the　open　just　before　dark；　and　of　returning　to　their　thicket　cover　only　well　after　sunrise。　If　the　hunter　can　arrange　to　meet　his　herd　at　such　a　time；　he　stands　a　very　good　chance　of　getting　a　clear　shot。　The　job　then　requires　merely　ordinary　caution　and　manoeuvring；　and　the　only　danger；　outside　the　ever…present　one　from　the　wounded　beast；　is　that　the　herd　may　charge　over　him　deliberately。　Therefore　it　is　well　to　keep　out　of　sight。

The　difficulty　generally　is　to　locate　your　beasts。　They　wander　all　night；　and　must　be　blundered　upon　in　the　early　morning　before　they　have　drifted　back　into　the　thickets。　Sometimes；　by　sending　skilled　trackers　in　several　directions；　they　can　be　traced　to　where　they　have　entered　cover。　A　messenger　then　brings　the　white　man　to　the　place；　and　every　one　tries　to　guess　at　what　spot　the　buffaloes　are　likely　to　emerge　for　their　evening　stroll。　It　is　remarkably　easy　to　make　a　wrong　guess；　and　the　remaining　daylight　is　rarely　sufficient　to　repair　a　mistake。　And　also；　in　the　case　of　a　herd　ranging　a　wide　country　with　much　tall　grass　and　several　drinking　holes；　it　is　rather　difficult；　without　very　good　luck；　to　locate　them　on　any　given　night　or　morning。　A　few　herds；　a　very　few；　may　have　fixed　habits；　and　so　prove　easy　hunting。

These　difficulties；　while　in　no　way　formidable；　are　real　enough　in　their　small　way；　but　they　are　immensely　increased　when　the　herds　have　been　often　disturbed。　Disturbance　need　not　necessarily　mean　shooting。　In　countries　unvisited　by　white　men　often　the　pastoral　natives　will　so　annoy　the　buffalo　by　shoutings　and　other　means；　whenever　they　appear　near　the　tame　cattle；　that　the　huge　beasts　will　come　practically　nocturnal。　In　that　case　only　the　rankest　luck　will　avail　to　get　a　man　a　chance　in　the　open。　The　herds　cling　to　cover　until　after　sundown　and　just　at　dusk；　and　they　return　again　very　soon　after　the　first　streaks　of　dawn。　If　the　hunter　just　happens　to　be　at　the　exact　spot；　he　may　get　a　twilight　shot　when　the　glimmering　ivory　of　his　front　sight　is　barely　visible。　Otherwise　he　must　go　into　the　thicket。

As　an　illustration　of　the　first　condition　might　be　instanced　an　afternoon　on　the　Tana。　The　weather　was　very　hot。　We　had　sent　three　lots　of　men　out　in　different　directions；　each　under　the　leadership　of　one　of　the　gunbearers；　to　scout；　while　we　took　it　easy　in　the　shade　of　our　banda；　or　grass　shelter；　on　the　bank　of　the　river。　About　one　o'clock　a　messenger　came　into　camp　reporting　that　the　men　under　Mavrouki　had　traced　a　herd　to　its　lying…down　place。　We　took　our　heavy　guns　and　started。

The　way　led　through　thin　scrub　up　the　long　slope　of　a　hill　that　broke　on　the　other　side　into　undulating　grass　ridges　that　ended　in　a　range　of　hills。　These　were　about　four　or　five　miles　distant；　and　thinly　wooded　on　sides　and　lower　slopes　with　what　resembled　a　small　live…oak　growth。　Among　these　trees；　our　guide　told　us；　the　buffalo　had　first　been　sighted。

The　sun　was　very　hot；　and　all　the　animals　were　still。　We　saw　impalla　in　the　scrub；　and　many　giraffes　and　bucks　on　the　plains。　After　an　hour　and　a　half's　walk　we　entered　the　parklike　groves　at　the　foot　of　the　hills；　and　our　guide　began　to　proceed　more　cautiously。　He　moved　forward　a　few　feet；　peered　about；　retraced　his　steps。　Suddenly　his　face　b