the land of footprints-第43部分

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The　going　was　very　thick；　naturally；　and　we　could　not　see　very　far　ahead。　Our　object　was　not　now　to　try　for　a　bull；　but　merely　to　find　where　the　herd　was　feeding；　in　order　that　we　might　wait　for　it　to　come　out。　However；　we　were　brought　to　a　stand；　in　the　middle　of　a　jungle　of　green　leaves；　by　the　cropping　sound　of　a　beast　grazing　just　the　other　side　of　a　bush。　We　could　not　see　it；　and　we　stood　stock　still　in　the　hope　of　escaping　discovery　ourselves。　But　an　instant　later　a　sudden　crash　of　wood　told　us　we　had　been　seen。　It　was　near　work。　The　gunbearers　crouched　close　to　me。　I　held　the　heavy　double　gun　ready。　If　the　beast　had　elected　to　charge　I　would　have　had　less　than　ten　yards　within　which　to　stop　it。　Fortunately　it　did　not　do　so。　But　instantly　the　herd　was　afoot　and　off　at　full　speed。　A　locomotive　amuck　in　a　kindling　pile　could　have　made　no　more　appalling　a　succession　of　rending　crashes　than　did　those　heavy　animals　rushing　here　and　there　through　the　thick　woody　growth。　We　could　see　nothing。　Twice　the　rush　started　in　our　direction；　but　stopped　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun；　to　be　succeeded　by　absolute　stillness　when　everything；　ourselves　included；　held　its　breath　to　listen。　Finally；　the　first　panic　over；　the　herd　started　definitely　away　downstream。　We　ran　as　fast　as　we　could　out　of　the　jungle　to　a　commanding　position　on　the　hill。　Thence　we　could　determine　the　course　of　the　herd。　It　continued　on　downstream　as　far　as　we　could　follow　the　sounds　in　the　convolutions　of　the　hills。　Realizing　that　it　would　improbably　recover　enough　from　its　alarmed　condition　to　resume　its　regular　habits　that　day；　we　returned　to　camp。

Next　morning　Memba　Sasa　and　I　were　afield　before　daylight。　We　took　no　other　men。　In　hunting　I　am　a　strong　disbeliever　in　the　common　habit　of　trailing　along　a　small　army。　It　is　simple　enough；　in　case　the　kill　is　made；　to　send　back　for　help。　No　matter　how　skilful　your　men　are　at　stalking；　the　chances　of　alarming　the　game　are　greatly　increased　by　numbers；　while　the　possibilities　of　misunderstanding　the　plan　of　campaign；　and　so　getting　into　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time；　are　infinite。　Alone；　or　with　one　gunbearer；　a　man　can　slip　in　and　out　a　herd　of　formidable　animals　with　the　least　chances　of　danger。　Merely　going　out　after　camp　meat　is　of　course　a　different　matter。

We　did　not　follow　in　the　direction　taken　by　the　herd　the　night　before；　but　struck　off　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　valley。　For　two　hours　we　searched　the　wooded　country　at　the　base　of　the　cliff　mountains；　working　slowly　around　the　circle；　examining　every　inlet；　ravine　and　gully。　Plenty　of　other　sorts　of　game　we　saw；　including　elephant　tracks　not　a　half　hour　old；　but　no　buffalo。　About　eight　o'clock；　however；　while　looking　through　my　glasses；　I　caught　sight　of　some　tiny　chunky　black　dots　crawling　along　below　the　mountains　diagonally　across　the　valley；　and　somewhat　over　three　miles　away。　We　started　in　that　direction　as　fast　as　we　could　walk。　At　the　end　of　an　hour　we　surmounted　the　last　swell；　and　stood　at　the　edge　of　a　steep　drop。　Immediately　below　us　flowed　a　good…sized　stream　through　a　high　jungle　over　the　tops　of　which　we　looked　to　a　triangular　gentle　slope　overgrown　with　scattered　bushes　and　high　grass。　Beyond　this　again　ran　another　jungle；　angling　up　hill　from　the　first；　to　end　in　a　forest　of　trees　about　thirty　or　forty　acres　in　extent。　This　jungle　and　these　trees　were　backed　up　against　the　slope　of　the　mountain。　The　buffaloes　we　had　first　seen　above　the　grove：　they　must　now　have　sought　cover　among　either　the　trees　or　the　lower　jungle；　and　it　seemed　reasonable　that　the　beasts　would　emerge　on　the　grass　and　bush　area　late　in　the　afternoon。　Therefore　Memba　Sasa　and　I　selected　good　comfortable　sheltered　spots；　leaned　our　backs　against　rocks；　and　resigned　ourselves　to　long　patience。　It　was　now　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　we　could　not　expect　our　game　to　come　out　before　half　past　three　at　earliest。　We　could　not；　however；　go　away　to　come　back　later　because　of　the　chance　that　the　buffaloes　might　take　it　into　their　heads　to　go　travelling。　I　had　been　fooled　that　way　before。　For　this　reason；　also；　it　was　necessary；　every　five　minutes　or　so；　to　examine　carefully　all　our　boundaries；　lest　the　beasts　might　be　slipping　away　through　the　cover。

The　hours　passed　very　slowly。　We　made　lunch　last　as　long　as　possible。　I　had　in　my　pocket　a　small　edition　of　Hawthorne's　〃The　House　of　the　Seven　Gables；〃　which　I　read；　pausing　every　few　minutes　to　raise　my　glasses　for　the　periodical　examination　of　the　country。　The　mental　focussing　back　from　the　pale　gray　half　light　of　Hawthorne's　New　England　to　the　actuality　of　wild　Africa　was　a　most　extraordinary　experience。

Through　the　heat　of　the　day　the　world　lay　absolutely　silent。　At　about　half…past　three；　however；　we　heard　rumblings　and　low　bellows　from　the　trees　a　half　mile　away。　I　repocketed　Hawthorne；　and　aroused　myself　to　continuous　alertness。

The　ensuing　two　hours　passed　more　slowly　than　all　the　rest　of　the　day；　for　we　were　constantly　on　the　lookout。　The　buffaloes　delayed　most　singularly；　seemingly　reluctant　to　leave　their　deep　cover。　The　sun　dropped　behind　the　mountains；　and　their　shadow　commenced　to　climb　the　opposite　range。　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　We　had　not　more　than　a　half　hour　of　daylight　left。

Fifteen　minutes　of　this　passed。　It　began　to　look　as　though　our　long　and　monotonous　wait　had　been　quite　in　vain；　when；　right　below　us；　and　perhaps　five　hundred　yards　away；　four　great　black　bodies　fed　leisurely　from　the　bushes。　Three　of　them　we　could　see　plainly。　Two　were　bulls　of　fair　size。　The　fourth；　half　concealed　in　the　brush；　was　by　far　the　biggest　of　the　lot。

In　order　to　reach　them　we　would　have　to　slip　down　the　face　of　the　hill　on　which　we　sat；　cross　the　stream　jungle　at　the　bottom；　climb　out　the　other　side；　and　make　our　stalk　to　within　range。　With　a　half　hour　more　of　daylight　this　would　have　been　comparatively　easy；　but　in　such　circumstances　it　is　difficult　to　move　at　the　same　time　rapidly　and　unseen。　However；　we　decided　to　make　the　attempt。　To　that　end　we　disencumbered　ourselves　of　all　our　extras…lunch　box；　book；　kodak；　glasses；　etc。…and　wormed　our　way　as　rapidly　as　possible　toward　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　We　utilized　the　cover　as　much　as　we　were　able；　but　nevertheless　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　when　we　had　dropped　below　the　line　of　the　jungle。　We　wasted　very　little　time　crossing　the　latter；　save　for　precautions　against　noise。　Even　in　my　haste；　however；　I　had　opportunity　to　notice　its　high　and　austere　character；　with　the　arching　overhead　vines；　and　the　clear　freedom　from　undergrowth　in　its　heart。　Across　this　cleared　space　we　ran　at　full　speed；　crouching　below　the　grasp　of　the　vines；　splashed　across　the　brook　and　dashed　up　the　other　bank。　Only　a　faint　glimmer　of　light　lingered　in　the　jungle。　At　the　upper　edge　we　paused；　collected　ourselves；　and　pushed　cautiously　through　the　thick　border…screen　of　bush。

The　twilight　was　just　fading　into　dusk。　Of　course　we　had　taken　our　bearings　from　the　other　hill；　so　now；　after　reassuring　ourselves　of　them；　we　began　to　wriggle　our　way　at　a　great　pace　through　the　high　grass。　Our　calculations　were　quite　accurate。　We　stalked　successfully；　and　at　last；　drenched　in　sweat；　found　ourselves　lying　flat　within　ten　yards　of　a　small　bush　behind　which　we　could　make　out　dimly　the　black　mass　of　the　largest　beast　we　had　seen　from　across　the　way。

Although　it　was　now　practically　dark；　we　had　the　game　in　our　own　hands。　From　our　low　position　the　animal；　once　it　fed　forward　from　behind　the　single　small　bush；　would　be　plainly　outlined　against　the　sky；　and　at　ten　yards　I　should　be　able　to　place　my　heavy　bullets　properly；　even　in　the　dark。　Therefore；　quite　easy　in　our　minds；　we　lay　flat　and　rested。　At　the　end　of　twenty　seconds　the　animal　began　to　step　forward。　I　levelled　my　double　gun；　ready　to　press　trigger　the　moment　the　shoulder　appeared　in　the　clear。　Then　against　the　saffron　sky　emerged　the　ugly　outline　and　two　upstanding　horns　of　a　rhinoceros！

〃Faru！〃　I　whispered　disgustedly　to　Memba　Sasa。　With　infinite　pains　we　backed　out；　then　retreated　to　a　safe　distance。　It　was　of　course　now　too　late　to　hunt　up　the　three　genuine　buffaloes　of　this　ill…assorted　group。

In　fact　our　main　necessity　was　to　get　through　the　river　jungle　before　the　afterglow　had　faded　from　the　sky；　leaving　us　in　pitch　darkness。　I　sent　Memba　Sasa　across　to　pick　up　the　effects　we　had　left　on　the　opposite　ridge；　while　I　myself　struck　directly　across　the　flat　toward　camp。

I　had　plunged　ahead　thus；　for　two　or　three　hundred　yards；　when　I　was　brought　up　short　by　the　violent　snort　of　a　rhinoceros　just　off　the　starboard　bow。　He　was　very　close；　but　I　was　unable　to　locate　him　in　the　dusk。　A　cautious　retreat　and　change　of　course　cleared　me　from　him；　and　I　was　about　to　start　on　again　full　speed　when　once　more　I　was　halted　by　another　rhinoceros；　this　time　dead　ahead。　Attempting　to　back　away　from　him；　I　aroused　another　in　my　rear；　and　as　though　this　were　not　enough　a　fourth　opened　up　to　the　left。

It　was　absolutely　impossible　to　see　anything　ten　yards　away　unless　it　happened　to　be　silhouetted　against　the　sky。　I　backed　cautiously　toward　a　little　bush；　with　a　vague　idea　of　having　something　to　dodge　around。　As　the　old　hunter　said　when；　unarmed；　he　met　the　bear；　〃Anything；　even　a　newspaper；　would　have　come　handy。〃　To　my　great　joy　I　backed　against　a　conical　ant　hill　four　or　five　feet　high。　This　I　ascended　and　began　anti…rhino　demonstrations。　I　had　no　time　to　fool　with　rhinos；　anyway。　I　wanted　to　get　through　that　jungle　before　the　leopards　left　their　family　circles。　I　hurled　clods　of　earth　and　opprobrious　shouts　and　epithets　in　the　four　directions　of　my　four　obstreperous　friends；　and　I　thought　I　counted　four　reluctant　departures。　Then；　with　considerable　doubt；　I　descended　from　my　ant　hill　and　hurried　down　the　slope；　stumbling　over　grass　hummocks；　colliding　with　bushes；　tangling　with　vines；　but　progressing　in　a　gratifyingly　rhinoless　condition。　Five　minutes　cautious　but　rapid　feeling　my　way　brought　me　through　the　jungle。　Shortly　after　I　raised　the　campfires；　and　so　got　home。

The　next　two　days　were　repetitions；　with　slight　variation；　of　this　experience；　minus　the　rhinos！　Starting　from　camp　before　daylight　we　were　only　in　time　to　see　the　herd…always　aggr