the land of footprints-第44部分

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　to　see　the　herd…always　aggravatingly　on　the　other　side　of　the　cover；　no　matter　which　side　we　selected　for　our　approach；　slowly　grazing　into　the　dense　jungle。　And　always　they　emerged　so　late　and　so　far　away　that　our　very　best　efforts　failed　to　get　us　near　them　before　dark。　The　margin　always　so　narrow；　however；　that　our　hopes　were　alive。

On　the　fourth　day；　which　must　be　our　last　in　Longeetoto；　we　found　that　the　herd　had　shifted　to　fresh　cover　three　miles　along　the　base　of　the　mountains。　We　had　no　faith　in　those　buffaloes；　but　about　half…past　three　we　sallied　forth　dutifully　and　took　position　on　a　hill　overlooking　the　new　hiding　place。　This　consisted　of　a　wide　grove　of　forest　trees　varied　by　occasional　open　glades　and　many　dense　thickets。　So　eager　were　we　to　win　what　had　by　now　developed　into　a　contest　that　I　refused　to　shoot　a　lioness　with　a　three…quarters…grown　cub　that　appeared　within　easy　shot　from　some　reeds　below　us。

Time　passed　as　usual　until　nearly　sunset。　Then　through　an　opening　into　one　of　the　small　glades　we　caught　sight　of　the　herd　travelling　slowly　but　steadily　from　right　to　left。　The　glimpse　was　only　momentary；　but　it　was　sufficient　to　indicate　the　direction　from　which　we　might　expect　them　to　emerge。　Therefore　we　ran　at　top　speed　down　from　our　own　hill；　tore　through　the　jungle　at　its　foot；　and　hastily；　but　with　more　caution；　mounted　the　opposite　slope　through　the　scattered　groves　and　high　grass。　We　could　hear　occasionally　indications　of　the　buffaloes'　slow　advance；　and　we　wanted　to　gain　a　good　ambuscade　above　them　before　they　emerged。　We　found　it　in　the　shape　of　a　small　conical　hillock　perched　on　the　side　hill　itself；　and　covered　with　long　grass。　It　commanded　open　vistas　through　the　scattered　trees　in　all　directions。　And　the　thicket　itself　ended　not　fifty　yards　away。　No　buffalo　could　possibly　come　out　without　our　seeing　him；　and　we　had　a　good　half　hour　of　clear　daylight　before　us。　It　really　seemed　that　luck　had　changed　at　last。

We　settled　ourselves；　unlimbered　for　action；　and　got　our　breath。　The　buffaloes　came　nearer　and　nearer。　At　length；　through　a　tiny　opening　a　hundred　yards　away；　we　could　catch　momentary　glimpses　of　their　great　black　bodies。　I　thrust　forward　the　safety　catch　and　waited。　Finally　a　half　dozen　of　the　huge　beasts　were　feeding　not　six　feet　inside　the　circle　of　brush；　and　only　thirty…odd　yards　from　where　we　lay。

And　they　came　no　farther！　I　never　passed　a　more　heart…breaking　half　hour　of　suspense　than　that　in　which　little　by　little　the　daylight　and　our　hopes　faded；　while　those　confounded　buffaloes　moved　slowly　out　to　the　very　edge　of　the　thicket；　turned；　and　moved　as　slowly　back　again。　At　times　they　came　actually　into　view。　We　could　see　their　sleek　black　bodies　rolling　lazily　into　sight　and　back　again；　like　seals　on　the　surface　of　water；　but　never　could　we　make　out　more　than　that。　I　could　have　had　a　dozen　good　shots；　but　I　could　not　even　guess　what　I　would　be　shooting　at。　And　the　daylight　drained　away　and　the　minutes　ticked　by！

Finally；　as　I　could　see　no　end　to　this　performance　save　that　to　which　we　had　been　so　sickeningly　accustomed　in　the　last　four　days；　I　motioned　to　Memba　Sasa；　and　together　we　glided　like　shadows　into　the　thicket。

There　it　was　already　dusk。　We　sneaked　breathlessly　through　the　small　openings；　desperately　in　a　hurry；　almost　painfully　on　the　alert。　In　the　dark　shadow　sixty　yards　ahead　stood　a　half　dozen　monstrous　bodies　all　facing　our　way。　They　suspected　the　presence　of　something　unusual；　but　in　the　darkness　and　the　stillness　they　could　neither　identify　it　nor　locate　it　exactly。　I　dropped　on　one　knee　and　snatched　my　prism　glasses　to　my　eyes。　The　magnification　enabled　me　to　see　partially　into　the　shadows。　Every　one　of　the　group　carried　the　sharply　inturned　points　to　the　horns：　they　were　all　cows！

An　instant　after　I　had　made　out　this　fact；　they　stampeded　across　our　face。　The　whole　band　thundered　and　crashed　away。

Desperately　we　sprang　after　them；　our　guns　atrail；　our　bodies　stooped　low　to　keep　down　in　the　shadow　of　the　earth。　And　suddenly；　without　the　slightest　warning　we　plumped　around　a　bush　square　on　top　of　the　entire　herd。　It　had　stopped　and　was　staring　back　in　our　direction。　I　could　see　nothing　but　the　wild　toss　of　a　hundred　pair　of　horns　silhouetted　against　such　of　the　irregular　saffron　afterglow　as　had　not　been　blocked　off　by　the　twigs　and　branches　of　the　thicket。　All　below　was　indistinguishable　blackness。

They　stood　in　a　long　compact　semicircular　line　thirty　yards　away；　quite　still；　evidently　staring　intently　into　the　dusk　to　find　out　what　had　alarmed　them。　At　any　moment　they　were　likely　to　make　another　rush；　and　if　they　did　so　in　the　direction　they　were　facing；　they　would　most　certainly　run　over　us　and　trample　us　down。

Remembering　the　dusk　I　thought　it　likely　that　the　unexpected　vivid　flash　of　the　gun　might　turn　them　off　before　they　got　started。　Therefore　I　raised　the　big　double　Holland；　aimed　below　the　line　of　heads；　and　was　just　about　to　pull　trigger　when　my　eye　caught　the　silhouette　of　a　pair　of　horns　whose　tips　spread　out　instead　of　turning　in。　This　was　a　bull；　and　I　immediately　shifted　the　gun　in　his　direction。　At　the　heavy　double　report；　the　herd　broke　wildly　to　right　and　left　and　thundered　away。　I　confess　I　was　quite　relieved。

A　low　moaning　bellow　told　us　that　our　bull　was　down。　The　last　few　days'　experience　at　being　out　late　had　taught　us　wisdom　so　Memba　Sasa　had　brought　a　lantern。　By　the　light　of　this；　we　discovered　our　bull　down；　and　all　but　dead。　To　make　sure；　I　put　a　Winchester　bullet　into　his　backbone。

We　felt　ourselves　legitimately　open　to　congratulations；　for　we　had　killed　this　bull　from　a　practically　nocturnal　herd；　in　the　face　of　considerable　danger　and　more　than　considerable　difficulty。　Therefore　we　shook　hands　and　made　appropriate　remarks　to　each　other；　lacking　anybody　to　make　them　for　us。

By　now　it　was　pitch　dark　in　the　thicket；　and　just　about　so　outside。　We　had　to　do　a　little　planning。　I　took　the　Holland　gun；　gave　Memba　Sasa　the　Winchester；　and　started　him　for　camp　after　help。　As　he　carried　off　the　lantern；　it　was　now　up　to　me　to　make　a　fire　and　to　make　it　quickly。

For　the　past　hour　a　fine　drizzle　had　been　falling；　and　the　whole　country　was　wet　from　previous　rains。　I　hastily　dragged　in　all　the　dead　wood　I　could　find　near；　collected　what　ought　to　be　good　kindling；　and　started　in　to　light　a　fire。　Now；　although　I　am　no　Boy　Scout；　I　have　lit　several　fires　in　my　time。　But　never　when　I　was　at　the　same　time　in　such　a　desperate　need　and　hurry；　and　in　possession　of　such　poor　materials。　The　harder　I　worked；　the　worse　things　sputtered　and　smouldered。　Probably　the　relief　from　the　long　tension　of　the　buffalo　hunt　had　something　to　do　with　my　general　piffling　inefficiency。　If　I　had　taken　time　to　do　a　proper　job　once　instead　of　a　halfway　job　a　dozen　times；　as　I　should　have　done　and　usually　would　have　done；　I　would　have　had　a　fire　in　no　time。　I　imagine　I　was　somewhat　scared。　The　lioness　and　her　hulking　cub　had　smelled　the　buffalo　and　were　prowling　around。　I　could　hear　them　purring　and　uttering　their　hollow　grunts。　However；　at　last　the　flame　held。　I　fed　it　sparingly；　lit　a　pipe；　placed　the　Holland　gun　next　my　hand；　and　resigned　myself　to　waiting。　For　two　hours　this　was　not　so　bad。　I　smoked；　and　rested　up；　and　dried　out　before　my　little　fire。　Then　my　fuel　began　to　run　low。　I　arose　and　tore　down　all　the　remaining　dead　limbs　within　the　circle　of　my　firelight。　These　were　not　many；　so　I　stepped　out　into　the　darkness　for　more。　Immediately　I　was　warned　back　by　a　deep　growl！

The　next　hour　was　not　one　of　such　solid　comfort。　I　began　to　get　parsimonious　about　my　supply　of　firewood；　trying　to　use　it　in　such　a　manner　as　to　keep　up　an　adequate　blaze；　and　at　the　same　time　to　make　it　last　until　Memba　Sasa　should　return　with　the　men。　I　did　it；　though　I　got　down　to　charred　ends　before　I　was　through。　The　old　lioness　hung　around　within　a　hundred　yards　or　so　below；　and　the　buffalo　herd；　returning；　filed　by　above；　pausing　to　stamp　and　snort　at　the　fire。　Finally；　about　nine　o'clock；　I　made　out　two　lanterns　bobbing　up　to　me　through　the　trees。

The　last　incident　to　be　selected　from　many　experiences　with　buffaloes　took　place　in　quite　an　unvisited　district　over　the　mountains　from　the　Loieta　Plains。　For　nearly　two　months　we　had　ranged　far　in　this　lovely　upland　country　of　groves　and　valleys　and　wide　grass　bottoms　between　hills；　hunting　for　greater　kudu。　One　day　we　all　set　out　from　camp　to　sweep　the　base　of　a　range　of　low　mountains　in　search　of　a　good　specimen　of　Newman's　hartebeeste；　or　anything　else　especially　desirable　that　might　happen　along。　The　gentle　slope　from　the　mountains　was　of　grass　cut　by　numerous　small　ravines　grown　with　low　brush。　This　brush　was　so　scanty　as　to　afford　but　indifferent　cover　for　anything　larger　than　one　of　the　small　grass　antelopes。　All　the　ravines　led　down　a　mile　or　so　to　a　deeper　main　watercourse　paralleling　the　mountains。　Some　water　stood　in　the　pools　here；　and　the　cover　was　a　little　more　dense；　but　consisted　at　best　of　but　a　〃stringer〃　no　wider　than　a　city　street。　Flanking　the　stringer　were　scattered　high　bushes　for　a　few　yards；　and　then　the　open　country。　Altogether　as　unlikely　a　place　for　the　shade…loving　buffalo　as　could　be　imagined。

We　collected　our　Newmanii　after　rather　a　long　hunt；　and　just　at　noon；　when　the　heat　of　the　day　began　to　come　on；　we　wandered　down　to　the　water　for　lunch。　Here　we　found　a　good　clear　pool　and　drank。　The　boys　began　to　make　themselves　comfortable　by　the　water's　edge；　C。　went　to　superintend　the　disposal　of　Billy's　mule。　Billy　had　sat　down　beneath　the　shade　of　the　most　hospitable　of　the　bushes　a　hundred　feet　or　so　away；　and　was　taking　off　her　veil　and　gloves。　I　was　carrying　to　her　the　lunch　box。　When　I　was　about　halfway　from　where　the　boys　were　drinking　at　the　stream's　edge　to　where　she　sat；　a　buffalo　bull　thrust　his　head　from　the　bushes　just　the　other　side　of　her。　His　head　was　thrust　up　and　forward；　as　he　reached　after　some　of　the　higher　tender　leaves　on　the　bushes。　So　close　was　he　that　I　could　see　plainly　the　drops　glistening　on　his　moist　black　nose。　As　for　Billy；　peacefully　unwinding　her　long　veil；　she　seemed　fairly　under　the　beast。

I　had　no　weapon；　and　any　moment　might　bring　some　word　or　some　noise　that