the land of footprints-第51部分

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l；　and　find　that　antelope　in　the　plains　averaged　245　yards；　with　a　maximum　of　638　yards；　while　antelope　in　covered　country　averaged　148　yards；　with　a　maximum　of　311。



APPENDIX　IV。　THE　AMERICAN　IN　AFRICA

IN　WHICH　HE　APPEARS　AS　DIFFERENT　FROM　THE　ENGLISHMAN

It　is　always　interesting　to　play　the　other　fellow's　game　his　way；　and　then；　in　light　of　experience；　to　see　wherein　our　way　and　his　way　modify　each　other。

The　above　proposition　here　refers　to　camping。　We　do　considerable　of　it　in　our　country；　especially　in　our　North　and　West。　After　we　have　been　at　it　for　some　time；　we　evolve　a　method　of　our　own。　The　basis　of　that　method　is　to　do　without；　to　GO　LIGHT。　At　first　even　the　best　of　us　will　carry　too　much　plunder；　but　ten　years　of　philosophy　and　rainstorms；　trails　and　trials；　will　bring　us　to　an　irreducible　minimum。　A　party　of　three　will　get　along　with　two　pack　horses；　say；　or；　on　a　harder　trip；　each　will　carry　the　necessities　on　his　own　back。　To　take　just　as　little　as　is　consistent　with　comfort　is　to　play　the　game　skilfully。　Any　article　must　pay　in　use　for　its　transportation。

With　this　ideal　deeply　ingrained　by　the　test　of　experience；　the　American　camper　is　appalled　by　the　caravan　his　British　cousins　consider　necessary　for　a　trip　into　the　African　back　country。　His　said　cousin　has；　perhaps；　very　kindly　offered　to　have　his　outfit　ready　for　him　when　he　arrives。　He　does　arrive　to　find　from　one　hundred　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　men　gathered　as　his　personal　attendants。

〃Great　Scot！〃　he　cries；　〃I　want　to　go　camping；　I　don't　want　to　invade　anybody's　territory。　Why　the　army？〃

He　discovers　that　these　are　porters；　to　carry　his　effects。

〃What　effects？〃　he　demands；　bewildered。　As　far　as　he　knows；　he　has　two　guns；　some　ammunition；　and　a　black　tin　box；　bought　in　London；　and　half…filled　with　extra　clothes；　a　few　medicines；　a　thermometer；　and　some　little　personal　knick…knacks。　He　has　been　wondering　what　else　he　is　going　to　put　in　to　keep　things　from　rattling　about。　Of　course　he　expected　besides　these　to　take　along　a　little　plain　grub；　and　some　blankets；　and　a　frying　pan　and　kettle　or　so。

The　English　friend　has　known　several　Americans；　so　he　explains　patiently。

〃I　know　this　seems　foolish　to　you；〃　he　says；　〃but　you　must　remember　you　are　under　the　equator　and　you　must　do　things　differently　here。　As　long　as　you　keep　fit　you　are　safe；　but　if　you　get　run　down　a　bit　you'll　go。　You've　got　to　do　yourself　well；　down　here；　rather　better　than　you　have　to　in　any　other　climate。　You　need　all　the　comfort　you　can　get；　and　you　want　to　save　yourself　all　you　can。〃

This　has　a　reasonable　sound　and　the　American　does　not　yet　know　the　game。　Recovering　from　his　first　shock；　he　begins　to　look　things　over。　There　is　a　double　tent；　folding　camp　chair；　folding　easy　chair；　folding　table；　wash　basin；　bath　tub；　cot；　mosquito　curtains；　clothes　hangers；　there　are　oil　lanterns；　oil　carriers；　two　loads　of　mysterious　cooking　utensils　and　cook　camp　stuff；　there　is　an　open　fly；　which　his　friend　explains　is　his　dining　tent；　and　there　are　from　a　dozen　to　twenty　boxes　standing　in　a　row；　each　with　its　padlock。　〃I　didn't　go　in　for　luxury；〃　apologizes　the　English　friend。　〃Of　course　we　can　easily　add　anything　you　want　but　I　remember　you　wrote　me　that　you　wanted　to　travel　light。〃

〃What　are　those？〃　our　American　inquires；　pointing　to　the　locked　boxes。

He　learns　that　they　are　chop　boxes；　containing　food　and　supplies。　At　this　he　rises　on　his　hind　legs　and　paws　the　air。

〃Food！〃　he　shrieks。　〃Why；　man　alive；　I'm　alone；　and　I　am　only　going　to　be　out　three　months！　I　can　carry　all　I'll　ever　eat　in　three　months　in　one　of　those　boxes。〃

But　the　Englishman　patiently　explains。　You　cannot　live　on　〃bacon　and　beans〃　in　this　country；　so　to　speak。　You　must　do　yourself　rather　well；　you　know；　to　keep　in　condition。　And　you　cannot　pack　food　in　bags；　it　must　be　tinned。　And　then；　of　course；　such　things　as　your　sparklet　siphons　and　lime　juice　require　careful　packing…and　your　champagne。

〃Champagne；〃　breathes　the　American　in　awestricken　tones。

〃Exactly；　dear　boy；　an　absolute　necessity。　After　a　touch　of　sun　there's　nothing　picks　you　up　better　than　a　mouthful　of　fizz。　It's　used　as　a　medicine；　not　a　drink；　you　understand。〃

The　American　reflects　again　that　this　is　the　other　fellow's　game；　and　that　the　other　fellow　has　been　playing　it　for　some　time；　and　that　he　ought　to　know。　But　he　cannot　yet　see　why　the　one　hundred　and　fifty　men。　Again　the　Englishman　explains。　There　is　the　Headman　to　run　the　show。　Correct：　we　need　him。　Then　there　are　four　askaris。　What　are　they？　Native　soldiers。　No；　you　won't　be　fighting　anything；　but　they　keep　the　men　going；　and　act　as　sort　of　sub…foremen　in　bossing　the　complicated　work。　Next　is　your　cook；　and　your　own　valet　and　that　of　your　horse。　Also　your　two　gunbearers。

〃Hold　on！〃　cries　our　friend。　〃I　have　only　two　guns；　and　I'm　going　to　carry　one　myself。〃

But　this；　he　learns；　is　quite　impossible。　It　is　never　done。　It　is　absolutely　necessary；　in　this　climate；　to　avoid　all　work。

That　makes　how　many？　Ten　already；　and　there　seem　to　be　three　tent　loads；　one　bed　load；　one　chair　and　table　load；　one　lantern　load；　two　miscellaneous　loads；　two　cook　loads；　one　personal　box；　and　fifteen　chop　boxes…total　twenty…six；　plus　the　staff；　as　above；　thirty…six。　Why　all　the　rest　of　the　army？

Very　simple：　these　thirty…six　men　have；　according　to　regulation；　seven　tents；　and　certain　personal　effects；　and　they　must　have　〃potio〃　or　a　ration　of　one　and　a　half　pounds　per　diem。　These　things　must　be　carried　by　more　men。

〃I　see；〃　murmurs　the　American；　crushed；　〃and　these　more　men　have　more　tents　and　more　potio；　which　must　also　be　carried。　It's　like　the　House　that　Jack　Built。〃

So　our　American　concludes　still　once　again　that　the　other　fellow　knows　his　own　game；　and　starts　out。　He　learns　he　has　what　is　called　a　〃modest　safari〃；　and　spares　a　fleeting　wonder　as　to　what　a　really　elaborate　safari　must　be。　The　procession　takes　the　field。　He　soon　sees　the　value　of　the　four　askaris…the　necessity　of　whom　he　has　secretly　doubted。　Without　their　vigorous　seconding　the　headman　would　have　a　hard　time　indeed。　Also；　when　he　observes　the　labour　of　tent…making；　packing；　washing；　and　general　service　performed　by　his　tent　boy；　he　abandons　the　notion　that　that　individual　could　just　as　well　take　care　of　the　horse　as　well；　especially　as　the　horse　has　to　have　all　his　grass　cut　and　brought　to　him。　At　evening　our　friend　has　a　hot　bath；　a　long　cool　fizzly　drink　of　lime　juice　and　soda；　he　puts　on　the　clean　clothes　laid　out　for　him；　assumes　soft　mosquito　boots；　and　sits　down　to　dinner。　This　is　served　to　him　in　courses；　and　on　enamel　ware。　Each　course　has　its　proper…sized　plate　and　cutlery。　He　starts　with　soup；　goes　down　through　tinned　whitebait　or　other　fish；　an　entree；　a　roast；　perhaps　a　curry；　a　sweet；　and　small　coffee。　He　is　certainly　being　〃done　well；〃　and　he　enjoys　the　comfort　of　it。

There　comes　a　time　when　he　begins　to　wonder　a　little。　It　is　all　very　pleasant；　of　course；　and　perhaps　very　necessary；　they　all　tell　him　it　is。　But；　after　all；　it　is　a　little　galling　to　the　average　man　to　think　that　of　him。　Your　Englishman　doesn't　mind　that；　he　enjoys　being　taken　care　of：　but　the　sportsman　of　American　training　likes　to　stand　on　his　own　feet　as　far　as　he　is　able　and　conditions　permit。　Besides；　it　is　expensive。　Besides　that；　it　is　a　confounded　nuisance；　especially　when　potio　gives　out　and　more　must　be　sought；　near　or　far。　Then；　if　he　is　wise；　he　begins　to　do　a　little　figuring　on　his　own　account。

My　experience　was　very　much　as　above。　Three　of　us　went　out　for　eleven　weeks　with　what　was　considered　a　very　〃modest〃　safari　indeed。　It　comprised　one　hundred　and　eighteen　men。　My　fifth　and　last　trip；　also　with　two　companions；　was　for　three　months。　Our　personnel　consisted；　all　told；　forty　men。

In　essentials　the　Englishman　is　absolutely　right。　One　cannot　camp　in　Africa　as　one　would　at　home。　The　experimenter　would　be　dead　in　a　month。　In　his　application　of　that　principle；　however；　he　seems　to　the　American　point　of　view　to　overshoot。　Let　us　examine　his　proposition　in　terms　of　the　essentials…food；　clothing；　shelter。　There　is　no　doubt　but　that　a　man　must　keep　in　top　condition　as　far　as　possible；　and　that；　to　do　so；　he　must　have　plenty　of　good　food。　He　can　never　do　as　we　do　on　very　hard　trips　at　home：　take　a　little　tea；　sugar；　coffee；　flour；　salt；　oatmeal。　But　on　the　other　hand；　he　certainly　does　not　need　a　five…course　dinner　every　night；　nor　a　complete　battery　of　cutlery；　napery　and　table　ware　to　eat　it　from。　Flour；　sugar；　oatmeal；　tea　and　coffee；　rice；　beans；　onions；　curry；　dried　fruits；　a　little　bacon；　and　some　dehydrated　vegetables　will　do　him　very　well　indeed…with　what　he　can　shoot。　These　will　pack　in　waterproof　bags　very　comfortably。　In　addition　to　feeding　himself　well；　he　finds　he　must　not　sleep　next　to　the　ground；　he　must　have　a　hot　bath　every　day；　but　never　a　cold　one；　and　he　must　shelter　himself　with　a　double　tent　against　the　sun。

Those　are　the　absolute　necessities　of　the　climate。　In　other　words；　if　he　carries　a　double　tent；　a　cot；　a　folding　bath；　and　gives　a　little　attention　to　a　properly　balanced　food　supply；　he　has　met　the　situation。

If；　in　addition；　he　takes　canned　goods；　soda　siphons；　lime　juice；　easy　chairs　and　all　the　rest　of　the　paraphernalia；　he　is　merely　using　a　basic　principle　as　an　excuse　to　include　sheer　luxuries。　In　further　extenuation　of　this　he　is　apt　to　argue　that　porters　are　cheap；　and　that　it　costs　but　little　more　to　carry　these　extra　comforts。　Against　this　argument；　of　course；　I　have　nothing　to　say。　It　is　the　inalienable　right　of　every　man　to　carry　all　the　luxuries　he　wants。　My　point　is　that　the　average　American　sportsman　does　not　want　them；　and　only　takes　them　because　he　is　overpersuaded　that　these　things　are　not　luxuries；　but　necessities。　For；　mark　you；　he　could　take　the　same　things　into　the　Sierras　or　the　North…by　paying；　but　he　doesn't。

I　repeat；　it　is　the　inalienable　right　of　any　man　to　travel　as　luxuriously　as　he　pleases。　But　by　the　same　token　it　is　not　his　right　to　pretend　that　luxuries　are　necessities。　That　is　to　put　himself　into　the　same　category　with　the　man　who　always　finds　some　other　excuse　for　taking　a　drink　than　the　simple　one　that　he　wants　it。

The　Englishman's　point