the land of footprints-第16章

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alists；　it　follows　that　the　early　morning　chorus　is　wonderful。　Africa　may　not　possess　the　soloists；　but　its　full　orchestrial　effects　are　superb。

Naturally　under　the　equator　one　expects　and　demands　the　〃gorgeous　tropical　plumage〃　of　the　books。　He　is　not　disappointed。　The　sun…birds　of　fifty　odd　species；　the　brilliant　blue　starlings；　the　various　parrots；　the　variegated　hornbills；　the　widower…birds；　and　dozens　of　others　whose　names　would　mean　nothing　flash　here　and　there　in　the　shadow　and　in　the　open。　With　them　are　hundreds　of　quiet　little　bodies　just　as　interesting　to　one　who　likes　birds。　》From　the　trees　and　bushes　hang　pear…shaped　nests　plaited　beautifully　of　long　grasses；　hard　and　smooth　as　hand…made　baskets；　the　work　of　the　various　sorts　of　weaver…birds。　In　the　tops　of　the　trees　roosted　tall　marabout　storks　like　dissipated；　hairless　old　club…men　in　well…groomed；　correct　evening　dress。

And　around　camp　gathered　the　swift　brown　kites。　They　were　robbers　and　villains；　but　we　could　not　hate　them。　All　day　long　they　sailed　back　and　forth　spying　sharply。　When　they　thought　they　saw　their　chance；　they　stooped　with　incredible　swiftness　to　seize　a　piece　of　meat。　Sometimes　they　would　snatch　their　prize　almost　from　the　hands　of　its　rightful　owner；　and　would　swoop　triumphantly　upward　again　pursued　by　polyglot　maledictions　and　a　throwing　stick。　They　were　very　skilful　on　their　wings。　I　have　many　times　seen　them；　while　flying；　tear　up　and　devour　large　chunks　of　meat。　It　seems　to　my　inexperience　as　an　aviator　rather　a　nice　feat　to　keep　your　balance　while　tearing　with　your　beak　at　meat　held　in　your　talons。　Regardless　of　other　landmarks；　we　always　knew　when　we　were　nearing　camp；　after　one　of　our　strolls；　by　the　gracefully　wheeling　figures　of　our　kites。



IX。　THE　FIRST　LION

One　day　we　all　set　out　to　make　our　discoveries：　F。；　B。；　and　I　with　our　gunbearers；　Memba　Sasa；　Mavrouki；　and　Simba；　and　ten　porters　to　bring　in　the　trophies；　which　we　wanted　very　much；　and　the　meat；　which　the　men　wanted　still　more。　We　rode　our　horses；　and　the　syces　followed。　This　made　quite　a　field　force…nineteen　men　all　told。　Nineteen　white　men　would　be　exceedingly　unlikely　to　get　within　a　liberal　half　mile　of　anything；　but　the　native　has　sneaky　ways。

At　first　we　followed　between　the　river　and　the　low　hills；　but　when　the　latter　drew　back　to　leave　open　a　broad　flat；　we　followed　their　line。　At　this　point　they　rose　to　a　clifflike　headland　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　high；　flat　on　top。　We　decided　to　investigate　that　mesa；　both　for　the　possibilities　of　game；　and　for　the　chance　of　a　view　abroad。

The　footing　was　exceedingly　noisy　and　treacherous；　for　it　was　composed　of　flat；　tinkling　little　stones。　Dried…up；　skimpy　bushes　just　higher　than　our　heads　made　a　thin　but　regular　cover。　There　seemed　not　to　be　a　spear　of　anything　edible；　yet　we　caught　the　flash　of　red　as　a　herd　of　impalla　melted　away　at　our　rather　noisy　approach。　Near　the　foot　of　the　hill　we　dismounted；　with　orders　to　all　the　men　but　the　gunbearers　to　sit　down　and　make　themselves　comfortable。　Should　we　need　them　we　could　easily　either　signal　or　send　word。　Then　we　set　ourselves　toilsomely　to　clamber　up　that　volcanic　hill。

It　was　not　particularly　easy　going；　especially　as　we　were　trying　to　walk　quietly。　You　see；　we　were　about　to　surmount　a　skyline。　Surmounting　a　skyline　is　always　most　exciting　anywhere；　for　what　lies　beyond　is　at　once　revealed　as　a　whole　and　contains　the　very　essence　of　the　unknown；　but　most　decidedly　is　this　true　in　Africa。　That　mesa　looked　flat；　and　almost　anything　might　be　grazing　or　browsing　there。　So　we　proceeded　gingerly；　with　due　regard　to　the　rolling　of　the　loose　rocks　or　the　tinkling　of　the　little　pebbles。

But　long　before　we　had　reached　that　alluring　skyline　we　were　halted　by　the　gentle　snapping　of　Mavrouki's　fingers。　That；　strangely　enough；　is　a　sound　to　which　wild　animals　seem　to　pay　no　attention；　and　is　therefore　most　useful　as　a　signal。　We　looked　back。　The　three　gunbearers　were　staring　to　the　right　of　our　course。　About　a　hundred　yards　away；　on　the　steep　side　hill；　and　partly　concealed　by　the　brush；　stood　two　rhinoceroses。

They　were　side　by　side；　apparently　dozing。　We　squatted　on　our　heels　for　a　consultation。

The　obvious　thing；　as　the　wind　was　from　them；　was　to　sneak　quietly　by；　saying　nuffin'　to　nobody。　But　although　we　wanted　no　more　rhino；　we　very　much　wanted　rhino　pictures。　A　discussion　developed　no　really　good　reason　why　we　should　not　kodak　these　especial　rhinos…except　that　there　were　two　of　them。　So　we　began　to　worm　our　way　quietly　through　the　bushes　in　their　direction。

F。　and　B。　deployed　on　the　flanks；　their　double…barrelled　rifles　ready　for　instant　action。　I　occupied　the　middle　with　that　dangerous　weapon　the　3A　kodak。　Memba　Sasa　followed　at　my　elbow；　holding　my　big　gun。

Now　the　trouble　with　modern　photography　is　that　it　is　altogether　too　lavish　in　its　depiction　of　distances。　If　you　do　not　believe　it；　take　a　picture　of　a　horse　at　as　short　a　range　as　twenty…five　yards。　That　equine　will；　in　the　development；　have　receded　to　a　respectable　middle　distance。　Therefore　it　had　been　agreed　that　the　advance　of　the　battle　line　was　to　cease　only　when　those　rhinoceroses　loomed　up　reasonably　large　in　the　finder。　I　kept　looking　into　the　finder；　you　may　be　sure。　Nearer　and　nearer　we　crept。　The　great　beasts　were　evidently　basking　in　the　sun。　Their　little　pig　eyes　alone　gave　any　sign　of　life。　Otherwise　they　exhibited　the　complete　immobility　of　something　done　in　granite。　Probably　no　other　beast　impresses　one　with　quite　this　quality。　I　suppose　it　is　because　even　the　little　motions　peculiar　to　other　animals　are　with　the　rhinoceros　entirely　lacking。　He　is　not　in　the　least　of　a　nervous　disposition；　so　he　does　not　stamp　his　feet　nor　change　his　position。　It　is　useless　for　him　to　wag　his　tail；　for；　in　the　first　place；　the　tail　is　absurdly　inadequate；　and；　in　the　second　place；　flies　are　not　among　his　troubles。　Flies　wouldn't　bother　you　either；　if　you　had　a　skin　two　inches　thick。　So　there　they　stood；　inert　and　solid　as　two　huge　brown　rocks；　save　for　the　deep；　wicked　twinkle　of　their　little　eyes。

Yes；　we　were　close　enough　to　〃see　the　whites　of　their　eyes；〃　if　they　had　had　any：　and　also　to　be　within　the　range　of　their　limited　vision。　Of　course　we　were　now　stalking；　and　taking　advantage　of　all　the　cover。

Those　rhinoceroses　looked　to　me　like　two　Dreadnaughts。　The　African　two…horned　rhinoceros　is　a　bigger　animal　anyway　than　our　circus　friend；　who　generally　comes　from　India。　One　of　these　brutes　I　measured　went　five　feet　nine　inches　at　the　shoulder；　and　was　thirteen　feet　six　inches　from　bow　to　stern。　Compare　these　dimensions　with　your　own　height　and　with　the　length　of　your　motor　car。　It　is　one　thing　to　take　on　such　beasts　in　the　hurry　of　surprise；　the　excitement　of　a　charge；　or　to　stalk　up　to　within　a　respectable　range　of　them　with　a　gun　at　ready。　But　this　deliberate　sneaking　up　with　the　hope　of　being　able　to　sneak　away　again　was　a　little　too　slow　and　cold…blooded。　It　made　me　nervous。　I　liked　it；　but　I　knew　at　the　time　I　was　going　to　like　it　a　whole　lot　better　when　it　was　triumphantly　over。

We　were　now　within　twenty　yards　（they　were　standing　starboard　side　on）；　and　I　prepared　to　get　my　picture。　To　do　so　I　would　either　have　to　step　quietly　out　into　sight；　trusting　to　the　shadow　and　the　slowness　of　my　movements　to　escape　observation；　or　hold　the　camera　above　the　bush；　directing　it　by　guess　work。　It　was　a　little　difficult　to　decide。　I　knew　what　I　OUGHT　to　do…

Without　the　slightest　premonitory　warning　those　two　brutes　snorted　and　whirled　in　their　tracks　to　stand　facing　in　our　direction。　After　the　dead　stillness　they　made　a　tremendous　row；　what　with　the　jerky　suddenness　of　their　movements；　their　loud　snorts；　and　the　avalanche　of　echoing　stones　and　boulders　they　started　down　the　hill。

This　was　the　magnificent　opportunity。　At　this　point　I　should　boldly　have　stepped　out　from　behind　my　bush；　levelled　my　trusty　3A；　and　coolly　snapped　the　beasts；　〃charging　at　fifteen　yards。〃　Then；　if　B。's　and　F。's　shots　went　absolutely　true；　or　if　the　brutes　didn't　happen　to　smash　the　camera　as　well　as　me；　I；　or　my　executors　as　the　case　might　be；　would　have　had　a　fine　picture。

But　I　didn't。　I　dropped　that　expensiv