the land of footprints-µÚ23ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
Two¡¡or¡¡three¡¡men¡¡together¡¡can¡¡make¡¡this¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡exciting¡¡mounted¡¡games¡¡on¡¡earth£»¡¡with¡¡enough¡¡of¡¡the¡¡give¡¡and¡¡take¡¡of¡¡real¡¡danger¡¡and¡¡battle¡¡to¡¡make¡¡it¡¡worth¡¡while¡£¡¡The¡¡hunter£»¡¡however£»¡¡who¡¡employs¡¡a¡¡dozen¡¡Somalis¡¡to¡¡ride¡¡the¡¡beast¡¡to¡¡a¡¡standstill£»¡¡after¡¡which¡¡he¡¡goes¡¡to¡¡the¡¡front£»¡¡has¡¡eliminated¡¡much¡¡of¡¡the¡¡thrill¡£¡¡Nor¡¡need¡¡that¡¡man's¡¡stay¡at¡home¡¡family¡¡feel¡¡any¡¡excessive¡¡uneasiness¡¡over¡¡Father¡¡Killing¡¡Lions¡¡in¡¡Africa¡£
The¡¡method¡¡that¡¡interested¡¡me¡¡more¡¡than¡¡any¡¡other¡¡is¡¡one¡¡exceedingly¡¡difficult¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡except¡¡under¡¡favourable¡¡circumstances¡£¡¡I¡¡refer¡¡to¡¡tracking¡¡them¡¡down¡¡afoot¡£¡¡This¡¡requires¡¡that¡¡your¡¡gunbearer¡¡should¡¡be¡¡an¡¡expert¡¡trailer£»¡¡for£»¡¡outside¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡following¡¡a¡¡soft¡padded¡¡animal¡¡over¡¡all¡¡sorts¡¡of¡¡ground¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡difficult¡¡thing¡¡to¡¡do£»¡¡the¡¡hunter¡¡should¡¡be¡¡free¡¡to¡¡spy¡¡ahead¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡necessary¡¡also¡¡to¡¡possess¡¡much¡¡patience¡¡and¡¡to¡¡endure¡¡under¡¡many¡¡disappointments¡£¡¡But¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand¡¡there¡¡is¡¡in¡¡this¡¡sport¡¡a¡¡continuous¡¡keen¡¡thrill¡¡to¡¡be¡¡enjoyed¡¡in¡¡no¡¡other£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡who¡¡single¡¡handed¡¡tracks¡¡down¡¡and¡¡kills¡¡his¡¡lion¡¡thus£»¡¡has¡¡well¡¡earned¡¡the¡¡title¡¡of¡¡shikari¡the¡¡Hunter¡£
And¡¡the¡¡last¡¡method¡¡of¡¡all¡¡is¡¡to¡¡trust¡¡to¡¡the¡¡God¡¡of¡¡Chance¡£¡¡The¡¡secret¡¡of¡¡success¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡always¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡take¡¡instant¡¡advantage¡¡of¡¡what¡¡the¡¡moment¡¡offers¡£
An¡¡occasional¡¡hunting¡¡story¡¡is¡¡good¡¡in¡¡itself£º¡¡and¡¡the¡¡following¡¡will¡¡also¡¡serve¡¡to¡¡illustrate¡¡what¡¡I¡¡have¡¡just¡¡been¡¡saying¡£
We¡¡were¡¡after¡¡that¡¡prize£»¡¡the¡¡greater¡¡kudu£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡his¡¡pursuit¡¡had¡¡penetrated¡¡into¡¡some¡¡very¡¡rough¡¡country¡£¡¡Our¡¡hunting¡¡for¡¡the¡¡time¡¡being¡¡was¡¡over¡¡broad¡¡bench£»¡¡perhaps¡¡four¡¡or¡¡five¡¡miles¡¡wide£»¡¡below¡¡a¡¡range¡¡of¡¡mountains¡£¡¡The¡¡bench¡¡itself¡¡broke¡¡down¡¡in¡¡sheer¡¡cliffs¡¡some¡¡fifteen¡¡hundred¡¡feet£»¡¡but¡¡one¡¡did¡¡not¡¡appreciate¡¡that¡¡fact¡¡unless¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡fairly¡¡on¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡precipice¡£¡¡To¡¡all¡¡intents¡¡and¡¡purposes¡¡we¡¡were¡¡on¡¡a¡¡rolling¡¡grassy¡¡plain£»¡¡with¡¡low¡¡hills¡¡and¡¡cliffs£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡most¡¡beautiful¡¡little¡¡stream¡¡running¡¡down¡¡it¡¡beneath¡¡fine¡¡trees¡£
Up¡¡to¡¡now¡¡our¡¡hunting¡¡had¡¡gained¡¡us¡¡little¡¡beside¡¡information£º¡¡that¡¡kudu¡¡had¡¡occasionally¡¡visited¡¡the¡¡region£»¡¡that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡there¡¡for¡¡a¡¡month£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡direction¡¡of¡¡their¡¡departure¡¡had¡¡been¡¡obscure¡£¡¡So¡¡we¡¡worked¡¡our¡¡way¡¡down¡¡the¡¡stream£»¡¡trying¡¡out¡¡the¡¡possibilities¡£¡¡Of¡¡other¡¡game¡¡there¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡fair¡¡supply£º¡¡impalla£»¡¡hartebeeste£»¡¡zebra£»¡¡eland£»¡¡buffalo£»¡¡wart¡hog£»¡¡sing¡sing£»¡¡and¡¡giraffe¡¡we¡¡had¡¡seen¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡secured¡¡a¡¡wonderful¡¡eland¡¡and¡¡a¡¡very¡¡fine¡¡impalla£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡had¡¡had¡¡a¡¡gorgeous¡¡close¡quarters¡¡fight¡¡with¡¡a¡¡cheetah¡£*¡¡Now¡¡C¡£¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡out£»¡¡a¡¡three¡¡weeks'¡¡journey£»¡¡carrying¡¡to¡¡medical¡¡attendance¡¡a¡¡porter¡¡injured¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cheetah¡¡fracas¡£¡¡Billy¡¡and¡¡I¡¡were¡¡continuing¡¡the¡¡hunt¡¡alone¡£
*This¡¡animal¡¡quite¡¡disproved¡¡the¡¡assertion¡¡that¡¡cheetahs¡¡never¡¡assume¡¡the¡¡aggressive¡£¡¡He¡¡charged¡¡repeatedly¡£
We¡¡had¡¡marched¡¡two¡¡hours£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡pitching¡¡camp¡¡under¡¡a¡¡single¡¡tree¡¡near¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bench¡£¡¡After¡¡seeing¡¡everything¡¡well¡¡under¡¡way£»¡¡I¡¡took¡¡the¡¡Springfield¡¡and¡¡crossed¡¡the¡¡stream£»¡¡which¡¡here¡¡ran¡¡in¡¡a¡¡deep¡¡canyon¡£¡¡My¡¡object¡¡was¡¡to¡¡see¡¡if¡¡I¡¡could¡¡get¡¡a¡¡sing¡sing¡¡that¡¡had¡¡bounded¡¡away¡¡at¡¡our¡¡approach¡£¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡bother¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡gunbearer£»¡¡because¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡expect¡¡to¡¡be¡¡gone¡¡five¡¡minutes¡£
The¡¡canyon¡¡proved¡¡unexpectedly¡¡deep¡¡and¡¡rough£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡stream¡¡up¡¡to¡¡my¡¡waist¡£¡¡When¡¡I¡¡had¡¡gained¡¡the¡¡top£»¡¡I¡¡found¡¡grass¡¡growing¡¡patchily¡¡from¡¡six¡¡inches¡¡to¡¡two¡¡feet¡¡high£»¡¡and¡¡small£»¡¡scrubby¡¡trees¡¡from¡¡four¡¡to¡¡ten¡¡feet¡¡tall£»¡¡spaced¡¡regularly£»¡¡but¡¡very¡¡scattered¡£¡¡These¡¡little¡¡trees¡¡hardly¡¡formed¡¡cover£»¡¡but¡¡their¡¡aggregation¡¡at¡¡sufficient¡¡distance¡¡limited¡¡the¡¡view¡£
The¡¡sing¡sing¡¡had¡¡evidently¡¡found¡¡his¡¡way¡¡over¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bench¡£¡¡I¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡go¡¡back¡¡to¡¡camp¡£¡¡A¡¡duiker¡a¡¡small¡¡grass¡¡antelope¡broke¡¡from¡¡a¡¡little¡¡patch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡taller¡¡grass£»¡¡rushed£»¡¡head¡¡down¡¡headlong¡¡after¡¡their¡¡fashion£»¡¡suddenly¡¡changed¡¡his¡¡mind£»¡¡and¡¡dashed¡¡back¡¡again¡£¡¡I¡¡stepped¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡see¡¡why¡¡he¡¡had¡¡changed¡¡his¡¡mind¡and¡¡ran¡¡into¡¡two¡¡lions£¡
They¡¡were¡¡about¡¡thirty¡¡yards¡¡away£»¡¡and¡¡sat¡¡there¡¡on¡¡their¡¡haunches£»¡¡side¡¡by¡¡side£»¡¡staring¡¡at¡¡me¡¡with¡¡expressionless¡¡yellow¡¡eyes¡£¡¡I¡¡stared¡¡back¡£¡¡The¡¡Springfield¡¡is¡¡a¡¡good¡¡little¡¡gun£»¡¡and¡¡three¡¡times¡¡before¡¡I¡¡had¡¡been¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡shoot¡¡lions¡¡with¡¡it£»¡¡but¡¡my¡¡real¡¡¡¨lion¡¡gun¡¨¡¡with¡¡which¡¡I¡¡had¡¡done¡¡best¡¡work¡¡was¡¡the¡¡405¡¡Winchester¡£¡¡The¡¡Springfield¡¡is¡¡too¡¡light¡¡for¡¡such¡¡game¡£¡¡Also¡¡there¡¡were¡¡two¡¡lions£»¡¡very¡¡close¡£¡¡Also¡¡I¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡alone¡£
As¡¡the¡¡game¡¡stood£»¡¡it¡¡hardly¡¡looked¡¡like¡¡my¡¡move£»¡¡so¡¡I¡¡held¡¡still¡¡and¡¡waited¡£¡¡Presently¡¡one¡¡yawned£»¡¡they¡¡looked¡¡at¡¡each¡¡other£»¡¡turned¡¡quite¡¡leisurely£»¡¡and¡¡began¡¡to¡¡move¡¡away¡¡at¡¡a¡¡walk¡£
This¡¡was¡¡a¡¡different¡¡matter¡£¡¡If¡¡I¡¡had¡¡fired¡¡while¡¡the¡¡two¡¡were¡¡facing¡¡me£»¡¡I¡¡should¡¡probably¡¡have¡¡had¡¡them¡¡both¡¡to¡¡deal¡¡with¡£¡¡But¡¡now¡¡that¡¡their¡¡tails¡¡were¡¡turned¡¡toward¡¡me£»¡¡I¡¡should¡¡very¡¡likely¡¡have¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡only¡¡the¡¡one£º¡¡at¡¡the¡¡crack¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡the¡¡other¡¡would¡¡run¡¡the¡¡way¡¡he¡¡was¡¡headed¡£¡¡So¡¡I¡¡took¡¡a¡¡careful¡¡bead¡¡at¡¡the¡¡lioness¡¡and¡¡let¡¡drive¡£
My¡¡aim¡¡was¡¡to¡¡cripple¡¡the¡¡pelvic¡¡bone£»¡¡but£»¡¡unfortunately£»¡¡just¡¡as¡¡I¡¡fired£»¡¡the¡¡beast¡¡wriggled¡¡lithely¡¡sidewise¡¡to¡¡pass¡¡around¡¡a¡¡tuft¡¡of¡¡grass£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡the¡¡bullet¡¡inflicted¡¡merely¡¡a¡¡slight¡¡flesh¡¡wound¡¡on¡¡the¡¡rump¡£¡¡She¡¡whirled¡¡like¡¡a¡¡flash£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡she¡¡raised¡¡her¡¡head¡¡high¡¡to¡¡locate¡¡me£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡time¡¡to¡¡wish¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Springfield¡¡hit¡¡a¡¡trifle¡¡harder¡¡blow¡£¡¡Also¡¡I¡¡had¡¡time¡¡to¡¡throw¡¡another¡¡cartridge¡¡in¡¡the¡¡barrel¡£
The¡¡moment¡¡she¡¡saw¡¡me¡¡she¡¡dropped¡¡her¡¡head¡¡and¡¡charged¡£¡¡She¡¡was¡¡thoroughly¡¡angry¡¡and¡¡came¡¡very¡¡fast¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡just¡¡enough¡¡time¡¡to¡¡steady¡¡the¡¡gold¡¡bead¡¡on¡¡her¡¡chest¡¡and¡¡to¡¡pull¡¡trigger¡£
At¡¡the¡¡shot£»¡¡to¡¡my¡¡great¡¡relief£»¡¡she¡¡turned¡¡bottom¡¡up£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡her¡¡tail¡¡for¡¡an¡¡instant¡¡above¡¡the¡¡grass¡an¡¡almost¡¡sure¡¡indication¡¡of¡¡a¡¡bad¡¡hit¡£¡¡She¡¡thrashed¡¡around£»¡¡and¡¡made¡¡a¡¡tremendous¡¡hullabaloo¡¡of¡¡snarls¡¡and¡¡growls¡£¡¡I¡¡backed¡¡out¡¡slowly£»¡¡my¡¡rifle¡¡ready¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡no¡¡place¡¡for¡¡me£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡grass¡¡was¡¡over¡¡knee¡¡high¡£
Once¡¡at¡¡a¡¡safe¡¡distance¡¡I¡¡blazed¡¡a¡¡tree¡¡with¡¡my¡¡hunting¡¡knife¡¡and¡¡departed¡¡for¡¡camp£»¡¡well¡¡pleased¡¡to¡¡be¡¡out¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡At¡¡camp¡¡I¡¡ate¡¡lunch¡¡and¡¡had¡¡a¡¡smoke£»¡¡then¡¡with¡¡Memba¡¡Sasa¡¡and¡¡Mavrouki¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡scene¡¡of¡¡trouble¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡now¡¡the¡¡405¡¡Winchester£»¡¡a¡¡light¡¡and¡¡handy¡¡weapon¡¡delivering¡¡a¡¡tremendous¡¡blow¡£
We¡¡found¡¡the¡¡place¡¡readily¡¡enough¡£¡¡My¡¡lioness¡¡had¡¡recovered¡¡from¡¡the¡¡first¡¡shock¡¡and¡¡had¡¡gone¡£¡¡I¡¡was¡¡very¡¡glad¡¡I¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡first¡£
The¡¡trail¡¡was¡¡not¡¡very¡¡plain£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡could¡¡be¡¡followed¡¡a¡¡foot¡¡or¡¡so¡¡at¡¡a¡¡time£»¡¡with¡¡many¡¡faults¡¡and¡¡casts¡¡back¡£¡¡I¡¡walked¡¡a¡¡yard¡¡to¡¡one¡¡side¡¡while¡¡the¡¡men¡¡followed¡¡the¡¡spoor¡£¡¡Owing¡¡to¡¡the¡¡abundance¡¡of¡¡cover¡¡it¡¡was¡¡very¡¡nervous¡¡work£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡beast¡¡might¡¡be¡¡almost¡¡anywhere£»¡¡and¡¡would¡¡certainly¡¡charge¡£¡¡We¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡a¡¡neutral¡¡zone¡¡around¡¡ourselves¡¡by¡¡tossing¡¡stones¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡and¡¡on¡¡both¡¡sides¡¡of¡¡our¡¡line¡¡of¡¡advance¡£¡¡My¡¡own¡¡position¡¡was¡¡not¡¡bad£»¡¡for¡¡I¡¡had¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡ready¡¡in¡¡my¡¡hand£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡men¡¡were¡¡in¡¡danger¡£¡¡Of¡¡course¡¡I¡¡was¡¡protecting¡¡them¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡I¡¡could£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡always¡¡a¡¡chance¡¡that¡¡the¡¡lioness¡¡might¡¡spring¡¡on¡¡them¡¡in¡¡such¡¡a¡¡manner¡¡that¡¡I¡¡would¡¡be¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡use¡¡my¡¡weapon¡£¡¡Once¡¡I¡¡suggested¡¡that¡¡as¡¡the¡¡work¡¡was¡¡dangerous£»¡¡they¡¡could¡¡quit¡¡if¡¡they¡¡wanted¡¡to¡£
¡¨Hapana£¡¡¨¡¡they¡¡both¡¡refused¡¡indignantly¡£
We¡¡had¡¡proceeded¡¡thus¡¡for¡¡half¡¡a¡¡mile¡¡when¡¡to¡¡our¡¡relief£»¡¡right¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡us£»¡¡sounded¡¡the¡¡commanding£»¡¡rumbling¡¡half¡roar£»¡¡half¡growl¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lion¡¡at¡¡bay¡£
Instantly¡¡Memba¡¡Sasa¡¡and¡¡Mavrouki¡¡dropped¡¡back¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡We¡¡all¡¡peered¡¡ahead¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡made¡¡her¡¡out¡¡first£»¡¡crouched¡¡under¡¡a¡¡bush¡¡thirty¡two¡¡yards¡¡away¡£¡¡Even¡¡as¡¡I¡¡raised¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡she¡¡saw¡¡us¡¡and¡¡charged¡£¡¡I¡¡caught¡¡her¡¡in¡¡the¡¡chest¡¡before¡¡she¡¡had¡¡come¡¡ten¡¡feet¡£¡¡The¡¡heavy¡¡bullet¡¡stopped¡¡her¡¡dead¡£¡¡Then¡¡she¡¡recovered¡¡and¡¡started¡¡forward¡¡slowly£»¡¡very¡¡weak£»¡¡but¡¡game¡¡to¡¡the¡¡last¡£¡¡Another¡¡shot¡¡finished¡¡her¡£
The¡¡remarkable¡¡point¡¡of¡¡this¡¡incident¡¡was¡¡the¡¡action¡¡of¡¡the¡¡little¡¡Springfield¡¡bullet¡£¡¡Evidently¡¡the¡¡very¡¡high¡¡velocity¡¡of¡¡this¡¡bullet¡¡from¡¡its¡¡shock¡¡to¡¡the¡¡nervous¡¡system¡¡had¡¡delivered¡¡a¡¡paralyzing¡¡blow¡¡sufficient¡¡to¡¡knock¡¡out¡¡the¡¡lioness¡¡for¡¡the¡¡time¡¡being¡£¡¡Its¡¡damage¡¡to¡¡tissue£»¡¡however£»¡¡was¡¡slight¡£¡¡Inasmuch¡¡as¡¡the¡¡initial¡¡shock¡¡did¡¡not¡¡cause¡¡immediate¡¡death£»¡¡the¡¡lioness¡¡recovered¡¡sufficiently¡¡to¡¡be¡¡able£»¡¡two¡¡hours¡¡later£»¡¡to¡¡take¡¡the¡¡offensive¡£¡¡This¡¡point¡¡is¡¡of¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡interest¡¡to¡¡the¡¡student¡¡of¡¡ballistics£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡curious¡¡to¡¡even¡¡the¡¡ordinary¡¡reader¡£
That¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡typical¡¡example¡¡of¡¡finding¡¡lions¡¡by¡¡sheer¡¡chance¡£¡¡Generally¡¡a¡¡man¡¡is¡¡out¡¡looking¡¡for¡¡the¡¡smallest¡¡k