the land of footprints-µÚ28ÕÂ
°´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£¡
A¡¡wide¡¡spot¡¡in¡¡the¡¡shimmer¡¡showed¡¡black¡¡and¡¡struggling¡¡against¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¡I¡¡arose¡¡and¡¡walked¡¡over£»¡¡meeting¡¡halfway¡¡B¡£¡¡and¡¡the¡¡men¡¡carrying¡¡the¡¡meat¡£¡¡It¡¡took¡¡me¡¡probably¡¡about¡¡two¡¡minutes¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡the¡¡place¡¡where¡¡the¡¡zebra¡¡had¡¡been¡¡killed¡£¡¡Hundreds£»¡¡perhaps¡¡thousands£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡birds¡¡were¡¡standing¡¡idly¡¡about£»¡¡a¡¡dozen¡¡or¡¡so¡¡were¡¡flapping¡¡and¡¡scrambling¡¡in¡¡the¡¡centre¡£¡¡I¡¡stepped¡¡into¡¡view¡£¡¡With¡¡a¡¡mighty¡¡commotion¡¡they¡¡all¡¡took¡¡wing¡¡clumsily£»¡¡awkwardly£»¡¡reluctantly¡£¡¡A¡¡trampled£»¡¡bloody¡¡space¡¡and¡¡the¡¡larger¡¡bones£»¡¡picked¡¡absolutely¡¡clean£»¡¡was¡¡all¡¡that¡¡remained£¡¡¡In¡¡less¡¡than¡¡two¡¡minutes¡¡the¡¡job¡¡had¡¡been¡¡done£¡
¡¨You're¡¡certainly¡¡good¡¡workmen£¡¡¨¡¡I¡¡exclaimed£»¡¡¡¨but¡¡I¡¡wonder¡¡how¡¡you¡¡all¡¡make¡¡a¡¡living£¡¡¨
We¡¡started¡¡the¡¡men¡¡on¡¡to¡¡camp¡¡with¡¡the¡¡meat£»¡¡and¡¡ourselves¡¡rested¡¡under¡¡the¡¡shade¡£¡¡The¡¡day¡¡had¡¡been¡¡a¡¡full¡¡and¡¡interesting¡¡one£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡considered¡¡it¡¡as¡¡finished¡£¡¡Remained¡¡only¡¡the¡¡hot¡¡journey¡¡back¡¡to¡¡camp¡£
After¡¡a¡¡half¡¡hour¡¡we¡¡mounted¡¡again¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡on¡¡slowly¡£¡¡The¡¡sun¡¡was¡¡very¡¡strong¡¡and¡¡a¡¡heavy¡¡shimmer¡¡clothed¡¡the¡¡plain¡£¡¡Through¡¡this¡¡shimmer¡¡we¡¡caught¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡something¡¡large¡¡and¡¡black¡¡and¡¡flapping¡£¡¡It¡¡looked¡¡like¡¡a¡¡crow¡or£»¡¡better£»¡¡a¡¡scare¡crow¡crippled£»¡¡half¡¡flying£»¡¡half¡¡running£»¡¡with¡¡waving¡¡wings¡¡or¡¡arms£»¡¡now¡¡dwindling£»¡¡now¡¡gigantic¡¡as¡¡the¡¡mirage¡¡caught¡¡it¡¡up¡¡or¡¡let¡¡it¡¡drop¡£¡¡As¡¡we¡¡watched£»¡¡it¡¡developed£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡made¡¡it¡¡out¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡porter£»¡¡clad¡¡in¡¡a¡¡long£»¡¡ragged¡¡black¡¡overcoat£»¡¡running¡¡zigzag¡¡through¡¡the¡¡bushes¡¡in¡¡our¡¡direction¡£
The¡¡moment¡¡we¡¡identified¡¡it¡¡we¡¡spurred¡¡our¡¡horses¡¡forward¡£¡¡As¡¡my¡¡horse¡¡leaped£»¡¡Memba¡¡Sasa¡¡snatched¡¡the¡¡Springfield¡¡from¡¡my¡¡left¡¡hand¡¡and¡¡forced¡¡the¡¡405¡¡Winchester¡¡upon¡¡me¡£¡¡Clever¡¡Memba¡¡Sasa£¡¡¡He¡¡no¡¡more¡¡than¡¡we¡¡knew¡¡what¡¡was¡¡up£»¡¡but¡¡shrewdly¡¡concluded¡¡that¡¡whatever¡¡it¡¡was¡¡it¡¡needed¡¡a¡¡heavy¡¡gun¡£
As¡¡we¡¡galloped¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡him£»¡¡the¡¡porter¡¡stopped¡£¡¡We¡¡saw¡¡him¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡very¡¡long¡legged£»¡¡raggedy¡¡youth¡¡whom¡¡we¡¡had¡¡nicknamed¡¡the¡¡Marabout¡¡because¡¡of¡¡his¡¡exceedingly¡¡long£»¡¡lean¡¡legs£»¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡his¡¡breeches¡¡were¡¡white£»¡¡short¡¡and¡¡baggy£»¡¡and¡¡because¡¡he¡¡kept¡¡his¡¡entire¡¡head¡¡shaved¡¡close¡£¡¡He¡¡called¡¡himself¡¡Fundi£»¡¡which¡¡means¡¡The¡¡Expert£»¡¡a¡¡sufficient¡¡indication¡¡of¡¡his¡¡confidence¡¡in¡¡himself¡£
He¡¡awaited¡¡us¡¡leaning¡¡on¡¡his¡¡safari¡¡stick£»¡¡panting¡¡heavily£»¡¡the¡¡sweat¡¡running¡¡off¡¡his¡¡face¡¡in¡¡splashes¡£¡¡¡¨Simba£¡¡¨*¡¡said¡¡he£»¡¡and¡¡immediately¡¡set¡¡off¡¡on¡¡a¡¡long£»¡¡easy¡¡lope¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡us¡£¡¡We¡¡pulled¡¡down¡¡to¡¡a¡¡trot¡¡and¡¡followed¡¡him¡£
*Lion
At¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡a¡¡half¡¡mile¡¡we¡¡made¡¡out¡¡a¡¡man¡¡up¡¡a¡¡tree¡£¡¡Fundi£»¡¡out¡¡of¡¡breath£»¡¡stopped¡¡short¡¡and¡¡pointed¡¡to¡¡this¡¡man¡£¡¡The¡¡latter£»¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡us£»¡¡commenced¡¡to¡¡scramble¡¡down¡£¡¡We¡¡spurred¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡find¡¡out¡¡where¡¡the¡¡lions¡¡had¡¡been¡¡last¡¡seen¡£
Then¡¡Billy¡¡covered¡¡herself¡¡with¡¡glory¡¡by¡¡seeing¡¡them¡¡first¡£¡¡She¡¡apprised¡¡us¡¡of¡¡that¡¡fact¡¡with¡¡some¡¡excitement¡£¡¡We¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡long£»¡¡yellow¡¡bodies¡¡of¡¡two¡¡of¡¡them¡¡disappearing¡¡in¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡brush¡¡about¡¡three¡¡hundred¡¡yards¡¡away¡£¡¡With¡¡a¡¡wild¡¡whoop¡¡we¡¡tore¡¡after¡¡them¡¡at¡¡a¡¡dead¡¡run¡£
Then¡¡began¡¡a¡¡wild¡¡ride¡£¡¡Do¡¡you¡¡remember¡¡Billy's¡¡remark¡¡about¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡the¡¡footing£¿¡¡Before¡¡long¡¡we¡¡closed¡¡in¡¡near¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡catch¡¡occasional¡¡glimpses¡¡of¡¡the¡¡beasts£»¡¡bounding¡¡easily¡¡along¡£¡¡At¡¡that¡¡moment¡¡B¡£'s¡¡horse¡¡went¡¡down¡¡in¡¡a¡¡heap¡£¡¡None¡¡of¡¡us¡¡thought¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡pulling¡¡up¡£¡¡I¡¡looked¡¡back¡¡to¡¡see¡¡B¡£¡¡getting¡¡up¡¡again£»¡¡and¡¡thought¡¡I¡¡caught¡¡fragments¡¡of¡¡encouraging¡sounding¡¡language¡£¡¡Then¡¡my¡¡horse¡¡went¡¡down¡£¡¡I¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡hold¡¡my¡¡rifle¡¡clear£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡cling¡¡to¡¡the¡¡reins¡£¡¡Did¡¡you¡¡ever¡¡try¡¡to¡¡get¡¡on¡¡a¡¡somewhat¡¡demoralized¡¡horse¡¡in¡¡a¡¡frantic¡¡hurry£»¡¡when¡¡all¡¡your¡¡friends¡¡were¡¡getting¡¡farther¡¡away¡¡every¡¡minute£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡lessening¡¡your¡¡chances¡¡of¡¡being¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fun£¿¡¡I¡¡began¡¡to¡¡understand¡¡perfectly¡¡B¡£'s¡¡remarks¡¡of¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡before¡£¡¡However£»¡¡on¡¡I¡¡scrambled£»¡¡and¡¡soon¡¡overtook¡¡the¡¡hunt¡£
We¡¡dodged¡¡in¡¡and¡¡out¡¡of¡¡bushes£»¡¡and¡¡around¡¡and¡¡over¡¡holes¡£¡¡Every¡¡few¡¡moments¡¡we¡¡would¡¡catch¡¡a¡¡glimpse¡¡of¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡silently¡¡bounding¡¡lions£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡we¡¡would¡¡let¡¡out¡¡a¡¡yell¡£¡¡Also¡¡every¡¡few¡¡moments¡¡one¡¡or¡¡the¡¡other¡¡of¡¡us¡¡would¡¡go¡¡down¡¡in¡¡a¡¡heap£»¡¡and¡¡would¡¡scramble¡¡up¡¡and¡¡curse£»¡¡and¡¡remount¡¡hastily¡£¡¡Billy¡¡had¡¡better¡¡luck¡£¡¡She¡¡had¡¡no¡¡gun£»¡¡and¡¡belonged¡¡a¡¡little¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rear¡¡anyway£»¡¡but¡¡was¡¡coming¡¡along¡¡game¡¡as¡¡a¡¡badger¡¡for¡¡all¡¡that¡£
My¡¡own¡¡horse¡¡had¡¡the¡¡legs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡others¡¡quite¡¡easily£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡that¡¡reason¡¡I¡¡was¡¡ahead¡¡far¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡magnificent¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡five¡¡lions¡¡sideways¡¡on£»¡¡all¡¡in¡¡a¡¡row£»¡¡standing¡¡in¡¡the¡¡grass¡¡gazing¡¡at¡¡me¡¡with¡¡a¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡calm¡¡and¡¡impersonal¡¡dignity¡£¡¡I¡¡wheeled¡¡my¡¡horse¡¡immediately¡¡so¡¡as¡¡to¡¡be¡¡ready¡¡in¡¡case¡¡of¡¡a¡¡charge£»¡¡and¡¡yelled¡¡to¡¡the¡¡others¡¡to¡¡hurry¡¡up¡£¡¡While¡¡I¡¡sat¡¡there£»¡¡they¡¡moved¡¡slowly¡¡off¡¡one¡¡after¡¡the¡¡other£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡by¡¡the¡¡time¡¡the¡¡men¡¡had¡¡come£»¡¡the¡¡lions¡¡had¡¡gone¡£¡¡We¡¡now¡¡had¡¡no¡¡difficulty¡¡in¡¡running¡¡into¡¡them¡¡again¡£¡¡Once¡¡more¡¡my¡¡better¡¡animal¡¡brought¡¡me¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lead£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡for¡¡the¡¡second¡¡time¡¡I¡¡drew¡¡up¡¡facing¡¡the¡¡lions£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡about¡¡one¡¡hundred¡¡yards¡¡range¡£¡¡One¡¡by¡¡one¡¡they¡¡began¡¡to¡¡leave¡¡as¡¡before£»¡¡very¡¡leisurely¡¡and¡¡haughtily£»¡¡until¡¡a¡¡single¡¡old¡¡maned¡¡fellow¡¡remained¡£¡¡He£»¡¡however£»¡¡sat¡¡there£»¡¡his¡¡great¡¡round¡¡head¡¡peering¡¡over¡¡the¡¡top¡¡of¡¡the¡¡grass¡£
¡¨Well£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡¡¨here¡¡I¡¡am£»¡¡what¡¡do¡¡you¡¡intend¡¡to¡¡do¡¡about¡¡it£¿¡¨
The¡¡others¡¡arrived£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡all¡¡dismounted¡£¡¡B¡£¡¡had¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡killed¡¡his¡¡lion£»¡¡so¡¡the¡¡shot¡¡was¡¡his¡£¡¡Billy¡¡very¡¡coolly¡¡came¡¡up¡¡behind¡¡and¡¡held¡¡his¡¡horse¡£¡¡I¡¡should¡¡like¡¡here¡¡to¡¡remark¡¡that¡¡Billy¡¡is¡¡very¡¡terrified¡¡of¡¡spiders¡£¡¡F¡£¡¡and¡¡I¡¡stood¡¡at¡¡the¡¡ready£»¡¡and¡¡B¡£¡¡sat¡¡down¡£
Riding¡¡fast¡¡an¡¡exciting¡¡mile¡¡or¡¡so£»¡¡getting¡¡chucked¡¡on¡¡your¡¡head¡¡two¡¡or¡¡three¡¡times£»¡¡and¡¡facing¡¡your¡¡first¡¡lion¡¡are¡¡none¡¡of¡¡them¡¡conducive¡¡to¡¡steady¡¡shooting¡£¡¡The¡¡first¡¡shot¡¡therefore¡¡went¡¡high£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡second¡¡hit¡¡the¡¡lion¡¡square¡¡in¡¡the¡¡chest£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡rolled¡¡over¡¡dead¡£
We¡¡all¡¡danced¡¡a¡¡little¡¡war¡¡dance£»¡¡and¡¡congratulated¡¡B¡£¡¡and¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡get¡¡the¡¡meaning¡¡of¡¡a¡¡queer¡¡little¡¡gurgling¡¡gasp¡¡behind¡¡us¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡Fundi£¡¡¡That¡¡long¡legged¡¡scarecrow£»¡¡not¡¡content¡¡with¡¡running¡¡to¡¡get¡¡us¡¡and¡¡then¡¡back¡¡again£»¡¡had¡¡trailed¡¡us¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡distance¡¡of¡¡our¡¡mad¡¡chase¡¡over¡¡broken¡¡ground¡¡at¡¡terrific¡¡speed¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡be¡¡in¡¡at¡¡the¡¡death¡£¡¡And¡¡he¡¡was¡¡just¡¡about¡¡all¡¡in¡¡at¡¡the¡¡death¡£¡¡He¡¡could¡¡barely¡¡gasp¡¡his¡¡breath£»¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡stuck¡¡out£»¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡close¡¡to¡¡apoplexy¡£
¡¨Bwana£¡¡¡bwana£¡¡¨¡¡was¡¡all¡¡he¡¡could¡¡say¡£¡¡¡¨Master£¡¡¡master£¡¡¨
We¡¡shook¡¡hands¡¡with¡¡Fundi¡£
¡¨My¡¡son£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡I£»¡¡¡¨you're¡¡a¡¡true¡¡sport£»¡¡and¡¡you'll¡¡surely¡¡get¡¡yours¡¡later¡£¡¨
He¡¡did¡¡not¡¡understand¡¡me£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡grinned¡£¡¡The¡¡gunbearers¡¡began¡¡to¡¡drift¡¡in£»¡¡also¡¡completely¡¡pumped¡£¡¡They¡¡set¡¡up¡¡a¡¡feeble¡¡shout¡¡when¡¡they¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡lion¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡good¡¡maned¡¡beast£»¡¡three¡¡feet¡¡six¡¡inches¡¡at¡¡the¡¡shoulder£»¡¡and¡¡nine¡¡feet¡¡long¡£
We¡¡left¡¡Fundi¡¡with¡¡the¡¡lion£»¡¡instructing¡¡him¡¡to¡¡stay¡¡there¡¡until¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡other¡¡men¡¡came¡¡up¡£¡¡We¡¡remounted¡¡and¡¡pushed¡¡on¡¡slowly¡¡in¡¡hopes¡¡of¡¡coming¡¡on¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡others¡£
Here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡we¡¡rode£»¡¡our¡¡courses¡¡interweaving£»¡¡looking¡¡eagerly¡£¡¡And¡¡lo£¡¡¡through¡¡a¡¡tiny¡¡opening¡¡in¡¡the¡¡brush¡¡we¡¡espied¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡elusive¡¡gerenuk¡¡standing¡¡not¡¡over¡¡one¡¡hundred¡¡yards¡¡away¡£¡¡Whereupon¡¡I¡¡dismounted¡¡and¡¡did¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡worst¡¡shooting¡¡I¡¡perpetrated¡¡in¡¡Africa£»¡¡for¡¡I¡¡let¡¡loose¡¡three¡¡times¡¡at¡¡him¡¡before¡¡I¡¡landed¡£¡¡But¡¡land¡¡I¡¡did£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡was¡¡one¡¡Lesser¡¡Hoodoo¡¡broken¡£¡¡Truly¡¡this¡¡was¡¡our¡¡day¡£
We¡¡measured¡¡him¡¡and¡¡started¡¡to¡¡prepare¡¡the¡¡trophy£»¡¡when¡¡to¡¡us¡¡came¡¡Mavrouki¡¡and¡¡a¡¡porter£»¡¡quite¡¡out¡¡of¡¡breath£»¡¡but¡¡able¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡us¡¡that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡been¡¡scouting¡¡around¡¡and¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡two¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lions¡£¡¡Then£»¡¡instead¡¡of¡¡leaving¡¡one¡¡up¡¡a¡¡tree¡¡to¡¡watch£»¡¡both¡¡had¡¡come¡¡pell¡mell¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡us¡¡all¡¡about¡¡it¡£¡¡We¡¡pointed¡¡this¡¡out¡¡to¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡called¡¡their¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡the¡¡brush¡¡was¡¡wide£»¡¡that¡¡lions¡¡are¡¡not¡¡stationary¡¡objects£»¡¡and¡¡that£»¡¡unlike¡¡the¡¡leopard£»¡¡they¡¡can¡¡change¡¡their¡¡spots¡¡quite¡¡readily¡£¡¡However£»¡¡we¡¡remounted¡¡and¡¡went¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡look¡£
Of¡¡course¡¡there¡¡was¡¡nothing¡£¡¡So¡¡we¡¡rode¡¡on£»¡¡rather¡¡aimlessly£»¡¡weaving¡¡in¡¡and¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bushes¡¡and¡¡open¡¡spaces¡£¡¡I¡¡think¡¡we¡¡were¡¡all¡¡a¡¡little¡¡tired¡¡from¡¡the¡¡long¡¡day¡¡and¡¡the¡¡excitement£»¡¡and¡¡hence¡¡a¡¡bit¡¡listless¡£¡¡Suddenly¡¡we¡¡were¡¡fairly¡¡shaken¡¡out¡¡of¡¡our¡¡saddles¡¡by¡¡an¡¡angry¡¡roar¡¡just¡¡ahead¡£¡¡Usually¡¡a¡¡lion¡¡growls£»¡¡low¡¡and¡¡thunderous£»¡¡when¡¡he¡¡wants£»¡¡to¡¡warn¡¡you¡¡that¡¡you¡¡have¡¡gone¡¡about¡¡far¡¡enough£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡one¡¡was¡¡angry¡¡all¡¡through¡¡at¡¡being¡¡followed¡¡about¡¡so¡¡much£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡just¡¡plain¡¡yelled¡¡at¡¡us¡£
He¡¡crouched¡¡near¡¡a¡¡bush¡¡forty¡¡yards¡¡away£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡switching¡¡his¡¡tail¡£¡¡I¡¡had¡¡heard¡¡that¡¡this¡¡was¡¡a¡¡sure¡¡premonition¡¡of¡¡an¡¡instant¡¡charge£»¡¡b