the land of footprints-第31章

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eather。　From　that　he　progressed　in　worldly　wealth。　How　he　got　it　all；　on　what　credit；　or　with　what　hypnotic　power；　I　do　not　know。　Probably　he　hypothecated　his　wages；　certainly　he　had　his　five　rupees。

At　any　rate　he　started　out　with　a　ragged　undershirt　and　a　pair　of　white；　baggy　breeches。　He　entered　Nairobi　at　the　end　of　the　trip　with　a　cap；　a　neat　khaki　shirt；　two　water　bottles；　a　cartridge　belt；　a　sash　with　a　tasseI；　a　pair　of　spiral　puttees；　an　old　pair　of　shoes；　and　a　personal　private　small　boy；　picked　up　en　route　from　some　of　the　savage　tribes；　to　carry　his　cooking　pot；　make　his　fires；　draw　his　water；　and　generally　perform　his　lordly　behests。　This　was　indeed　〃more…than…oriental…splendour！〃

》From　now　on　Fundi　considered　himself　my　second　gunbearer。　I　had　no　use　for　him；　but　Fundi's　development　interested　me；　and　I　wanted　to　give　him　a　chance。　His　main　fault　at　first　was　eagerness。　He　had　to　be　rapped　pretty　sharply　and　a　good　number　of　times　before　he　discovered　that　he　really　must　walk　in　the　rear。　His　habit　of　calling　my　attention　to　perfectly　obvious　things　I　cured　by　liberal　sarcasm。　His　intense　desire　to　take　his　own　line　as　perhaps　opposed　to　mine　when　we　were　casting　about　on　trail；　I　abated　kindly　but　firmly　with　the　toe　of　my　boot。　His　evident　but　mistaken　tendency　to　consider　himself　on　an　equality　with　Memba　Sasa　we　both　squelched　by　giving　him　the　hard　and　dirty　work　to　do。　But　his　faults　were　never　those　of　voluntary　omission；　and　he　came　on　surprisingly；　in　fact　so　surprisingly　that　he　began　to　get　quite　cocky　over　it。　Not　that　he　was　ever　in　the　least　aggressive　or　disrespectful　or　neglectful…it　would　have　been　easy　to　deal　with　that　sort　of　thing…but　he　carried　his　head　pretty　high；　and　evidently　began　to　have　mental　reservations。　Fundi　needed　a　little　wholesome　discipline。　He　was　forgetting　his　porter　days；　and　was　rapidly　coming　to　consider　himself　a　full…fledged　gunbearer。

The　occasion　soon　arose。　We　were　returning　from　a　buffalo　hunt　and　ran　across　two　rhinoceroses；　one　of　which　carried　a　splendid　horn。　B。　wanted　a　well　developed　specimen　very　much；　so　we　took　this　chance。　The　approach　was　easy　enough；　and　at　seventy　yards　or　so　B。　knocked　her　flat　with　a　bullet　from　his　。465　Holland。　The　beast　was　immediately　afoot；　but　was　as　promptly　smothered　by　shots　from　us　all。　So　far　the　affair　was　very　simple；　but　now　came　complication。　The　second　rhinoceros　refused　to　leave。　We　did　not　want　to　kill　it；　so　we　spent　a　lot　of　time　and　pains　shooing　it　away。　We　showered　rocks　and　clods　of　earth　in　his　direction；　we　yelled　sharply　and　whistled　shrilly。　The　brute　faced　here　and　there；　his　pig　eyes　blinking；　his　snout　upraised；　trying　to　locate　us；　and　declining　to　budge。　At　length　he　gave　us　up　as　hopeless；　and　trotted　away　slowly。　We　let　him　go；　and　when　we　thought　he　had　quite　departed；　we　approached　to　examine　B。's　trophy。

Whereupon　the　other　craftily　returned；　and　charged　us；　snorting　like　an　engine　blowing　off　steam。　This　was　a　genuine　premeditated　charge；　as　opposed　to　a　blind　rush；　and　it　is　offered　as　a　good　example　of　the　sort。

The　rhinoceros　had　come　fairly　close　before　we　got　into　action。　He　headed　straight　for　F。　and　myself；　with　B。　a　little　to　one　side。　Things　happened　very　quickly。　F。　and　I　each　planted　a　heavy　bullet　in　his　head；　while　B。　sent　a　lighter　Winchester　bullet　into　the　ribs。　The　rhino　went　down　in　a　heap　eleven　yards　away；　and　one　of　us　promptly　shot　him　in　the　spine　to　finish　him。

Personally　I　was　entirely　concentrated　in　the　matter　at　hand…as　is　always　the　way　in　crises　requiring　action…and　got　very　few　impressions　from　anything　outside。　Nevertheless　I　imagined；　subconsciously　that　I　had　heard　four　shots。　F。　and　B。　disclaimed　more　than　one　apiece；　so　I　concluded　myself　mistaken；　exchanged　my　heavy　rifle　with　Fundi　for　the　lighter　Winchester；　and　we　started　for　camp；　leaving　all　the　boys　to　attend　to　the　dead　rhinos。　At　camp　I　threw　down　the　lever　of　my　Winchester…and　drew　out　an　exploded　shell！

Here　was　a　double　crime　on　Fundi's　part。　In　the　first　place；　he　had　fired　the　gun；　a　thing　no　bearer　is　supposed　ever　to　do　in　any　circumstances　short　of　the　disarmament　and　actual　mauling　of　his　master。　Naturally　this　is　so；　for　the　white　man　must　be　able　in　an　emergency　to　depend　ABSOLUTELY　on　his　second　gun　being　loaded　and　ready　for　his　need。　In　the　second　place；　Fundi　had　given　me　an　empty　rifle　to　carry　home。　Such　a　weapon　is　worse　than　none　in　case　of　trouble；　at　least　I　could　have　gone　up　a　tree　in　the　latter　case。　I　would　have　looked　sweet　snapping　that　old　cartridge　at　anything　dangerous！

Therefore　after　supper　we　stationed　ourselves　in　a　row　before　the　fire；　seated　in　our　canvas　chairs；　and　with　due　formality　sent　word　that　we　wanted　all　the　gunbearers。　They　came　and　stood　before　us。　Memba　Sasa　erect；　military；　compact；　looking　us　straight　in　the　eye；　Mavrouki　slightly　bent　forward；　his　face　alive　with　the　little　crafty；　calculating　smile　peculiar　to　him；　Simba；　tall　and　suave；　standing　with　much　social　ease；　and　Fundi；　a　trifle　frightened；　but　uncertain　as　to　whether　or　not　he　had　been　found　out。

We　stated　the　matter　in　a　few　words。

〃Gunbearers；　this　man　Fundi；　when　the　rhinoceros　charged；　fired　Winchi。　Was　this　the　work　of　a　gunbearer？〃

The　three　seasoned　men　looked　at　each　other　with　shocked　astonishment　that　such　depravity　could　exist。

〃And　being　frightened；　he　gave　back　Winchi　with　the　exploded　cartridge　in　her。　Was　that　the　work　of　a　gunbearer？〃

〃No；　bwana；〃　said　Fundi　humbly。

〃You；　the　gunbearers；　have　been　called　because　we　wish　to　know　what　should　be　done　with　this　man　Fundi。〃

It　should　be　here　explained　that　it　is　not　customary　to　kiboko；　or　flog；　men　of　the　gunbearer　class。　They　respect　themselves　and　their　calling；　and　would　never　stand　that　sort　of　punishment。　When　one　blunders；　a　sarcastic　scolding　is　generally　sufficient；　a　more　serious　fault　may　be　punished　on　the　spot　by　the　white　man's　fist；　or　a　really　bad　dereliction　may　cause　the　man's　instant　degradation　from　the　post。　With　this　in　mind　we　had　called　the　council　of　gunbearers。　Memba　Sasa　spoke。

〃Bwana；〃　said　he；　〃this　man　is　not　a　true　gunbearer。　He　is　no　longer　a　true　porter。　He　carries　a　gun　in　the　field；　like　a　gunbearer；　and　he　knows　much　of　the　duty　of　gunbearer。　Also　he　does　not　run　away　nor　climb　trees。　But　he　carries　in　the　meat；　and　he　is　not　a　real　gunbearer。　He　is　half　porter　and　half　gunbearer。〃

〃What　punishment　shall　he　have？〃

〃Kiboko；〃　said　they。

〃Thank　you。　Bass！〃

They　went；　leaving　Fundi。　We　surveyed　him；　quietly。

〃You　a　gunbearer！〃　said　we　at　last。　〃Memba　Sasa　says　you　are　half　gunbearer。　He　was　wrong。　You　are　all　porter；　and　you　know　no　more　than　they　do。　It　is　in　our　mind　to　put　you　back　to　carrying　a　load。　If　you　do　not　wish　to　taste　the　kiboko；　you　can　take　a　load　to…morrow。〃

〃The　kiboko；　bwana；〃　pleaded　Fundi；　very　abashed　and　humble。

〃Furthermore；〃　we　added　crushingly；　〃you　did　not　even　hit　the　rhinoceros！〃

So　with　all　ceremony　he　got　the　kiboko。　The　incident　did　him　a　lot　of　good；　and　toned　down　his　exuberance　somewhat。　Nevertheless　he　still　required　a　good　deal　of　training；　just　as　does　a　promising　bird　dog　in　its　first　season。　Generally　his　faults　were　of　over…eagerness。　Indeed；　once　he　got　me　thoroughly　angry　in　face　of　another　rhinoceros　by　dancing　just　out　of　reach　with　the　heavy　rifle；　instead　of　sticking　close　to　me　where　I　could　get　at　him。　I　temporarily　forgot　the　rhino；　and　advanced　on　Fundi　with　the　full　intention　of　knocking　his　fool　head　off。　Whereupon　this　six　feet　something　of　most　superb　and　insolent　pride　wilted　down　to　a　small　boy　with　his　elbow　before　his　face。

〃Don't　hit；　bwana！　Don't　hit！〃　he　begged。

The　whole　thing　was　so　comical；　especially　with　Memba　Sasa　standing　by　virtuous　and　scornful；　that　I　had　hard　work　to　keep　from　laughing。　Fortunately　the　rhinoceros　behaved　himself。

The　proud　moment　of　Fundi's　life　was　when　safari　entered　Nairobi　at　the　end　of　the　first　expedition。　He　had　gone　forth　with　a　load　on　his　head；　rags　on　his　back；　and　his　only　glory　was　the　self…assumed　one　of　the　name　he　had　taken…Fundi；　the　Expert。　He　returned　carrying　a　rifle；　rigged　from　top　to　toe　in　new　garments　and　fancy