the land of footprints-第34章

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ousand。

Incidentally；　and　by　the　way；　I　want　to　add　to　the　milk…and…blood　joke　on　dietetics　another　on　the　physical　culturists。　We　are　all　familiar　with　the　wails　over　the　loss　of　our　toe　nails。　You　know　what　I　mean；　they　run　somewhat　like　this：　shoes　are　the　curse　of　civilization；　if　we　wear　them　much　longer　we　shall　not　only　lose　the　intended　use　of　our　feet；　but　we　shall　lose　our　toe　nails　as　well；　the　savage　man；　etc。　；　etc。　；　etc。　Now　I　saw　a　great　many　of　said　savage　men　in　Africa；　and　I　got　much　interested　in　their　toe　nails；　because　I　soon　found　that　our　own　civilized　〃imprisoned〃　toe　nails　were　very　much　better　developed。　In　fact；　a　large　number　of　the　free　and　untramelled　savages　have　hardly　any　toe　nails　at　all！　Whether　this　upsets　a　theory；　nullifies　a　sentimental　protest；　or　merely　stands　as　an　exception；　I　should　not　dare　guess。　But　the　fact　is　indubitable。



XVIII。　IN　THE　JUNGLE　　（a）　THE　MARCH　TO　MERU

Now；　one　day　we　left　the　Isiola　River　and　cut　across　on　a　long　upward　slant　to　the　left。　In　a　very　short　time　we　had　left　the　plains；　and　were　adrift　in　an　ocean　of　brown　grass　that　concealed　all　but　the　bobbing　loads　atop　the　safari；　and　over　which　we　could　only　see　when　mounted。　It　was　glorious　feed；　apparently；　but　it　contained　very　few　animals　for　all　that。　An　animal　could　without　doubt　wax　fat　and　sleek　therein：　but　only　to　furnish　light　and　salutary　meals　to　beasts　of　prey。　Long　grass　makes　easy　stalking。　We　saw　a　few　ostriches；　some　giraffe；　and　three　or　four　singly　adventurous　oryx。　The　ripening　grasses　were　softer　than　a　rippling　field　grain；　and　even　more　beautiful　in　their　umber　and　browns。　Although　apparently　we　travelled　a　level；　nevertheless　in　the　extreme　distance　the　plains　of　our　hunting　were　dropping　below；　and　the　far　off　mountains　were　slowly　rising　above　the　horizon。　On　the　other　side　were　two　very　green　hills；　looking　nearly　straight　up　and　down；　and　through　a　cleft　the　splintered　snow…clad　summit　of　Mt。　Kenia。

At　length　this　gentle　foothill　slope　broke　over　into　rougher　country。　Then；　in　the　pass；　we　came　upon　many　parallel　beaten　paths；　wider　and　straighter　than　the　game　trails…native　tracks。　That　night　we　camped　in　a　small；　round　valley　under　some　glorious　trees；　with　green　grass　around　us；　a　refreshing　contrast　after　the　desert　brown。　In　the　distance　ahead　stood　a　big　hill；　and　at　its　base　we　could　make　out　amid　the　tree…green；　the　straight　slim　smoke　of　many　fires　and　the　threads　of　many　roads。

We　began　our　next　morning's　march　early；　and　we　dropped　over　the　hill　into　a　wide；　cultivated　valley。　Fields　of　grain；　mostly　rape；　were　planted　irregularly　among　big　scattered　trees。　The　morning　air；　warming　under　the　sun；　was　as　yet　still；　and　carried　sound　well。　The　cooing；　chattering　and　calling　of　thousands　of　birds　mingled　with　shouts　and　the　clapping　together　of　pieces　of　wood。　As　we　came　closer　we　saw　that　every　so　often　scaffolds　had　been　erected　overlooking　the　grain；　and　on　these　scaffolds　naked　boys　danced　and　yelled　and　worked　clappers　to　scare　the　birds　from　the　crops。　They　seemed　to　put　a　great　deal　of　rigour　into　the　job；　whether　from　natural　enthusiasm　or　efficient　direful　supervision　I　could　not　say。　Certainly　they　must　have　worked　in　watches；　however；　no　human　being　could　keep　up　that　row　continuously　for　a　single　day；　let　alone　the　whole　season　of　ripening　grain。　As　we　passed　they　fell　silent　and　stared　their　fill。

On　the　banks　of　a　boggy　little　stream　that　we　had　to　flounder　across　we　came　on　a　gentleman　and　lady　travelling。　They　were　a　tall；　well　formed　pair；　mahogany　in　colour；　with　the　open；　pleasant　expression　of　most　of　these　jungle　peoples。　The　man　wore　a　string　around　his　waist　into　which　was　thrust　a　small　leafy　branch；　the　woman　had　on　a　beautiful　skirt　made　by　halving　a　banana　leaf；　using　the　stem　as　belt；　and　letting　the　leaf　part　hang　down　as　a　skirt。　Shortly　after　meeting　these　people　we　turned　sharp　to　the　right　on　a　well　beaten　road。

For　nearly　two　weeks　we　were　to　follow　this　road；　so　it　may　be　as　well　to　get　an　idea　of　it。　Its　course　was　a　segment　of　about　a　sixth　of　the　circle　of　Kenia's　foothills。　With　Kenia　itself　as　a　centre；　this　road　swung　among　the　lower　elevations　about　the　base　of　that　great　mountain。　Its　course　was　mainly　down　and　up　hundreds　of　the　canyons　radiating　from　the　main　peak；　and　over　the　ridges　between　them。　No　sooner　were　we　down；　than　we　had　to　climb　up；　and　no　sooner　were　we　up；　than　once　more　down　we　had　to　plunge。　At　times；　however；　we　crossed　considerable　plateaus。　Most　of　this　country　was　dense　jungle；　so　dense　that　we　could　not　see　on　either　side　more　than　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　Occasionally；　atop　the　ridges；　however；　we　would　come　upon　small　open　parks。　In　these　jungles　live　millions　of　human　beings。

At　once；　as　soon　as　we　had　turned　into　the　main　road；　we　began　to　meet　people。　In　the　grain　fields　of　the　valley　we　saw　only　the　elevated　boys；　and　a　few　men　engaged　in　weaving　a　little　house　perched　on　stilts。　We　came　across　some　of　these　little　houses　all　completed；　with　conical　roofs。　They　were　evidently　used　for　granaries。　As　we　mounted　the　slope　on　the　other　side；　however；　the　trees　closed　in；　and　we　found　ourselves　marching　down　the　narrow　aisle　of　the　jungle　itself。

It　was　a　dense　and　beautiful　jungle；　with　very　tall　trees　and　the　deepest　shade；　and　the　impenetrable　tangle　to　the　edge　of　the　track。　Among　the　trees　were　the　broad　leaves　of　bananas　and　palms；　the　fling　of　leafy　vines。　Over　the　track　these　leaned；　so　that　we　rode　through　splashing　and　mottling　shade。　Nothing　could　have　seemed　wilder　than　this　apparently　impenetrable　and　yet　we　had　ridden　but　a　short　distance　before　we　realized　that　we　were　in　fact　passing　through　cultivated　land。　It　was；　again；　only　a　difference　in　terms。　Native　cultivation　in　this　district　rarely　consists　of　clearing　land　and　planting　crops　in　due　order；　but　in　leaving　the　forest　proper　as　it　is；　and　in　planting　foodstuffs　haphazard　wherever　a　tiny　space　can　be　made　for　even　three　hills　of　corn　or　a　single　banana。　Thus　they　add　to　rather　than　subtract　from　the　typical　density　of　the　jungle。　At　first；　we　found；　it　took　some　practice　to　tell　a　farm　when　we　saw　it。

》From　the　track　narrow　little　paths　wound　immediately　out　of　sight。　Sometimes　we　saw　a　wisp　of　smoke　rising　above　the　undergrowth　and　eddying　in　the　tops　of　the　trees。　Long　vine　ropes　swung　from　point　to　point；　hung　at　intervals　with　such　matters　as　feathers；　bones；　miniature　shields；　carved　sticks；　shells　and　clappers：　either　as　magic　or　to　keep　off　the　birds。　From　either　side　the　track　we　were　conscious　always　of　bright　black　eyes　watching　us。　Sometimes　we　caught　a　glimpse　of　their　owners　crouched　in　the　bush；　concealed　behind　banana　leaves；　motionless　and　straight　against　a　tree　trunk。　When　they　saw　themselves　observed　they　vanished　without　a　sound。

The　upper　air　was　musical　with　birds；　and　bright　with　the　flutter　of　their　wings。　Rarely　did　we　see　them　long　enough　to　catch　a　fair　idea　of　their　size　and　shape。　They　flashed　from　shade　to　shade；　leaving　only　an　impression　of　brilliant　colour。　There　were　some　exceptions：　as　the　widower…bird；　dressed　all　in　black；　with　long　trailing　wing…plumes　of　which　he　seemed　very　proud；　and　the　various　sorts　of　green　pigeons　and　parrots。　There　were　many　flowering　shrubs　and　trees；　and　the　air　was　laden　with　perfume。　Strange；　too；　it　seemed　to　see　tall　trees　with　leaves　three　or　four　feet　long　and　half　as　many　wide。

We　were　riding　a　mile　or　so　ahead　of　the　safari。　At　first　we　were　accompanied　only　by　our　gunbearers　and　syces。　Before　long；　however；　we　began　to　accumulate　a　following。

This　consisted　at　first　of　a　very　wonderful　young　man；　probably　a　chief's　son。　He　carried　a　long　bright　spear；　wore　a　short　sword　thrust　through　a　girdle；　had　his　hair　done　in　three　wrapped　queues；　one　over　each　temple　and　one　behind；　and　was　generally　brought　to　a　high　state　of　polish　by　means　of　red　earth　and　oil。　About　his　knee　he　wore　a　little　bell　that　jingled　pleasingly　at　every　step。　From　one　shoulder　hung　a　goat…skin　cloak　embroidered　with　steel　beads。　A　small　package　neatly　done　up　in　leaves　probably　contained　his　lunch。　He　teetered　along　with　a　mincing　up　and　down　step；　every　movem