the land of footprints-第39章

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d　by　a　bodyguard　in　all　the　panoply　of　war：　ostrich　feather　circlets　enclosing　the　head　and　face；　shields　of　bright　heraldry；　long　glittering　spears。　These　were　followed　by　a　dozen　of　the　quaintest　solemn　dolls　of　beebees　dressed　in　all　the　white　cowry　shells；　beads　and　brass　the　royal　treasury　afforded；　very　earnest；　very　much　on　inspection；　every　little　head　uplifted；　singing　away　just　as　hard　as　ever　they　could。　Each　carried　a　gourd　of　milk；　a　bunch　of　bananas；　some　sugarcane；　yams　or　the　like。　Straight　to　the　fire　marched　the　pageant。　Then　the　warriors　dividing　right　and　left；　drew　up　facing　each　other　in　two　lines；　struck　their　spears　upright　in　the　ground；　and　stood　at　attention。　The　quaint　brown　little　women　lined　up　to　close　the　end　of　this　hollow　square；　of　which　our　group　was；　roughly　speaking；　the　fourth　side。　Then　all　came　to　attention。　The　song　now　rose　to　a　wild　and　ecstatic　minor　chanting。　The　beebees；　still　singing；　one　by　one　cast　their　burdens　between　the　files　and　at　our　feet　in　the　middle　of　the　hollow　square。　Then　they　continued　their　chant；　singing　away　at　the　tops　of　their　little　lungs；　their　eyes　and　teeth　showing；　their　pretty　bodies　held　rigidly　upright。　The　warriors；　very　erect　and　military；　stared　straight　ahead。

And　the　chief？　Was　he　the　centre　of　the　show；　the　important　leading　man；　to　the　contemplation　of　whom　all　these　glories　led？　Not　at　all！　This　particular　chief　did　not　have　the　soul　of　a　leading　man；　but　rather　the　soul　of　a　stage　manager。　Quite　forgetful　of　himself　and　his　part　in　the　spectacle；　his　brow　furrowed　with　anxiety；　he　was　flittering　from　one　to　another　of　the　performers。　He　listened　carefully　to　each　singer　in　turn；　holding　his　hand　behind　his　ear　to　catch　the　individual　note；　striking　one　on　the　shoulder　in　admonition；　nodding　approval　at　another。　He　darted　unexpectedly　across　to　scrutinize　a　warrior；　in　the　chance　of　catching　a　flicker　of　the　eyelid　even。　Nary　a　flicker！　They　did　their　stage　manager　credit；　and　stood　like　magnificent　bronzes。　He　even　ran　across　to　peer　into　our　own　faces　to　see　how　we　liked　it。

With　a　sudden　crescendo　the　music　stopped。　Involuntarily　we　broke　into　handclapping。　The　old　boy　looked　a　bit　startled　at　this；　but　we　explained　to　him；　and　he　seemed　very　pleased。　We　then　accepted　formally　the　heap　of　presents；　by　touching　them…and　in　turn　passed　over　a　blanket；　a　box　of　matches；　and　two　needles；　together　with　beads　for　the　beebees。　Then　F。；　on　an　inspiration；　produced　his　flashlight。　This　made　a　tremendous　sensation。　The　women　tittered　and　giggled　and　blinked　as　its　beams　were　thrown　directly　into　their　eyes；　the　chief's　sons　grinned　and　guffawed；　the　chief　himself　laughed　like　a　pleased　schoolboy；　and　seemed　never　to　weary　of　the　sudden　shutting　on　and　off　of　the　switch。　But　the　trusty　Spartan　warriors；　standing　still　in　their　formation　behind　their　planted　spears；　were　not　to　be　shaken。　They　glared　straight　in　front　of　them；　even　when　we　held　the　light　within　a　few　inches　of　their　eyes；　and　not　a　muscle　quivered！

〃It　is　wonderful！　wonderful！〃　the　old　man　repeated。　〃Many　Government　men　have　come　here；　but　none　have　had　anything　like　that！　The　bwanas　must　be　very　great　sultans！〃

After　the　departure　of　our　friends；　we　went　rather　grandly　to　bed。　We　always　did　after　any　one　had　called　us　sultans。

But　our　prize　chief　was　an　individual　named　M'booley。*　Our　camp　here　also　was　on　a　fine　cleared　hilltop　between　two　streams。　After　we　had　traded　for　a　while　with　very　friendly　and　prosperous　people　M'booley　came　in。　He　was　young；　tall；　straight；　with　a　beautiful　smooth　lithe　form；　and　his　face　was　hawklike　and　cleverly　intelligent。　He　carried　himself　with　the　greatest　dignity　and　simplicity；　meeting　us　on　an　easy　plane　of　familiarity。　I　do　not　know　how　I　can　better　describe　his　manner　toward　us　than　to　compare　it　to　the　manner　the　member　of　an　exclusive　golf　club　would　use　to　one　who　is　a　stranger；　but　evidently　a　guest。　He　took　our　quality　for　granted；　and　supposed　we　must　do　the　same　by　him；　neither　acting　as　though　he　considered　us　〃great　white　men；〃　nor　yet　standing　aloof　and　too　respectful。　And　as　the　distinguishing　feature　of　all；　he　was　absolutely　without　personal　ornament。

*Pronounce　each　o　separately。


Pause　for　a　moment　to　consider　what　a　real　advance　in　esthetic　taste　that　one　little　fact　stands　for。　All　M'booley's　attendants　were　the　giddiest　and　gaudiest　savages　we　had　yet　seen；　with　more　colobus　fur；　sleighbells；　polished　metal；　ostrich　plumes；　and　red　paint　than　would　have　fitted　out　any　two　other　royal　courts　of　the　jungle。　The　women　too　were　wealthy　and　opulent　without　limit。　It　takes　considerable　perception　among　our　civilized　people　to　realize　that　severe　simplicity　amid　ultra　magnificence　makes　the　most　effective　distinguishing　of　an　individual。　If　you　do　not　believe　it；　drop　in　at　the　next　ball　to　which　you　are　invited。　M'booley　had　fathomed　this；　and　what　was　more　he　had　the　strength　of　mind　to　act　on　it。　Any　savage　loves　finery　for　its　own　sake。　His　hair　was　cut　short；　and　shaved　away　at　the　edges　to　leave　what　looked　like　an　ordinary　close…fitting　skull　cap。　He　wore　one　pair　of　plain　armlets　on　his　left　upper　arm　and　small　simple　ear…rings。　His　robe　was　black。　He　had　no　trace　of　either　oil　or　paint；　nor　did　he　even　carry　a　spear。

He　greeted　us　with　good…humoured　ease；　and　inquired　conversationally　if　we　wanted　anything。　We　suggested　wood　and　milk；　whereupon　still　smiling；　he　uttered　a　few　casual　words　in　his　own　language　to　no　one　in　particular。　There　was　no　earthly　doubt　that　he　was　chief。　Three　of　the　most　gorgeous　and　haughty　warriors　ran　out　of　camp。　Shortly　long　files　of　women　came　in　bringing　loads　of　firewood；　and　others　carrying　bananas；　yams；　sugarcane　and　a　sheep。　Truly　M'booley　did　things　on　a　princely　scale。　We　thanked　him。　He　accepted　the　thanks　with　a　casual　smile；　waved　his　hand　and　went　on　to　talk　of　something　else。　In　due　order　our　M'ganga　brought　up　one　of　our　best　trade　blankets；　to　which　we　added　a　half　dozen　boxes　of　matches　and　a　razor。

Now　into　camp　filed　a　small　procession：　four　women；　four　children；　and　two　young　men。　These　advanced　to　where　M'booley　was　standing　smoking　with　great　satisfaction　one　of　B's　tailor…made　cigarettes。　M'booley　advanced　ten　feet　to　meet　them；　and　brought　them　up　to　introduce　them　one　by　one　in　the　most　formal　fashion。　These　were　of　course　his　family；　and　we　had　to　confess　that　they　〃saw〃　N'Zahgi's　outfit　of　ornaments　and　〃raised〃　him　beyond　the　ceiling。　We　gave　them　each　in　turn　the　handshake　of　ceremony；　first　with　the　palms　as　we　do　it；　and　then　each　grasping　the　other's　upright　thumb。　The　〃little　chiefs〃　were　proud；　aristocratic　little　fellows；　holding　themselves　very　straight　and　solemn。　I　think　one　would　have　known　them　for　royalty　anywhere。

It　was　quite　a　social　occasion。　None　of　our　guests　was　in　the　least　ill　at　ease；　in　fact；　the　young　ladies　were　quite　coy　and　flirtatious。　We　had　a　great　many　jokes。　Each　of　the　little　ladies　received　a　handful　of　prevailing　beads。　M'booley　smiled　benignly　at　these　delightful　femininities。　After　a　time　he　led　us　to　the　edge　of　the　hill　and　showed　us　his　houses　across　the　cation；　perched　on　a　flat　about　halfway　up　the　wall。　They　were　of　the　usual　grass…thatched　construction；　but　rather　larger　and　neater　than　most。　Examining　them　through　the　glasses　we　saw　that　a　little　stream　had　been　diverted　to　flow　through　the　front　yard。　M'booley　waved　his　hand　abroad　and　gave　us　to　understand　that　he　considered　the　outlook　worth　looking　at。　It　was；　but　an　appreciation　of　that　fact　is　foreign　to　the　average　native。　Next　morning；　when　we　rode　by　very　early；　we　found　the　little　flat　most　attractively　cleared　and　arranged。　M'booley　was　out　to　shake　us　by　the　hand　in　farewell；　shivering　in　the　cold　of　dawn。　The　flirtatious　and　spoiled　little　beauties　were　not　in　evidence。

One　day　after　two　very　deep　canyons　we　emerged　from　the　forest　jungle　into　an　up　and　down　country　of　high　jungle　bush…brush。　》From　the　top　of　a　ridge　it　looked　a　good　deal　like　a　northern　cut…over　pine　country　grown　up　very　heavily　to　blackberry　vines；　although；　of　course；　when　we　came　nearer；　the　〃blackberry　vines〃　proved　to　be　ten　or　twenty　feet　high。　This　was　a　dist