the land of footprints-第54章

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every　five　minutes　or　so；　to　examine　carefully　all　our　boundaries；　lest　the　beasts　might　be　slipping　away　through　the　cover。

The　hours　passed　very　slowly。　We　made　lunch　last　as　long　as　possible。　I　had　in　my　pocket　a　small　edition　of　Hawthorne's　〃The　House　of　the　Seven　Gables；〃　which　I　read；　pausing　every　few　minutes　to　raise　my　glasses　for　the　periodical　examination　of　the　country。　The　mental　focussing　back　from　the　pale　gray　half　light　of　Hawthorne's　New　England　to　the　actuality　of　wild　Africa　was　a　most　extraordinary　experience。

Through　the　heat　of　the　day　the　world　lay　absolutely　silent。　At　about　half…past　three；　however；　we　heard　rumblings　and　low　bellows　from　the　trees　a　half　mile　away。　I　repocketed　Hawthorne；　and　aroused　myself　to　continuous　alertness。

The　ensuing　two　hours　passed　more　slowly　than　all　the　rest　of　the　day；　for　we　were　constantly　on　the　lookout。　The　buffaloes　delayed　most　singularly；　seemingly　reluctant　to　leave　their　deep　cover。　The　sun　dropped　behind　the　mountains；　and　their　shadow　commenced　to　climb　the　opposite　range。　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　We　had　not　more　than　a　half　hour　of　daylight　left。

Fifteen　minutes　of　this　passed。　It　began　to　look　as　though　our　long　and　monotonous　wait　had　been　quite　in　vain；　when；　right　below　us；　and　perhaps　five　hundred　yards　away；　four　great　black　bodies　fed　leisurely　from　the　bushes。　Three　of　them　we　could　see　plainly。　Two　were　bulls　of　fair　size。　The　fourth；　half　concealed　in　the　brush；　was　by　far　the　biggest　of　the　lot。

In　order　to　reach　them　we　would　have　to　slip　down　the　face　of　the　hill　on　which　we　sat；　cross　the　stream　jungle　at　the　bottom；　climb　out　the　other　side；　and　make　our　stalk　to　within　range。　With　a　half　hour　more　of　daylight　this　would　have　been　comparatively　easy；　but　in　such　circumstances　it　is　difficult　to　move　at　the　same　time　rapidly　and　unseen。　However；　we　decided　to　make　the　attempt。　To　that　end　we　disencumbered　ourselves　of　all　our　extras…lunch　box；　book；　kodak；　glasses；　etc。…and　wormed　our　way　as　rapidly　as　possible　toward　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　We　utilized　the　cover　as　much　as　we　were　able；　but　nevertheless　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　when　we　had　dropped　below　the　line　of　the　jungle。　We　wasted　very　little　time　crossing　the　latter；　save　for　precautions　against　noise。　Even　in　my　haste；　however；　I　had　opportunity　to　notice　its　high　and　austere　character；　with　the　arching　overhead　vines；　and　the　clear　freedom　from　undergrowth　in　its　heart。　Across　this　cleared　space　we　ran　at　full　speed；　crouching　below　the　grasp　of　the　vines；　splashed　across　the　brook　and　dashed　up　the　other　bank。　Only　a　faint　glimmer　of　light　lingered　in　the　jungle。　At　the　upper　edge　we　paused；　collected　ourselves；　and　pushed　cautiously　through　the　thick　border…screen　of　bush。

The　twilight　was　just　fading　into　dusk。　Of　course　we　had　taken　our　bearings　from　the　other　hill；　so　now；　after　reassuring　ourselves　of　them；　we　began　to　wriggle　our　way　at　a　great　pace　through　the　high　grass。　Our　calculations　were　quite　accurate。　We　stalked　successfully；　and　at　last；　drenched　in　sweat；　found　ourselves　lying　flat　within　ten　yards　of　a　small　bush　behind　which　we　could　make　out　dimly　the　black　mass　of　the　largest　beast　we　had　seen　from　across　the　way。

Although　it　was　now　practically　dark；　we　had　the　game　in　our　own　hands。　From　our　low　position　the　animal；　once　it　fed　forward　from　behind　the　single　small　bush；　would　be　plainly　outlined　against　the　sky；　and　at　ten　yards　I　should　be　able　to　place　my　heavy　bullets　properly；　even　in　the　dark。　Therefore；　quite　easy　in　our　minds；　we　lay　flat　and　rested。　At　the　end　of　twenty　seconds　the　animal　began　to　step　forward。　I　levelled　my　double　gun；　ready　to　press　trigger　the　moment　the　shoulder　appeared　in　the　clear。　Then　against　the　saffron　sky　emerged　the　ugly　outline　and　two　upstanding　horns　of　a　rhinoceros！

〃Faru！〃　I　whispered　disgustedly　to　Memba　Sasa。　With　infinite　pains　we　backed　out；　then　retreated　to　a　safe　distance。　It　was　of　course　now　too　late　to　hunt　up　the　three　genuine　buffaloes　of　this　ill…assorted　group。

In　fact　our　main　necessity　was　to　get　through　the　river　jungle　before　the　afterglow　had　faded　from　the　sky；　leaving　us　in　pitch　darkness。　I　sent　Memba　Sasa　across　to　pick　up　the　effects　we　had　left　on　the　opposite　ridge；　while　I　myself　struck　directly　across　the　flat　toward　camp。

I　had　plunged　ahead　thus；　for　two　or　three　hundred　yards；　when　I　was　brought　up　short　by　the　violent　snort　of　a　rhinoceros　just　off　the　starboard　bow。　He　was　very　close；　but　I　was　unable　to　locate　him　in　the　dusk。　A　cautious　retreat　and　change　of　course　cleared　me　from　him；　and　I　was　about　to　start　on　again　full　speed　when　once　more　I　was　halted　by　another　rhinoceros；　this　time　dead　ahead。　Attempting　to　back　away　from　him；　I　aroused　another　in　my　rear；　and　as　though　this　were　not　enough　a　fourth　opened　up　to　the　left。

It　was　absolutely　impossible　to　see　anything　ten　yards　away　unless　it　happened　to　be　silhouetted　against　the　sky。　I　backed　cautiously　toward　a　little　bush；　with　a　vague　idea　of　having　something　to　dodge　around。　As　the　old　hunter　said　when；　unarmed；　he　met　the　bear；　〃Anything；　even　a　newspaper；　would　have　come　handy。〃　To　my　great　joy　I　backed　against　a　conical　ant　hill　four　or　five　feet　high。　This　I　ascended　and　began　anti…rhino　demonstrations。　I　had　no　time　to　fool　with　rhinos；　anyway。　I　wanted　to　get　through　that　jungle　before　the　leopards　left　their　family　circles。　I　hurled　clods　of　earth　and　opprobrious　shouts　and　epithets　in　the　four　directions　of　my　four　obstreperous　friends；　and　I　thought　I　counted　four　reluctant　departures。　Then；　with　considerable　doubt；　I　descended　from　my　ant　hill　and　hurried　down　the　slope；　stumbling　over　grass　hummocks；　colliding　with　bushes；　tangling　with　vines；　but　progressing　in　a　gratifyingly　rhinoless　condition。　Five　minutes　cautious　but　rapid　feeling　my　way　brought　me　through　the　jungle。　Shortly　after　I　raised　the　campfires；　and　so　got　home。

The　next　two　days　were　repetitions；　with　slight　variation；　of　this　experience；　minus　the　rhinos！　Starting　from　camp　before　daylight　we　were　only　in　time　to　see　the　herd…always　aggravatingly　on　the　other　side　of　the　cover；　no　matter　which　side　we　selected　for　our　approach；　slowly　grazing　into　the　dense　jungle。　And　always　they　emerged　so　late　and　so　far　away　that　our　very　best　efforts　failed　to　get　us　near　them　before　dark。　The　margin　always　so　narrow；　however；　that　our　hopes　were　alive。

On　the　fourth　day；　which　must　be　our　last　in　Longeetoto；　we　found　that　the　herd　had　shifted　to　fresh　cover　three　miles　along　the　base　of　the　mountains。　We　had　no　faith　in　those　buffaloes；　but　about　half…past　three　we　sallied　forth　dutifully　and　took　position　on　a　hill　overlooking　the　new　hiding　place。　This　consisted　of　a　wide　grove　of　forest　trees　varied　by　occasional　open　glades　and　many　dense　thickets。　So　eager　were　we　to　win　what　had　by　now　developed　into　a　contest　that　I　refused　to　shoot　a　lioness　with　a　three…quarters…grown　cub　that　appeared　within　easy　shot　from　some　reeds　below　us。

Time　passed　as　usual　until　nearly　sunset。　Then　through　an　opening　into　one　of　the　small　glades　we　caught　sight　of　the　herd　travelling　slowly　but　steadily　from　right　to　left。　The　glimpse　was　only　momentary；　but　it　was　sufficient　to　indicate　the　direction　from　which　we　might　expect　them　to　emerge。　Therefore　we　ran　at　top　speed　down　from　our　own　hill；　tore　through　the　jungle　at　its　foot；　and　hastily；　but　with　more　caution；　mounted　the　opposite　slope　through　the　scattered　groves　and　high　grass。　We　could　hear　occasionally　indications　of　the　buffaloes'　slow　advance；　and　we　wanted　to　gain　a　good　ambuscade　above　them　before　they　emerged。　We　found　it　in　the　shape　of　a　small　conical　hillock　perched　on　the　side　hill　itself；　and　covered　with　long　grass。　It　commanded　open　vistas　through　the　scattered　trees　in　all　directions。　And　the　thicket　itself　ended　not　fifty　yards　away。　No　buffalo　could　possibly　come　out　without　our　seeing　him；　and　we　had　a　good　half　hour　of　clear　daylight　before　us。　It　really　seemed　that　luck　had　changed　at　last。

We　settled　ourselves；　unlimbered　for　action；　and　got　our　breath。　The　buffaloes　came　nearer　and　nearer。　At　length；　through　a　tiny　opening　a　hundred　yards　away；　we　cou