the land of footprints-µÚ56ÕÂ
°´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£¡
fairly¡¡under¡¡the¡¡beast¡£
I¡¡had¡¡no¡¡weapon£»¡¡and¡¡any¡¡moment¡¡might¡¡bring¡¡some¡¡word¡¡or¡¡some¡¡noise¡¡that¡¡would¡¡catch¡¡the¡¡animal's¡¡attention¡£¡¡Fortunately£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡moment£»¡¡every¡¡one£»¡¡relaxed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡reaction¡¡after¡¡the¡¡long¡¡morning£»¡¡was¡¡keeping¡¡silence¡£¡¡If¡¡the¡¡buffalo¡¡should¡¡look¡¡down£»¡¡he¡¡could¡¡not¡¡fail¡¡to¡¡see¡¡Billy£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡her£»¡¡he¡¡would¡¡indubitably¡¡kill¡¡her¡£
As¡¡has¡¡been¡¡explained£»¡¡snapping¡¡the¡¡fingers¡¡does¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡the¡¡attention¡¡of¡¡wild¡¡animals¡£¡¡Therefore¡¡I¡¡snapped¡¡mine¡¡as¡¡vigorously¡¡as¡¡I¡¡knew¡¡how¡£¡¡Billy¡¡heard£»¡¡looked¡¡toward¡¡me£»¡¡turned¡¡in¡¡the¡¡direction¡¡of¡¡my¡¡gaze£»¡¡and¡¡slowly¡¡sank¡¡prone¡¡against¡¡the¡¡ground¡£¡¡Some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡boys¡¡heard¡¡me¡¡also£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡could¡¡see¡¡the¡¡heads¡¡of¡¡all¡¡of¡¡them¡¡popping¡¡up¡¡in¡¡interest¡¡from¡¡the¡¡banks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stream¡£¡¡My¡¡cautious¡¡but¡¡very¡¡frantic¡¡signals¡¡to¡¡lie¡¡low¡¡were¡¡understood£º¡¡the¡¡heads¡¡dropped¡¡back¡£¡¡Mavrouki£»¡¡a¡¡rifle¡¡in¡¡each¡¡hand£»¡¡came¡¡worming¡¡his¡¡way¡¡toward¡¡me¡¡through¡¡the¡¡grass¡¡with¡¡incredible¡¡quickness¡¡and¡¡agility¡£¡¡A¡¡moment¡¡later¡¡he¡¡thrust¡¡the¡¡405¡¡Winchester¡¡into¡¡my¡¡hand¡£
This¡¡weapon£»¡¡powerful¡¡and¡¡accurate¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is£»¡¡the¡¡best¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lot¡¡for¡¡lions£»¡¡was¡¡altogether¡¡too¡¡small¡¡for¡¡the¡¡tremendous¡¡brute¡¡before¡¡me¡£¡¡However£»¡¡the¡¡Holland¡¡was¡¡in¡¡camp£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡was¡¡very¡¡glad¡¡in¡¡the¡¡circumstances¡¡to¡¡get¡¡this¡£¡¡The¡¡buffalo¡¡had¡¡browsed¡¡slowly¡¡forward¡¡into¡¡the¡¡clear£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡now¡¡taking¡¡the¡¡top¡¡off¡¡a¡¡small¡¡bush£»¡¡and¡¡facing¡¡half¡¡away¡¡from¡¡us¡£¡¡It¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡me¡¡quite¡¡the¡¡largest¡¡buffalo¡¡I¡¡had¡¡ever¡¡seen£»¡¡though¡¡I¡¡should¡¡have¡¡been¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡have¡¡acknowledged¡¡at¡¡that¡¡moment¡¡that¡¡the¡¡circumstances¡¡had¡¡something¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡the¡¡estimate¡£¡¡However£»¡¡later¡¡we¡¡found¡¡that¡¡the¡¡impression¡¡was¡¡correct¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡verily¡¡a¡¡giant¡¡of¡¡his¡¡kind¡£¡¡His¡¡height¡¡at¡¡the¡¡shoulder¡¡was¡¡five¡¡feet¡¡ten¡¡inches£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡build¡¡was¡¡even¡¡chunkier¡¡than¡¡the¡¡usual¡¡solid¡¡robust¡¡pattern¡¡of¡¡buffaloes¡£¡¡For¡¡example£»¡¡his¡¡neck£»¡¡just¡¡back¡¡of¡¡the¡¡horns£»¡¡was¡¡two¡¡feet¡¡eight¡¡inches¡¡thick£¡¡¡He¡¡weighed¡¡not¡¡far¡¡from¡¡three¡¡thousand¡¡pounds¡£
Once¡¡the¡¡rifle¡¡was¡¡in¡¡my¡¡hands¡¡I¡¡lost¡¡the¡¡feeling¡¡of¡¡utter¡¡helplessness£»¡¡and¡¡began¡¡to¡¡plan¡¡the¡¡best¡¡way¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡situation¡£¡¡As¡¡yet¡¡the¡¡beast¡¡was¡¡totally¡¡unconscious¡¡of¡¡our¡¡presence£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡could¡¡not¡¡continue¡¡long¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡too¡¡many¡¡men¡¡about¡£¡¡A¡¡chance¡¡current¡¡of¡¡air¡¡from¡¡any¡¡one¡¡of¡¡a¡¡half¡¡dozen¡¡directions¡¡could¡¡not¡¡fail¡¡to¡¡give¡¡him¡¡the¡¡scent¡£¡¡Then¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡lively¡¡doings¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡exceedingly¡¡desirable¡¡to¡¡deliver¡¡the¡¡first¡¡careful¡¡blow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡engagement¡¡while¡¡he¡¡was¡¡unaware¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡his¡¡present¡¡attitude¡half¡¡away¡¡from¡¡me¡was¡¡not¡¡favourable£»¡¡nor£»¡¡in¡¡my¡¡exposed¡¡position¡¡dared¡¡I¡¡move¡¡to¡¡a¡¡better¡¡place¡£¡¡There¡¡seemed¡¡nothing¡¡better¡¡than¡¡to¡¡wait£»¡¡so¡¡wait¡¡we¡¡did¡£¡¡Mavrouki¡¡crouched¡¡close¡¡at¡¡my¡¡elbow£»¡¡showing¡¡not¡¡the¡¡faintest¡¡indication¡¡of¡¡a¡¡desire¡¡to¡¡be¡¡anywhere¡¡but¡¡there¡£
The¡¡buffalo¡¡browsed¡¡for¡¡a¡¡minute¡¡or¡¡so£»¡¡then¡¡swung¡¡slowly¡¡broadside¡¡on¡£¡¡So¡¡massive¡¡and¡¡low¡¡were¡¡the¡¡bosses¡¡of¡¡his¡¡horns¡¡that¡¡the¡¡brain¡¡shot¡¡was¡¡impossible¡£¡¡Therefore¡¡I¡¡aimed¡¡low¡¡in¡¡the¡¡shoulder¡£¡¡The¡¡shock¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bullet¡¡actually¡¡knocked¡¡that¡¡great¡¡beast¡¡off¡¡his¡¡feet£¡¡¡My¡¡respect¡¡for¡¡the¡¡hitting¡¡power¡¡of¡¡the¡¡405¡¡went¡¡up¡¡several¡¡notches¡£¡¡The¡¡only¡¡trouble¡¡was¡¡that¡¡he¡¡rebounded¡¡like¡¡a¡¡rubber¡¡ball¡£¡¡Without¡¡an¡¡instant's¡¡hesitation¡¡I¡¡gave¡¡him¡¡another¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡place¡£¡¡This¡¡brought¡¡him¡¡to¡¡his¡¡knees¡¡for¡¡an¡¡instant£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡was¡¡immediately¡¡afoot¡¡again¡£¡¡Billy¡¡had£»¡¡with¡¡great¡¡good¡¡sense¡¡and¡¡courage£»¡¡continued¡¡to¡¡lie¡¡absolutely¡¡flat¡¡within¡¡a¡¡few¡¡yards¡¡of¡¡the¡¡beast£»¡¡Mavrouki¡¡and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡kept¡¡low£»¡¡and¡¡C¡£¡¡and¡¡the¡¡men¡¡were¡¡out¡¡of¡¡sight¡£¡¡The¡¡buffalo¡¡therefore¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡none¡¡of¡¡his¡¡antagonists¡£¡¡He¡¡charged¡¡at¡¡a¡¡guess£»¡¡and¡¡guessed¡¡wrong¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡went¡¡by¡¡I¡¡fired¡¡at¡¡his¡¡head£»¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡we¡¡found¡¡out¡¡afterward£»¡¡broke¡¡his¡¡jaw¡£¡¡A¡¡moment¡¡later¡¡C¡£'s¡¡great¡¡elephant¡¡gun¡¡roared¡¡from¡¡somewhere¡¡behind¡¡me¡¡as¡¡he¡¡fired¡¡by¡¡a¡¡glimpse¡¡through¡¡the¡¡brush¡¡at¡¡the¡¡charging¡¡animal¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡an¡¡excellent¡¡snapshot£»¡¡and¡¡landed¡¡back¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ribs¡£
When¡¡the¡¡buffalo¡¡broke¡¡through¡¡the¡¡screen¡¡of¡¡brush¡¡I¡¡dashed¡¡after¡¡him£»¡¡for¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡our¡¡only¡¡chance¡¡of¡¡avoiding¡¡danger¡¡lay¡¡in¡¡keeping¡¡close¡¡track¡¡of¡¡where¡¡that¡¡buffalo¡¡went¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡side¡¡the¡¡bushes¡¡I¡¡found¡¡a¡¡little¡¡grassy¡¡opening£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡a¡¡small¡¡but¡¡dense¡¡thicket¡¡into¡¡which¡¡the¡¡animal¡¡had¡¡plunged¡£¡¡To¡¡my¡¡left£»¡¡C¡£¡¡was¡¡running¡¡up£»¡¡followed¡¡closely¡¡by¡¡Billy£»¡¡who£»¡¡with¡¡her¡¡usual¡¡good¡¡sense£»¡¡had¡¡figured¡¡out¡¡the¡¡safest¡¡place¡¡to¡¡be¡¡immediately¡¡back¡¡of¡¡the¡¡guns¡£¡¡We¡¡came¡¡together¡¡at¡¡the¡¡thicket's¡¡edge¡£
The¡¡animal's¡¡movements¡¡could¡¡be¡¡plainly¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡his¡¡crashing¡£¡¡We¡¡heard¡¡him¡¡dash¡¡away¡¡some¡¡distance£»¡¡pause£»¡¡circle¡¡a¡¡bit¡¡to¡¡the¡¡right£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡come¡¡rushing¡¡back¡¡in¡¡our¡¡direction¡£¡¡Stooping¡¡low¡¡we¡¡peered¡¡into¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡thicket¡£¡¡Suddenly¡¡we¡¡saw¡¡him£»¡¡not¡¡a¡¡dozen¡¡yards¡¡away¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡still¡¡afoot£»¡¡but¡¡very¡¡slow¡£¡¡I¡¡dropped¡¡the¡¡magazine¡¡of¡¡five¡¡shots¡¡into¡¡him¡¡as¡¡fast¡¡as¡¡I¡¡could¡¡work¡¡the¡¡lever¡£¡¡We¡¡later¡¡found¡¡all¡¡the¡¡bullet¡holes¡¡in¡¡a¡¡spot¡¡as¡¡big¡¡as¡¡the¡¡palm¡¡of¡¡your¡¡hand¡£¡¡These¡¡successive¡¡heavy¡¡blows¡¡delivered¡¡all¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡place¡¡were¡¡too¡¡much¡¡for¡¡even¡¡his¡¡tremendous¡¡vitality£»¡¡and¡¡slowly¡¡he¡¡sank¡¡on¡¡his¡¡side¡£
XXVI¡£¡¡JUJA
Most¡¡people¡¡have¡¡heard¡¡of¡¡Juja£»¡¡the¡¡modern¡¡dwelling¡¡in¡¡the¡¡heart¡¡of¡¡an¡¡African¡¡wilderness£»¡¡belonging¡¡to¡¡our¡¡own¡¡countryman£»¡¡Mr¡£¡¡W¡£¡¡N¡£¡¡McMillan¡£¡¡If¡¡most¡¡people¡¡are¡¡as¡¡I¡¡was¡¡before¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡place£»¡¡they¡¡have¡¡considerable¡¡curiosity¡¡and¡¡no¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡what¡¡it¡¡is¡¡and¡¡how¡¡it¡¡looks¡£
We¡¡came¡¡to¡¡Juja¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡a¡¡wide¡¡circle¡¡that¡¡had¡¡lasted¡¡three¡¡months£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡now¡¡bringing¡¡us¡¡back¡¡again¡¡toward¡¡our¡¡starting¡¡point¡£¡¡For¡¡five¡¡days¡¡we¡¡had¡¡been¡¡camped¡¡on¡¡top¡¡a¡¡high¡¡bluff¡¡at¡¡the¡¡junction¡¡of¡¡two¡¡rivers¡£¡¡When¡¡we¡¡moved¡¡we¡¡dropped¡¡down¡¡the¡¡bluff£»¡¡crossed¡¡one¡¡river£»¡¡and£»¡¡after¡¡some¡¡searching£»¡¡found¡¡our¡¡way¡¡up¡¡the¡¡other¡¡bluff¡£¡¡There¡¡we¡¡were¡¡on¡¡a¡¡vast¡¡plain¡¡bounded¡¡by¡¡mountains¡¡thirty¡¡miles¡¡away¡£¡¡A¡¡large¡¡white¡¡and¡¡unexpected¡¡sign¡¡told¡¡us¡¡we¡¡were¡¡on¡¡Juja¡¡Farm£»¡¡and¡¡warned¡¡us¡¡that¡¡we¡¡should¡¡be¡¡careful¡¡of¡¡our¡¡fires¡¡in¡¡the¡¡long¡¡grass¡£
For¡¡an¡¡hour¡¡we¡¡plodded¡¡slowly¡¡along¡£¡¡Herds¡¡of¡¡zebra¡¡and¡¡hartebeeste¡¡drew¡¡aside¡¡before¡¡us£»¡¡dark¡¡heavy¡¡wildebeeste¡the¡¡gnu¡stood¡¡in¡¡groups¡¡at¡¡a¡¡safe¡¡distance¡¡their¡¡heads¡¡low£»¡¡looking¡¡exactly¡¡like¡¡our¡¡vanished¡¡bison£»¡¡ghostlike¡¡bands¡¡of¡¡Thompson's¡¡gazelles¡¡glided¡¡away¡¡with¡¡their¡¡smooth¡¡regular¡¡motion¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡vast¡¡and¡¡treeless¡¡plains¡¡single¡¡small¡¡objects¡¡standing¡¡above¡¡the¡¡general¡¡uniformity¡¡took¡¡an¡¡exaggerated¡¡value£»¡¡so¡¡that£»¡¡before¡¡it¡¡emerged¡¡from¡¡the¡¡swirling¡¡heat¡¡mirage£»¡¡a¡¡solitary¡¡tree¡¡might¡¡easily¡¡be¡¡mistaken¡¡for¡¡a¡¡group¡¡of¡¡buildings¡¡or¡¡a¡¡grove¡£¡¡Finally£»¡¡however£»¡¡we¡¡raised¡¡above¡¡the¡¡horizon¡¡a¡¡dark¡¡straight¡¡clump¡¡of¡¡trees¡£¡¡It¡¡danced¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mirage£»¡¡and¡¡blurred¡¡and¡¡changed¡¡form£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡persisted¡£¡¡A¡¡strange¡¡patch¡¡of¡¡white¡¡kept¡¡appearing¡¡and¡¡disappearing¡¡again¡£¡¡This¡¡resolved¡¡itself¡¡into¡¡the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡a¡¡building¡£¡¡A¡¡spider¡legged¡¡water¡¡tower¡¡appeared¡¡above¡¡the¡¡trees¡£
Gradually¡¡we¡¡drew¡¡up¡¡on¡¡these¡£¡¡A¡¡bit¡¡later¡¡we¡¡swung¡¡to¡¡the¡¡right¡¡around¡¡a¡¡close¡¡wire¡¡fence¡¡ten¡¡feet¡¡high£»¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡a¡¡gate£»¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡down¡¡a¡¡long¡¡slanting¡¡avenue¡¡of¡¡young¡¡trees¡£¡¡Between¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡were¡¡century¡¡plants¡¡and¡¡flowers£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡clipped¡¡border¡¡ran¡¡before¡¡them¡£¡¡The¡¡avenue¡¡ended¡¡before¡¡a¡¡low¡¡white¡¡bungalow£»¡¡with¡¡shady¡¡verandas¡¡all¡¡about¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡vines¡£¡¡A¡¡formal¡¡flower¡¡garden¡¡lay¡¡immediately¡¡about¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡very¡¡tall¡¡flag¡¡pole¡¡had¡¡been¡¡planted¡¡in¡¡front¡£¡¡A¡¡hundred¡¡feet¡¡away¡¡the¡¡garden¡¡dropped¡¡off¡¡steep¡¡to¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡deep¡¡river¡¡canyons¡£
Two¡¡white¡robed¡¡Somalis¡¡appeared¡¡on¡¡the¡¡veranda¡¡to¡¡inform¡¡us¡¡that¡¡McMillan¡¡was¡¡off¡¡on¡¡safari¡£¡¡Our¡¡own¡¡boys¡¡approaching¡¡at¡¡this¡¡moment£»¡¡we¡¡thereupon¡¡led¡¡them¡¡past¡¡the¡¡house£»¡¡down¡¡another¡¡long¡¡avenue¡¡of¡¡trees¡¡and¡¡flowers£»¡¡out¡¡into¡¡an¡¡open¡¡space¡¡with¡¡many¡¡buildings¡¡at¡¡its¡¡edges£»¡¡past¡¡extensive¡¡stables£»¡¡and¡¡through¡¡another¡¡gate¡¡to¡¡the¡¡open¡¡plains¡¡once¡¡more¡£¡¡Here¡¡we¡¡made¡¡camp¡£¡¡After¡¡lunch¡¡we¡¡went¡¡back¡¡to¡¡explore¡£
Juja¡¡is¡¡situated¡¡on¡¡the¡¡top¡¡of¡¡a¡¡high¡¡bluff¡¡overlooking¡¡a¡¡river¡£¡¡In¡¡all¡¡directions¡¡are¡¡tremendous¡¡grass¡¡plains¡£¡¡Donya¡¡Sabuk¡the¡¡Mountain¡¡of¡¡Buffaloes¡is¡¡the¡¡only¡¡landmark¡¡nearer¡¡than¡¡the¡¡dim¡¡mountains¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡is¡¡a¡¡day's¡¡journey¡¡away¡£¡¡A¡¡rectangle¡¡of¡¡possibly¡¡forty¡¡acres¡¡has¡¡been¡¡enclosed¡¡on¡¡three¡¡sides¡¡by¡¡animal¡proof¡¡wire¡¡fence¡£¡¡The¡¡fourth¡¡side¡¡is¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bluff¡£¡¡Within¡¡this¡¡enclosure¡¡have¡¡been¡¡planted¡¡many¡¡trees£»¡¡now¡¡of¡¡good¡¡size£»¡¡a¡¡pretty¡¡garden¡¡with¡¡abundance¡¡of¡¡flowers£»¡¡ornamental¡¡shrubs£»¡¡a¡¡sundial£»¡¡and¡¡lawns¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡river¡¡bottom¡¡land¡¡below¡¡the¡¡bluff¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡extensive¡¡vege