the land of footprints-第64章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Champagne；〃 breathes the American in awestricken tones。
〃Exactly； dear boy； an absolute necessity。 After a touch of sun there's nothing picks you up better than a mouthful of fizz。 It's used as a medicine； not a drink； you understand。〃
The American reflects again that this is the other fellow's game； and that the other fellow has been playing it for some time； and that he ought to know。 But he cannot yet see why the one hundred and fifty men。 Again the Englishman explains。 There is the Headman to run the show。 Correct： we need him。 Then there are four askaris。 What are they？ Native soldiers。 No； you won't be fighting anything； but they keep the men going； and act as sort of sub…foremen in bossing the complicated work。 Next is your cook； and your own valet and that of your horse。 Also your two gunbearers。
〃Hold on！〃 cries our friend。 〃I have only two guns； and I'm going to carry one myself。〃
But this； he learns； is quite impossible。 It is never done。 It is absolutely necessary； in this climate； to avoid all work。
That makes how many？ Ten already； and there seem to be three tent loads； one bed load； one chair and table load； one lantern load； two miscellaneous loads； two cook loads； one personal box； and fifteen chop boxes…total twenty…six； plus the staff； as above； thirty…six。 Why all the rest of the army？
Very simple： these thirty…six men have； according to regulation； seven tents； and certain personal effects； and they must have 〃potio〃 or a ration of one and a half pounds per diem。 These things must be carried by more men。
〃I see；〃 murmurs the American； crushed； 〃and these more men have more tents and more potio； which must also be carried。 It's like the House that Jack Built。〃
So our American concludes still once again that the other fellow knows his own game； and starts out。 He learns he has what is called a 〃modest safari〃； and spares a fleeting wonder as to what a really elaborate safari must be。 The procession takes the field。 He soon sees the value of the four askaris…the necessity of whom he has secretly doubted。 Without their vigorous seconding the headman would have a hard time indeed。 Also； when he observes the labour of tent…making； packing； washing； and general service performed by his tent boy； he abandons the notion that that individual could just as well take care of the horse as well； especially as the horse has to have all his grass cut and brought to him。 At evening our friend has a hot bath； a long cool fizzly drink of lime juice and soda； he puts on the clean clothes laid out for him； assumes soft mosquito boots； and sits down to dinner。 This is served to him in courses； and on enamel ware。 Each course has its proper…sized plate and cutlery。 He starts with soup； goes down through tinned whitebait or other fish； an entree； a roast； perhaps a curry； a sweet； and small coffee。 He is certainly being 〃done well；〃 and he enjoys the comfort of it。
There comes a time when he begins to wonder a little。 It is all very pleasant； of course； and perhaps very necessary； they all tell him it is。 But； after all； it is a little galling to the average man to think that of him。 Your Englishman doesn't mind that； he enjoys being taken care of： but the sportsman of American training likes to stand on his own feet as far as he is able and conditions permit。 Besides； it is expensive。 Besides that； it is a confounded nuisance； especially when potio gives out and more must be sought； near or far。 Then； if he is wise； he begins to do a little figuring on his own account。
My experience was very much as above。 Three of us went out for eleven weeks with what was considered a very 〃modest〃 safari indeed。 It comprised one hundred and eighteen men。 My fifth and last trip； also with two companions； was for three months。 Our personnel consisted； all told； forty men。
In essentials the Englishman is absolutely right。 One cannot camp in Africa as one would at home。 The experimenter would be dead in a month。 In his application of that principle； however； he seems to the American point of view to overshoot。 Let us examine his proposition in terms of the essentials…food； clothing； shelter。 There is no doubt but that a man must keep in top condition as far as possible； and that； to do so； he must have plenty of good food。 He can never do as we do on very hard trips at home： take a little tea； sugar； coffee； flour； salt； oatmeal。 But on the other hand； he certainly does not need a five…course dinner every night； nor a complete battery of cutlery； napery and table ware to eat it from。 Flour； sugar； oatmeal； tea and coffee； rice； beans； onions； curry； dried fruits； a little bacon； and some dehydrated vegetables will do him very well indeed…with what he can shoot。 These will pack in waterproof bags very comfortably。 In addition to feeding himself well； he finds he must not sleep next to the ground； he must have a hot bath every day； but never a cold one； and he must shelter himself with a double tent against the sun。
Those are the absolute necessities of the climate。 In other words； if he carries a double tent； a cot； a folding bath； and gives a little attention to a properly balanced food supply； he has met the situation。
If； in addition； he takes canned goods； soda siphons； lime juice； easy chairs and all the rest of the paraphernalia； he is merely using a basic principle as an excuse to include sheer luxuries。 In further extenuation of this he is apt to argue that porters are cheap； and that it costs but little more to carry these extra comforts。 Against this argument； of course； I have nothing to say。 It is the inalienable right of every man to carry all the luxuries he wants。 My point is that the average American sportsman does not want them； and only takes them because he is overpersuaded that these things are not luxuries； but necessities。 For； mark you； he could take the same things into the Sierras or the North…by paying； but he doesn't。
I repeat； it is the inalienable right of any man to travel as luxuriously as he pleases。 But by the same token it is not his right to pretend that luxuries are necessities。 That is to put himself into the same category with the man who always finds some other excuse for taking a drink than the simple one that he wants it。
The Englishman's point of view is that he objects to 〃pigging it；〃 as he says。 〃Pigging it〃 means changing your home habits in any way。 If you have been accustomed to eating your sardines after a meal； and somebody offers them to you first； that is 〃pigging it。〃 In other words； as nearly as I can make out； 〃pigging it〃 does not so much mean doing things in an inadequate fashion as DOING THEM DIFFERENTLY。 Therefore； the Englishman in the field likes to approximate as closely as may be his life in town； even if it takes one hundred and fifty men to do it。 Which reduces the 〃pigging it〃 argument to an attempt at condemnation by calling names。
The American temperament； on the contrary； being more experimental and independent； prefers to build anew upon its essentials。 Where the Englishman covers the situation blanket…wise with his old institutions； the American prefers to construct new institutions on the necessities of the case。 He objects strongly to being taken care of too completely。 He objects strongly to losing the keen enjoyment of overcoming difficulties and enduring hardships。 The Englishman by habit and training has no such objections。 He likes to be taken care of； financially； personally； and everlastingly。 That is his ideal of life。 If he can be taken care of better by employing three hundred porters and packing eight tin trunks of personal effects…as I have seen it done…he will so employ and take。 That is all right： he likes it。
But the American does not like it。 A good deal of the fun for him is in going light； in matching himself against his environment。 It is no fun to him to carry his complete little civilization along with him； laboriously。 If he must have cotton wool； let it be as little cotton wool as possible。 He likes to be comfortable； but he likes to be comfortable with the minimum of means。 Striking just the proper balance somehow adds to his interest in the game。 And how he DOES object to that ever…recurring thought…that h
