child of storm-第11章

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I　slept　very　well　that　night；　I　suppose　because　I　was　so　dog…tired　I
could　not　help　it；　but　next　day；　on　our　long　walk　back　to　Umbezi's
kraal；　I　thought　a　great　deal。

Without　doubt　I　had　seen　and　heard　very　strange　things；　both　of　the　past
and　the　presentthings　that　I　could　not　in　the　least　understand。　
Moreover；　they　were　mixed　up　with　all　sorts　of　questions　of　high　Zulu
policy；　and　threw　a　new　light　upon　events　that　happened　to　me　and　others
in　my　youth。

Now；　in　the　clear　sunlight；　was　the　time　to　analyse　these　things；　and
this　I　did　in　the　most　logical　fashion　I　could　command；　although　without
the　slightest　assistance　from　Saduko；　who；　when　I　asked　him　questions；
merely　shrugged　his　shoulders。

These　questions；　he　said；　did　not　interest　him；　I　had　wished　to　see　the
magic　of　Zikali；　and　Zikali　had　been　pleased　to　show　me　some　very　good
magic；　quite　of　his　best　indeed。　　Also　he　had　conversed　alone　with　me
afterwards；　doubtless　on　high　mattersso　high　that　he；　Saduko；　was　not
admitted　to　share　the　conversationwhich　was　an　honour　he　accorded　to
very　few。　　I　could　form　my　own　conclusions　in　the　light　of　the　White
Man's　wisdom；　which　everyone　knew　was　great。

I　replied　shortly　that　I　could；　for　Saduko's　tone　irritated　me。　　Of
course；　the　truth　was　that　he　felt　aggrieved　at　being　sent　off　to　bed
like　a　little　boy　while　his　foster…father；　the　old　dwarf；　made
confidences　to　me。　　One　of　Saduko's　faults　was　that　he　had　always　a　very
good　opinion　of　himself。　　Also　he　was　by　nature　terribly　jealous；　even
in　little　things；　as　the　readers　of　his　history；　if　any；　will　learn。

We　trudged　on　for　several　hours　in　silence；　broken　at　length　by　my
companion。

〃Do　you　still　mean　to　go　on　a　shooting　expedition　with　Umbezi；　Inkoosi？〃
he　asked；　〃or　are　you　afraid？〃

〃Of　what　should　I　be　afraid？〃　I　answered　tartly。

〃Of　the　buffalo　with　the　split　horn；　of　which　Zikali　told　you。　　What
else？〃

Now；　I　fear　I　used　strong　language　about　the　buffalo　with　the　split
horn；　a　beast　in　which　I　declared　I　had　no　belief　whatsoever；　either
with　or　without　its　accessories　of　dried　river…beds　and　water…holes。

〃If　all　this　old　woman's　talk　has　made　_you_　afraid；　however；〃　I　added；
〃you　can　stop　at　the　kraal　with　Mameena。〃

〃Why　should　the　talk　make　me　afraid；　Macumazahn？　　Zikali　did　not　say
that　this　evil　spirit　of　a　buffalo　would　hurt　_me_。　　If　I　fear；　it　is
for　you；　seeing　that　if　you　are　hurt　you　may　not　be　able　to　go　with　me
to　look　for　Bangu's　cattle。〃

〃Oh！〃　I　replied　sarcastically；　〃it　seems　that　you　are　somewhat　selfish；
friend　Saduko；　since　it　is　of　your　welfare　and　not　of　my　safety　that　you
are　thinking。〃

〃If　I　were　as　selfish　as　you　seem　to　believe；　Inkoosi；　should　I　advise
you　to　stop　with　your　wagons；　and　thereby　lose　the　good　gun　with　two
mouths　that　you　have　promised　me？　　Still；　it　is　true　that　I　should　like
well　enough　to　stay　at　Umbezi's　kraal　with　Mameena；　especially　if　Umbezi
were　away。〃

Now；　as　there　is　nothing　more　uninteresting　than　to　listen　to　other
people's　love　affairs；　and　as　I　saw　that　with　the　slightest
encouragement　Saduko　was　ready　to　tell　me　all　the　history　of　his
courtship　over　again；　I　did　not　continue　the　argument。　　So　we　finished
our　journey　in　silence；　and　arrived　at　Umbezi's　kraal　a　little　after
sundown；　to　find；　to　the　disappointment　of　both　of　us；　that　Mameena　was
still　away。

Upon　the　following　morning　we　started　on　our　shooting　expedition；　the
party　consisting　of　myself；　my　servant　Scowl；　who；　as　I　think　I　said；
hailed　from　the　Cape　and　was　half　a　Hottentot；　Saduko；　the　merry　old
Zulu；　Umbezi；　and　a　number　of　his　men　to　serve　as　bearers　and　beaters。　
It　proved　a　very　successful　tripthat　is；　until　the　end　of　itfor　in
those　days　the　game　in　this　part　of　the　country　was　extremely　plentiful。
　Before　the　end　of　the　second　week　I　killed　four　elephants；　two　of　them
with　large　tusks；　while　Saduko；　who　soon　developed　into　a　very　fair
shot；　bagged　another　with　the　double…barrelled　gun　that　I　had　promised
him。　　Also；　Umbezihow；　I　have　never　discovered；　for　the　thing　partook
of　the　nature　of　a　miraclemanaged　to　slay　an　elephant　cow　with　fair
ivories；　using　the　old　rifle　that　went　off　at　half…cock。

Never　have　I　seen　a　man；　black　or　white；　so　delighted　as　was　that
vainglorious　Kafir。　　For　whole　hours　he　danced　and　sang　and　took　snuff
and　saluted　with　his　hand；　telling　me　the　story　of　his　deed　over　and
over　again；　no　single　version　of　which　tale　agreed　with　the　other。　　He
took　a　new　title　also；　that　meant　〃Eater…up…of…Elephants〃；　he　allowed
one　of　his　men　to　〃bonga〃that　is；　praisehim　all　through　the　night；
preventing　us　from　getting　a　wink　of　sleep；　until　at　last　the　poor
fellow　dropped　in　a　kind　of　fit　from　exhaustion；　and　so　forth。　　It
really　was　very　amusing　until　it　became　a　bore。

Besides　the　elephants　we　killed　lots　of　other　things；　including　two
lions；　which　I　got　almost　with　a　right　and　left；　and　three　white
rhinoceroses；　that　now；　alas！　are　nearly　extinct。　　At　last；　towards　the
end　of　the　third　week；　we　had　as　much　as　our　men　could　carry　in　the
shape　of　ivory；　rhinoceros　horns；　skins　and　sun…dried　buckflesh；　or
biltong；　and　determined　to　start　back　for　Umbezi's　kraal　next　day。　
Indeed；　this　could　not　be　long　delayed；　as　our　powder　and　lead　were
running　low；　for　in　those　days；　it　will　be　remembered；　breechloaders　had
not　come　in；　and　ammunition；　therefore；　had　to　be　carried　in　bulk。

To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　very　glad　that　our　trip　had　come　to　such　a
satisfactory　conclusion；　for；　although　I　would　not　admit　it　even　to
myself；　I　could　not　get　rid　of　a　kind　of　sneaking　dread　lest　after　all
there　might　be　something　in　the　old　dwarf's　prophecy　about　a
disagreeable　adventure　with　a　buffalo　which　was　in　store　for　me。　　Well；
as　it　chanced；　we　had　not　so　much　as　seen　a　buffalo；　and　as　the　road
which　we　were　going　to　take　back　to　the　kraal　ran　over　high；　bare
country　that　these　animals　did　not　frequent；　there　was　now　little
prospect　of　our　doing　soall　of　which；　of　course；　showed　what　I　already
knew；　that　only　weak…headed　superstitious　idiots　would　put　the　slightest
faith　in　the　drivelling　nonsense　of　deceiving　or　self…deceived　Kafir
medicine…men。　　These　things；　indeed；　I　pointed　out　with　much　vigour　to
Saduko　before　we　turned　in　on　the　last　night　of　the　hunt。

Saduko　listened　in　silence　and　said　nothing　at　all；　except　that　he　would
not　keep　me　up　any　longer；　as　I　must　be　tired。

Now；　whatever　may　be　the　reason　for　it；　my　experience　in　life　is　that　it
is　never　wise　to　brag　about　anything。　　At　any　rate；　on　a　hunting　trip；
to　come　to　a　particular　instance；　wait　until　you　are　safe　at　home　till
you　begin　to　do　so。　　Of　the　truth　of　this　ancient　adage　I　was　now
destined　to　experience　a　particularly　fine　and　concrete　example。

The　place　where　we　had　camped　was　in　scattered　bush　overlooking　a　great
extent　of　dry　reeds；　that　in　the　wet　season　was　doubtless　a　swamp　fed　by
a　small　river　which　ran　into　it　on　the　side　opposite　to　our　camp。　
During　the　night　I　woke　up；　thinking　that　I　heard　some　big　beasts　moving
in　these　reeds；　but　as　no　further　sounds　reached　my　ears　I　went　to　sleep
again。

Shortly　after　dawn　I　was　awakened　by　a　voice　calling　me；　which　in　a　hazy
fashion　I　recognised　as　that　of　Umbezi。

〃Macumazahn；〃　said　the　voice　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　〃the　reeds　below　us
are　full　of　buffalo。　　Get　up。　　Get　up　at　once。〃

〃What　for？〃　I　answered。　　〃If　the　buffalo　came　into　the　reeds　they　will
go　out　of　them。　　We　do　not　want　meat。〃

〃No；　Macumazahn；　but　I　want　their　hides。　　Panda；　the　King；　has　demanded
fifty　shields　of　me；　and　without　killing　oxen　that　I　can　ill　spare　I
have　not　the　skins　whereof　to　make　them。　　Now；　these　buffalo　are　in　a
trap。　　This　swamp　is　like　a　dish　with　one　mouth。　　They　cannot　get　out　at
the　sides　of　the　dish；　and　the　mouth　by　which　they　came　in　is　very
narrow。　　If　we　station　ourselves　at　either　side　of　it　we　can　kill　many
of　them。〃

By　this　time　I　was　thoroughly　awake　and　had　arisen　from　my　blankets。　
Throwing　a　kaross　over　my　shoulders；　I　left　the　hut；　made　of　boughs；　in
which　I　was　sleeping　and　walked　a　few　paces　to　the　crest　of　a　rocky
ridge；　whence　I　could　see　the　dry　vlei　belo