prester john-第31章

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in　my　mind；　both　from　old　porings　over　maps；　and　from　Arcoll's　instructions。　　This　stream　must　be　the　Little　Letaba；　and　I　must　cross　it　if　I　would　get　to　the　mountains。　　I　remembered　that　Majinje's　kraal　stood　on　its　left　bank；　and　higher　up　in　its　valley　in　the　Berg　'Mpefu　lived。　At　all　costs　the　kraals　must　be　avoided。　　Once　across　it　I　must　make　for　the　Letsitela；　another　tributary　of　the　Great　Letaba；　and　by　keeping　the　far　bank　of　that　stream　I　should　cross　the　mountains　to　the　place　on　the　plateau　of　the　Wood　Bush　which　Arcoll　had　told　me　would　be　his　headquarters。

It　is　easy　to　talk　about　crossing　a　river；　and　looking　to…day　at　the　slender　streak　on　the　map　I　am　amazed　that　so　small　a　thing　should　have　given　me　such　ugly　tremors。　　Yet　I　have　rarely　faced　a　job　I　liked　so　little。　　The　stream　ran　yellow　and　sluggish　under　the　clear　moon。　　On　the　near　side　a　thick　growth　of　bush　clothed　the　bank；　but　on　the　far　side　I　made　out　a　swamp　with　tall　bulrushes。　　The　distance　across　was　no　more　than　fifty　yards；　but　I　would　have　swum　a　mile　more　readily　in　deep　water。　　The　place　stank　of　crocodiles。　　There　was　no　ripple　to　break　the　oily　flow　except　where　a　derelict　branch　swayed　with　the　current。　　Something　in　the　stillness；　the　eerie　light　on　the　water；　and　the　rotting　smell　of　the　swamp　made　that　stream　seem　unhallowed　and　deadly。

I　sat　down　and　considered　the　matter。　　Crocodiles　had　always　terrified　me　more　than　any　created　thing；　and　to　be　dragged　by　iron　jaws　to　death　in　that　hideous　stream　seemed　to　me　the　most　awful　of　endings。　　Yet　cross　it　I　must　if　I　were　to　get　rid　of　my　human　enemies。　　I　remembered　a　story　of　an　escaped　prisoner　during　the　war　who　had　only　the　Komati　River　between　him　and　safety。　　But　he　dared　not　enter　it；　and　was　recaptured　by　a　Boer　commando。　　I　was　determined　that　such　cowardice　should　not　be　laid　to　my　charge。　　If　I　was　to　die；　I　would　at　least　have　given　myself　every　chance　of　life。　So　I　braced　myself　as　best　I　could；　and　looked　for　a　place　to　enter。

The　veld…craft　I　had　mastered　had　taught　me　a　few　things。　One　was　that　wild　animals　drink　at　night；　and　that　they　have　regular　drinking　places。　　I　thought　that　the　likeliest　place　for　crocodiles　was　at　or　around　such　spots；　and；　therefore；　I　resolved　to　take　the　water　away　from　a　drinking　place。　　I　went　up　the　bank；　noting　where　the　narrow　bush…paths　emerged　on　the　water…side。　　I　scared　away　several　little　buck；　and　once　the　violent　commotion　in　the　bush　showed　that　I　had　frightened　some　bigger　animal；　perhaps　a　hartebeest。　　Still　following　the　bank　I　came　to　a　reach　where　the　undergrowth　was　unbroken　and　the　water　looked　deeper。

Suddenly　…　I　fear　I　must　use　this　adverb　often；　for　all　the　happenings　on　that　night　were　sudden　…　I　saw　a　biggish　animal　break　through　the　reeds　on　the　far　side。　　It　entered　the　water　and；　whether　wading　or　swimming　I　could　not　see；　came　out　a　little　distance。　　Then　some　sense　must　have　told　it　of　my　presence；　for　it　turned　and　with　a　grunt　made　its　way　back。

I　saw　that　it　was　a　big　wart…hog；　and　began　to　think。　　Pig；　unlike　other　beasts；　drink　not　at　night；　but　in　the　daytime。　The　hog　had；　therefore；　not　come　to　drink；　but　to　swim　across。　Now；　I　argued；　he　would　choose　a　safe　place；　for　the　wart…hog；　hideous　though　he　is；　is　a　wise　beast。　　What　was　safe　for　him　would；　therefore；　in　all　likelihood　be　safe　for　me。

With　this　hope　to　comfort　me　I　prepared　to　enter。　　My　first　care　was　the　jewels；　so；　feeling　them　precarious　in　my　shirt；　I　twined　the　collar　round　my　neck　and　clasped　it。　　The　snake…　clasp　was　no　flimsy　device　of　modern　jewellery；　and　I　had　no　fear　but　that　it　would　hold。　　I　held　the　pistol　between　my　teeth；　and　with　a　prayer　to　God　slipped　into　the　muddy　waters。

I　swam　in　the　wild　way　of　a　beginner　who　fears　cramp。　　The　current　was　light　and　the　water　moderately　warm；　but　I　seemed　to　go　very　slowly；　and　I　was　cold　with　apprehension。　　In　the　middle　it　suddenly　shallowed；　and　my　breast　came　against　a　mudshoal。　　I　thought　it　was　a　crocodile；　and　in　my　confusion　the　pistol　dropped　from　my　mouth　and　disappeared。

I　waded　a　few　steps　and　then　plunged　into　deep　water　again。　Almost　before　I　knew；　I　was　among　the　bulrushes；　with　my　feet　in　the　slime　of　the　bank。　　With　feverish　haste　I　scrambled　through　the　reeds　and　up　through　roots　and　undergrowth　to　the　hard　soil。　　I　was　across；　but；　alas；　I　had　lost　my　only　weapon。

The　swim　and　the　anxiety　had　tired　me　considerably；　and　though　it　meant　delay；　I　did　not　dare　to　continue　with　the　weight　of　water…logged　clothes　to　impede　me。　　I　found　a　dry　sheltered　place　in　the　bush　and　stripped　to　the　skin。　　I　emptied　my　boots　and　wrung　out　my　shirt　and　breeches；　while　the　Prester's　jewels　were　blazing　on　my　neck。　　Here　was　a　queer　counterpart　to　Laputa　in　the　cave！

The　change　revived　me；　and　I　continued　my　way　in　better　form。　　So　far　there　had　been　no　sign　of　pursuit。　　Before　me　the　Letsitela　was　the　only　other　stream；　and　from　what　I　remembered　of　its　character　near　the　Berg　I　thought　I　should　have　little　trouble。　　It　was　smaller　than　the　Klein　Letaba；　and　a　rushing　torrent　where　shallows　must　be　common。

I　kept　running　till　I　felt　my　shirt　getting　dry　on　my　back。　Then　I　restored　the　jewels　to　their　old　home；　and　found　their　cool　touch　on　my　breast　very　comforting。　　The　country　was　getting　more　broken　as　I　advanced。　　Little　kopjes　with　thickets　of　wild　bananas　took　the　place　of　the　dead　levels。　　Long　before　I　reached　the　Letsitela；　I　saw　that　I　was　right　in　my　guess。　　It　ran；　a　brawling　mountain　stream；　in　a　narrow　rift　in　the　bush。　I　crossed　it　almost　dry…shod　on　the　boulders　above　a　little　fall；　stopping　for　a　moment　to　drink　and　lave　my　brow。

After　that　the　country　changed　again。　　The　wood　was　now　getting　like　that　which　clothed　the　sides　of　the　Berg。　　There　were　tall　timber…trees　…　yellowwood；　sneezewood；　essenwood；　stinkwood　…　and　the　ground　was　carpeted　with　thick　grass　and　ferns。　　The　sight　gave　me　my　first　earnest　of　safety。　　I　was　approaching　my　own　country。　　Behind　me　was　heathendom　and　the　black　fever　flats。　　In　front　were　the　cool　mountains　and　bright　streams；　and　the　guns　of　my　own　folk。

As　I　struggled　on　…　for　I　was　getting　very　footsore　and　weary　…　I　became　aware　of　an　odd　sound　in　my　rear。　　It　was　as　if　something　were　following　me。　　I　stopped　and　listened　with　a　sudden　dread。　　Could　Laputa's　trackers　have　got　up　with　me　already？　　But　the　sound　was　not　of　human　feet。　　It　was　as　if　some　heavy　animal　were　plunging　through　the　undergrowth。　At　intervals　came　the　soft　pad　of　its　feet　on　the　grass。

It　must　be　the　hungry　lion　of　my　nightmare；　and　Henriques'　pistol　was　in　the　mud　of　the　Klein　Letaba！　　The　only　thing　was　a　tree；　and　I　had　sprung　for　one　and　scrambled　wearily　into　the　first　branches　when　a　great　yellow　animal　came　into　the　moonlight。

Providence　had　done　kindly　in　robbing　me　of　my　pistol。　　The　next　minute　I　was　on　the　ground　with　Colin　leaping　on　me　and　baying　with　joy。　　I　hugged　that　blessed　hound　and　buried　my　head　in　his　shaggy　neck；　sobbing　like　a　child。　　How　he　had　traced　me　I　can　never　tell。　　The　secret　belongs　only　to　the　Maker　of　good　and　faithful　dogs。

With　him　by　my　side　I　was　a　new　man。　　The　awesome　loneliness　had　gone。　　I　felt　as　if　he　were　a　message　from　my　own　people　to　take　me　safely　home。　　He　clearly　knew　the　business　afoot；　for　he　padded　beside　me　with　never　a　glance　to　right　or　left。　　Another　time　he　would　have　been　snowking　in　every　thicket；　but　now　he　was　on　duty；　a　serious；　conscientious　dog　with　no　eye　but　for　business。

The　moon　went　down；　and　the　starry　sky　was　our　only　light。　The　thick　gloom　which　brooded　over　the　landscape　pointed　to　the　night　being　far　gone。　　I　thought　I　saw　a　deeper　blackness　ahead　which　might　be　the　line　of　the　Berg。　　Then　came　that　period　of　utter　stillness　when　every　bush　sound　is　hushed　and　the　world　seems　to　swoon。　　I　felt　almost　impious　hurrying　through　that　profound　silence；　when　not　even　the　leaves　stirred　or　a　frog　croaked。

Suddenly　as　we　came　over　a　rise　a　little　wind　blew　on　the　back　of　my　head；　and　a　bitter　chill　came　into　the　air。　　I　knew　from　nights　spent　in　the　open　that　it　was　the　precursor　of　dawn。　　Sure　enough；　as　I　glanced　back；　far　over　the　plain　a　pale　g