the land of footprints-第20部分
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！
ere are too many of them see if you cannot manoeuvre them； if the grass is long； try every means in your power to get them out。 Stay with them。 If finally you fail； you will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that circumstances alone have defeated you。 If you do not like that sort of a game； stay out of it entirely。
XII。 MORE LIONS
Nor do the last remarks of the preceding chapter mean that you shall not have your trophy in peace。 Perhaps excitement and a slight doubt as to whether or not you are going to survive do not appeal to you； but nevertheless you would like a lion skin or so。 By all means shoot one lion； or two； or three in the safest fashion you can。 But after that you ought to play the game。
The surest way to get a lion is to kill a zebra； cut holes in him； fill the holes with strychnine； and come back next morning。 This method is absolutely safe。
The next safest way is to follow the quarry with a pack of especially trained dogs。 The lion is so busy and nervous over those dogs that you can walk up and shoot him in the ear。 This method has the excitement of riding and following； the joy of a grand and noisy row； and the fun of seeing a good dog…fight。 The same effect can be got chasing wart…hogs； hyenas； jackals…or jack…rabbits。 The objection is that it wastes a noble beast in an inferior game。 My personal opinion is that no man is justified in following with dogs any large animal that can be captured with reasonable certainty without them。 The sport of coursing is another matter； but that is quite the same in essence whatever the size of the quarry。 If you want to kill a lion or so quite safely； and at the same time enjoy a glorious and exciting gallop with lots of accompanying row； by all means follow the sport with hounds。 But having killed one or two by that method； quit。 Do not go on and clean up the country。 You can do it。 Poison and hounds are the SURE methods of finding any lion there may be about； and AFTER THE FIRST FEW； one is about as justifiable as the other。 If you want the undoubtedly great joy of cross country pursuit； send your hounds in after less noble game。
The third safe method of killing a lion is nocturnal。 You lay out a kill beneath a tree； and climb the tree。 Or better； you hitch out a pig or donkey as live bait。 When the lion comes to this free lunch； you try to see him； and； if you succeed in that； you try to shoot him。 It is not easy to shoot at night； nor is it easy to see in the dark。 Furthermore； lions only occasionally bother to come to bait。 You may roost up that tree many nights before you get a chance。 Once up； you have to stay up； for it is most decidedly not safe to go home after dark。 The tropical night in the highlands is quite chilly。 Branches seem to be quite as cramping and abrasive under the equator as in the temperate zones。 Still； it is one method。
Another is to lay out a kill and visit it in the early morning。 There is more to this； for you are afoot； must generally search out your beast in nearby cover； and can easily find any amount of excitement in the process。
The fourth way is to ride the lion。 The hunter sees his quarry returning home across the plains； perhaps； or jumps it from some small bushy ravine。 At once he spurs his horse in pursuit。 The lion will run but a short distance before coming to a stop； for he is not particularly long either of wind or of patience。 From this stand he almost invariably charges。 The astute hunter； still mounted； turns and flees。 When the lion gets tired of chasing； which he does in a very short time； the hunter faces about。 At last the lion sits down in the grass； waiting for the game to develop。 This is the time for the hunter to dismount and to take his shot。 Quite likely he must now stand a charge afoot； and drop his beast before it gets to him。
This is real fun。 It has many elements of safety； and many of danger。
To begin with； the hunter at this game generally has companions to back him： often he employs mounted Somalis to round the lion up and get it to stand。 The charging lion is quite apt to make for the conspicuous mounted men…who can easily escape…ignoring the hunter afoot。 As the game is largely played in the open； the movements of the beast are easily followed。
On the other hand； there is room for mistake。 The hunter； for example； should never follow directly in the rear of his lion； but rather at a parallel course off the beast's flank。 Then； if the lion stops suddenly； the man does not overrun before he can check his mount。 He should never dismount nearer than a hundred and fifty yards from the embayed animal； and should never try to get off while the lion is moving in his direction。 Then； too； a hard gallop is not conducive to the best of shooting。 It is difficult to hold the front bead steady； and it is still more difficult to remember to wait； once the lion charges； until he has come near enough for a sure shot。 A neglect in the inevitable excitement of the moment to remember these and a dozen other small matters may quite possibly cause trouble。
Two or three men together can make this one of the most exciting mounted games on earth； with enough of the give and take of real danger and battle to make it worth while。 The hunter； however； who employs a dozen Somalis to ride the beast to a standstill； after which he goes to the front； has eliminated much of the thrill。 Nor need that man's stay…at…home family feel any excessive uneasiness over Father Killing Lions in Africa。
The method that interested me more than any other is one exceedingly difficult to follow except under favourable circumstances。 I refer to tracking them down afoot。 This requires that your gunbearer should be an expert trailer； for； outside the fact that following a soft…padded animal over all sorts of ground is a very difficult thing to do； the hunter should be free to spy ahead。 It is necessary also to possess much patience and to endure under many disappointments。 But on the other hand there is in this sport a continuous keen thrill to be enjoyed in no other； and he who single handed tracks down and kills his lion thus； has well earned the title of shikari…the Hunter。
And the last method of all is to trust to the God of Chance。 The secret of success is to be always ready to take instant advantage of what the moment offers。
An occasional hunting story is good in itself： and the following will also serve to illustrate what I have just been saying。
We were after that prize； the greater kudu； and in his pursuit had penetrated into some very rough country。 Our hunting for the time being was over broad bench； perhaps four or five miles wide； below a range of mountains。 The bench itself broke down in sheer cliffs some fifteen hundred feet； but one did not appreciate that fact unless he stood fairly on the edge of the precipice。 To all intents and purposes we were on a rolling grassy plain； with low hills and cliffs； and a most beautiful little stream running down it beneath fine trees。
Up to now our hunting had gained us little beside information： that kudu had occasionally visited the region； that they had not been there for a month； and that the direction of their departure had been obscure。 So we worked our way down the stream； trying out the possibilities。 Of other game there seemed to be a fair supply： impalla； hartebeeste； zebra； eland； buffalo； wart…hog； sing…sing； and giraffe we had seen。 I had secured a wonderful eland and a very fine impalla； and we had had a gorgeous close…quarters fight with a cheetah。* Now C。 had gone out； a three weeks' journey； carrying to medical attendance a porter injured in the cheetah fracas。 Billy and I were continuing the hunt alone。
*This animal quite disproved the assertion that cheetahs never assume the aggressive。 He charged repeatedly。
We had marched two hours； and were pitching camp under a single tree near the edge of the bench。 After seeing everything well under way； I took the Springfield and crossed the stream； which here ran in a deep canyon。 My object was to see if I could get a sing…sing that had bounded away at our approach。 I did not bother to take a gunbearer； because I did not expect to be gone five minutes。
The canyon proved unexpectedly deep and rough； and the stream up to my waist。 When I had gained the top； I found grass growing patchily from six inches to two feet high； and small； scrubby trees from four to ten feet tall； spaced regularly； but very scattered。 These little trees hardly formed cover； but their aggregation at sufficient distance limited the view。
The sing…sing had evidently found his way over the edge of the bench。 I turned to go back to camp。 A duiker…a small grass antelope…broke from a little patch of the taller grass； rushed； head down headlong after their fashion； suddenly changed his mind； and dashed back again。 I stepped forward to see why he had changed his mind…and ran into two lions！
They were about thirty yards away； and sat there on their haunches； side by side； staring at me with expressionless yellow eyes。 I stared back。 The Springfield is a good little gun； and three times before I had been forced to shoot lions with it； but my real 〃lion gun〃 with which I had done best work was the 405 Winchester。 The Spr
