the land of footprints-第43部分
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There is no difficulty in going up； but the gingerly coming down； after all the excitement has died； is a matter of deliberation and of voices uplifted in woe。 Cuninghame tells of an inadequate slender and springy； but solitary； sapling into which swarmed half his safari on the advent of a rambunctious rhino。 The tree swayed and bent and cracked alarmingly； threatening to dump the whole lot on the ground。 At each crack the boys yelled。 This attracted the rhinoceros； which immediately charged the tree full tilt。 He hit square； the tree shivered and creaked； the boys wound their arms and legs around the slender support and howled frantically。 Again and again rhinoceros drew back to repeat his butting of that tree。 By the time Cuninghame reached the spot； the tree； with its despairing burden of black birds； was clinging to the soil by its last remaining roots。
In the Nairobi Club I met a gentleman with one arm gone at the shoulder。 He told his story in a slightly bored and drawling voice； picking his words very carefully； and evidently most occupied with neither understating nor overstating the case。 It seems he had been out； and had killed some sort of a buck。 While his men were occupied with this； he strolled on alone to see what he could find。 He found a rhinoceros； that charged viciously； and into which he emptied his gun。
〃When I came to；〃 he said； 〃it was just coming on dusk； and the lions were beginning to grunt。 My arm was completely crushed； and I was badly bruised and knocked about。 As near as I could remember I was fully ten miles from camp。 A circle of carrion birds stood all about me not more than ten feet away； and a great many others were flapping over me and fighting in the air。 These last were so close that I could feel the wind from their wings。 It was rawther gruesome。〃 He paused and thought a a moment； as though weighing his words。 〃In fact；〃 he added with an air of final conviction； 〃it was QUITE gruesome！〃
The most calm and imperturbable rhinoceros I ever saw was one that made us a call on the Thika River。 It was just noon； and our boys were making camp after a morning's march。 The usual racket was on； and the usual varied movement of rather confused industry。 Suddenly silence fell。 We came out of the tent to see the safari gazing spellbound in one direction。 There was a rhinoceros wandering peaceably over the little knoll back of camp； and headed exactly in our direction。 While we watched； he strolled through the edge of camp； descended the steep bank to the river's edge； drank； climbed the bank； strolled through camp again and departed over the hill。 To us he paid not the slightest attention。 It seems impossible to believe that he neither scented nor saw any evidences of human life in all that populated flat； especially when one considers how often these beasts will SEEM to become aware of man's presence by telepathy。* Perhaps he was the one exception to the whole race； and was a good…natured rhino。
*Opposing theories are those of 〃instinct；〃 and of slight causes； such a grasshoppers leaping before the hunter's feet； not noticed by the man approaching。
The babies are astonishing and amusing creatures； with blunt noses on which the horns are just beginning to form； and with even fewer manners than their parents。 The mere fact of an 800…pound baby does not cease to be curious。 They are truculent little creatures； and sometimes rather hard to avoid when they get on the warpath。 Generally； as far as my observation goes； the mother gives birth to but one at a time。 There may be occasional twin births； but I happen never to have met so interesting a family。
Rhinoceroses are still very numerous…too numerous。 I have seen as many as fourteen in two hours； and probably could have found as many more if I had been searching for them。 There is no doubt； however； that this species must be the first to disappear of the larger African animals。 His great size combined with his 'orrid 'abits mark him for early destruction。 No such dangerous lunatic can be allowed at large in a settled country； nor in a country where men are travelling constantly。 The species will probably be preserved in appropriate restricted areas。 It would be a great pity to have so perfect an example of the Prehistoric Pinhead wiped out completely。 Elsewhere he will diminish； and finally disappear。
For one thing； and for one thing only； is the traveller indebted to the rhinoceros。 The beast is lazy； large； and has an excellent eye for easy ways through。 For this reason； as regards the question of good roads； he combines the excellent qualities of Public Sentiment； the Steam Roller； and the Expert Engineer。 Through thorn thickets impenetrable to anything less armoured than a Dreadnaught like himself he clears excellent paths。 Down and out of eroded ravines with perpendicular sides he makes excellent wide trails； tramped hard； on easy grades； often with zigzags to ease the slant。 In some of the high country where the torrential rains wash hundreds of such gullies across the line of march it is hardly an exaggeration to say that travel would be practically impossible without the rhino trails wherewith to cross。 Sometimes the perpendicular banks will extend for miles without offering any natural break down to the stream…bed。 Since this is so I respectfully submit to Government the following proposal：
（a） That a limited number of these beasts shall be licensed as Trail Rhinos； and that all the rest shall be killed from the settled and regularly travelled districts。
（b） That these Trail Rhinos shall be suitably hobbled by short steel chains。
（c） That each Trail Rhino shall carry painted conspicuously on his side his serial number。
（d） That as a further precaution for public safety each Trail Rhino shall carry firmly attached to his tail a suitable red warning flag。 Thus the well…known habit of the rhinoceros of elevating his tail rigidly when about to charge； or when in the
act of charging； will fly the flag as a warning to travellers。
（e） That an official shall be appointed to be known as the Inspector of Rhinos whose duty it shall be to examine the hobbles； numbers and flags of all Trail Rhinos； and to keep the same in due working order and repair。
And I do submit to all and sundry that the above resolutions have as much sense to them as have most of the petitions submitted to Government by settlers in a new country。
XXIII。 THE HIPPO POOL
For a number of days we camped in a grove just above a dense jungle and not fifty paces from the bank of a deep and wide river。 We could at various points push through light low undergrowth； or stoop beneath clear limbs； or emerge on tiny open banks and promontories to look out over the width of the stream。 The river here was some three or four hundred feet wide。 It cascaded down through various large boulders and sluiceways to fall bubbling and boiling into deep water； it then flowed still and sluggish for nearly a half mile and finally divided into channels around a number of wooded islands of different sizes。 In the long still stretch dwelt about sixty hippopotamuses of all sizes。
During our stay these hippos led a life of alarmed and angry care。 When we first arrived they were distributed picturesquely on banks or sandbars； or were lying in midstream。 At once they disappeared under water。 By the end of four or five minutes they began to come to the surface。 Each beast took one disgusted look； snorted； and sank again。 So hasty was his action that he did not even take time to get a full breath； consequently up he had to come in not more than two minutes； this time。 The third submersion lasted less than a minute； and at the end of half hour of yelling we had the hippos alternating between the bottom of the river and the surface of the water about as fast as they could make a round trip； blowing like porpoises。 It was a comical sight。 And as some of the boys were always out watching the show； those hippos had no respite during the daylight hours。 From a short distance inland the explosive blowing as they came to the surface sounded like the irregular exhaust of a steam…engine。
We camped at this spot four days； and never； in that length of time； during the daytime； did those hippopotamuses take any recreation and rest。 To be sure after a little they calmed down sufficiently to remain on the surface for a half minute or so； instead of gasping a mouthful of air and plunging below at once； but below was where they considered they belonged most of the time。 We got to recognize certain individuals。 They would stare at us fixedly for a while； and then would glump down out of sight like submarines。
When I saw them thus floating with only the very top of the head and snout out of water； I for the first time appreciated why the Greeks had named them hippopotamuses…the river horses。 With the heavy jowl hidden； and the prominent nostrils； the long reverse…curved nose； the wide eyes； and the little pointed ears alone visible； they resembled more than a little that sort of conventionalized and noble charger seen on the frieze of the Parthenon； or in the prancy paintings of the Renaissance。
There were hippopotamuses of all sizes and of all colours。 The little ones； not bigger than a
