the land of footprints-第45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！
of sport； but for the purposes of relaxation。 If offered a gift he always examined it seriously before finally accepting it； turning it over and over in his hands； and considering it with wrinkled brow。 If you offered anything to Funny Face； no matter what； he dashed up； seized it on the fly； departed at speed uttering grateful low chatterings； probably dropped and forgot it in the excitement of something new before he had even looked to see what it was。
〃These people；〃 said Darwin to himself； 〃on the whole； and as an average； seem to give me appropriate and pleasing gifts。 To be sure； it is always well to see that they don't try to bunco me with olive stones or such worthless trash； but still I believe they are worth cultivating and standing in with。〃
〃〃It strikes me；〃 observed Funny Face to himself； 〃that my adorable Memsahib and my beloved bwana have been very kind to me to…day； though I don't remember precisely how。 But I certainly do love them！〃
We cut good sized holes on each of the four sides of their chop box to afford them ventilation on the march。 The box was always carried on one of the safari boy's heads： and Funny Face and Darwin gazed forth with great interest。 It was very amusing to see the big negro striding jauntily along under his light burden； the large brown winking eyes glued to two of the apertures。 When we arrived in camp and threw the box cover open； they hopped forth； shook themselves； examined their immediate surroundings and proceeded to take a little exercise。 When anything alarmed them； such as the shadow of a passing hawk； they skittered madly up the nearest thing in sight…tent pole； tree； or human form… and scolded indignantly or chittered in a low tone according to the degree of their terror。 When Funny Face was very young； indeed； the grass near camp caught fire。 After the excitement was over we found him completely buried in the straw of his box； crouched； and whimpering like a child。 As he could hardly； at his tender age； have had any previous experience with fire； this instinctive fear was to me very interesting。
The monkeys had only one genuine enemy。 That was an innocent plush lion named Little Simba。 It had been given us in joke before we left California； we had tucked it into an odd corner of our trunk； had discovered it there； carried it on safari out of sheer idleness； and lo！ it had become an important member of the expedition。 Every morning Mahomet or Yusuf packed it…or rather him…carefully away in the tin box。 Promptly at the end of the day's march Little Simba was haled forth and set in a place of honour in the centre of the table； and reigned there…or sometimes in a little grass jungle constructed by his faithful servitors…until the march was again resumed。 His job in life was to look after our hunting luck。 When he failed to get us what we wanted； he was punished； when he procured us what we desired he was rewarded by having his tail sewed on afresh； or by being presented with new black thread whiskers； or even a tiny blanket of Mericani against the cold。 This last was an especial favour for finally getting us the greater kudu。 Naturally as we did all this in the spirit of an idle joke our rewards and punishments were rather desultory。 To our surprise； however； we soon found that our boys took Little Simba quite seriously。 He was a fetish； a little god； a power of good or bad luck。 We did not appreciate this point until one evening； after a rather disappointing day； Mahomet came to us bearing Little Simba in his hand。
〃Bwana；〃 said he respectfully； 〃is it enough that I shut Simba in the tin box； or do you wish to flog him？〃
On one very disgraceful occasion； when everything went wrong； we plucked Little Simba from his high throne and with him made a beautiful drop…kick out into the tall grass。 There； in a loud tone of voice； we sternly bade him lie until the morrow。 The camp was bung…eyed。 It is not given to every people to treat its gods in such fashion： indeed； in very deed； great is the white man！ To be fair； having published Little Simba's disgrace； we should publish also Little Simba's triumph： to tell how； at the end of a certain very lucky three months' safari he was perched atop a pole and carried into town triumphantly at the head of a howling； singing procession of a hundred men。 He returned to America； and now； having retired from active professional life； is leading an honoured old age among the trophies he helped to procure。
Funny Face first met Little Simba when on an early investigating tour。 With considerable difficulty he had shinnied up the table leg； and had hoisted himself over the awkwardly projecting table edge。 When almost within reach of the fascinating affairs displayed atop； he looked straight up into the face of Little Simba！ Funny Face shrieked aloud； let go all holds and fell off flat on his back。 Recovering immediately； he climbed just as high as he could； and proceeded； during the next hour； to relieve his feelings by the most insulting chatterings and grimaces。 He never recovered from this initial experience。 All that was necessary to evoke all sorts of monkey talk was to produce Little Simba。 Against his benign plush front then broke a storm of remonstrance。 He became the object of slow advances and sudden scurrying； shrieking retreats； that lasted just as long as he stayed there； and never got any farther than a certain quite conservative point。 Little Simba did not mind。 He was too busy being a god。
XXIV。 BUFFALO
The Cape Buffalo is one of the four dangerous kinds of African big game； of which the other three are the lion； the rhinoceros； and the elephant。 These latter are familiar to us in zoological gardens； although the African and larger form of the rhinoceros and elephant are seldom or never seen in captivity。 But buffaloes are as yet unrepresented in our living collections。 They are huge beasts； tremendous from any point of view； whether considered in height； in mass； or in power。 At the shoulder they stand from just under five feet to just under six feet in height； they are short legged； heavy bodied bull necked； thick in every dimension。 In colour they are black as to hair； and slate gray as to skin； so that the individual impression depends on the thickness of the coat。 They wear their horns parted in the middle； sweeping smoothly away in the curves of two great bosses either side the head。 A good trophy will measure in spread from forty inches to four feet。 Four men will be required to carry in the head alone。 As buffaloes when disturbed or suspicious have a habit of thrusting their noses up and forward； that position will cling to one's memory as the most typical of the species。
A great many hunters rank the buffalo first among the dangerous beasts。 This is not my own opinion； but he is certainly dangerous enough。 He possesses the size； power； and truculence of the rhinoceros； together with all that animal's keenness of scent and hearing but with a sharpness of vision the rhinoceros has not。 While not as clever as either the lion or the elephant； he is tricky enough when angered to circle back for the purpose of attacking his pursuers in the rear or flank； and to arrange rather ingenious ambushes for the same purpose。 He is rather more tenacious of life than the rhinoceros； and will carry away an extraordinary quantity of big bullets。 Add to these considerations the facts that buffaloes go in herds； and that； barring luck； chances are about even they will have to be followed into the thickest cover； it can readily be seen that their pursuit is exciting。
The problem would be simplified were one able or willing to slip into the thicket or up to the grazing herd and kill the nearest beast that offers。 As a matter of fact an ordinary herd will contain only two or three bulls worth shooting； and it is the hunter's delicate task to glide and crawl here and there； with due regard for sight； scent and sound； until he has picked one of these from the scores of undesirables。 Many times will he worm his way by inches toward the great black bodies half defined in the screen of thick undergrowth only to find that he has stalked cows or small bulls。 Then inch by inch he must back out again； unable to see twenty yards to either side； guiding himself by the probabilities of the faint chance breezes in the thicket。 To right and left he hears the quiet continued crop； crop； crop； sound of animals grazing。 The sweat runs down his face in streams； and blinds his eyes； but only occasionally and with the utmost caution can he raise his hand…or； better； lower his head…to clear his vision。 When at last he has withdrawn from the danger zone； he wipes his face； takes a drink from the canteen； and tries again。 Sooner or later his presence comes to the notice of some old cow。 Behind the leafy screen where unsuspected she has been standing comes the most unexpected and heart…jumping crash！ Instantly the jungle all about roars into life。 The great bodies of the alarmed beasts hurl themselves through the thicket； smash！ bang！ crash！ smash！ as though a tornado were uprooting the forest。 Then abruptly a complete silence！ This lasts but ten seconds or so； then off rushes the wild stampede in another direction； only again to come to a listening
