the land of footprints-第9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！
Guaso Nyero River。
These ten days were not uneventful。 We had crossed the wide and undulating plains； had paused at some tall beautiful falls plunging several hundred feet into the mysteriousness of a dense forest on which we looked down。 There we had enjoyed some duck； goose and snipe shooting； had made the acquaintance of a few of the Masai； and had looked with awe on our first hippo tracks in the mud beside a tiny ditchlike stream。 Here and there were small game herds。 In the light of later experience we now realize that these were nothing at all； but at the time the sight of full…grown wild animals out in plain sight was quite wonderful。 At the close of the day's march we always wandered out with our rifles to see what we could find。 Everything was new to us； and we had our men to feed。 Our shooting gradually improved until we had overcome the difficulties peculiar to this new country and were doing as well as we could do anywhere。
Now； at the end of a hard day through scrub； over rolling bold hills； and down a scrub brush slope； we had reached the banks of the Guaso Nyero。
At this point； above the junction of its principal tributary rivers； it was a stream about sixty or seventy feet wide； flowing swift between high banks。 A few trees marked its course； but nothing like a jungle。 The ford was in swift water just above a deep still pool suspected of crocodiles。 We found the water about waist deep； stretched a rope across； and forcibly persuaded our eager boys that one at a time was about what the situation required。 On the other side we made camp on an open flat。 Having marched so far continuously； we resolved to settle down for a while。 The men had been without sufficient meat； and we desired very much to look over the country closely； and to collect a few heads as trophies。
Perhaps a word might not come amiss as to the killing of game。 The case is here quite different from the condition of affairs at home。 Here animal life is most extraordinarily abundant； it furnishes the main food supply to the traveller； and at present is probably increasing slightly； certainly holding its own。 Whatever toll the sportsman or traveller take is as nothing compared to what he might take if he were an unscrupulous game hog。 If his cartridges and his shoulder held out； he could easily kill a hundred animals a day instead of the few he requires。 In that sense； then； no man slaughters indiscriminately。 During the course of a year he probably shoots from two hundred to two hundred and fifty beasts； provided he is travelling with an ordinary sized caravan。 This； the experts say； is about the annual toll of one lion。 If the traveller gets his lion； he plays even with the fauna of the country； if he gets two or more lions； he has something to his credit。 This probably explains why the game is still so remarkably abundant near the road and on the very outskirts of the town。
We were now much in need of a fair quantity of meat； both for immediate consumption of our safari； and to make biltong or jerky。 Later； in like circumstances； we should have sallied forth in a businesslike fashion； dropped the requisite number of zebra and hartebeeste as near camp as possible； and called it a job。 Now； however； being new to the game； we much desired good trophies in variety。 Therefore； we scoured the country far and wide for desirable heads； and the meat waited upon the acquisition of the trophy。
This； then； might be called our first Shooting Camp。 Heretofore we had travelled every day。 Now the boys settled down to what the native porter considers the height of bliss： a permanent camp with plenty to eat。 Each morning we were off before daylight； riding our horses； and followed by the gunbearers； the syces； and fifteen or twenty porters。 The country rose from the river in a long gentle slope grown with low brush and scattered candlestick euphorbias。 This slope ended in a scattered range of low rocky buttes。 Through any one of the various openings between them； we rode to find ourselves on the borders of an undulating grass country of low rounded hills with wide valleys winding between them。 In these valleys and on these hills was the game。
Daylight of the day I would tell about found us just at the edge of the little buttes。 Down one of the slopes the growing half light revealed two oryx feeding； magnificent big creatures； with straight rapier horns three feet in length。 These were most exciting and desirable； so off my horse I got and began to sneak up on them through the low tufts of grass。 They fed quite calmly。 I congratulated myself； and slipped nearer。 Without even looking in my direction； they trotted away。 Somewhat chagrined； I returned to my companions； and we rode on。
Then across a mile…wide valley we saw two dark objects in the tall grass； and almost immediately identified these as rhinoceroses； the first we had seen。 They stood there side by side； gazing off into space； doing nothing in a busy morning world。 After staring at them through our glasses for some time； we organized a raid。 At the bottom of the valley we left the horses and porters； lined up； each with his gunbearer at his elbow； and advanced on the enemy。 B。 was to have the shot According to all the books we should have been able； provided we were downwind and made no noise； to have approached within fifty or sixty yards undiscovered。 However； at a little over a hundred yards they both turned tail and departed at a swift trot； their heads held well up and their tails sticking up straight and stiff in the most ridiculous fashion。 No good shooting at them in such circumstances； so we watched them go； still keeping up their slashing trot； growing smaller and smaller in the distance until finally they disappeared over the top of a swell。
We set ourselves methodically to following them。 It took us over an hour of steady plodding before we again came in sight of them。 They were this time nearer the top of a hill； and we saw instantly that the curve of the slope was such that we could approach within fifty yards before coming in sight at all。 Therefore； once more we dismounted； lined up in battle array； and advanced。
Sensations？ Distinctly nervous； decidedly alert； and somewhat self…congratulatory that I was not more scared。 No man can predicate how efficient he is going to be in the presence of really dangerous game。 Only the actual trial will show。 This is not a question of courage at all； but of purely involuntary reaction of the nerves。 Very few men are physical cowards。 They will and do face anything。 But a great many men are rendered inefficient by the way their nervous systems act under stress。 It is not a matter for control by will power in the slightest degree。 So the big game hunter must determine by actual trial whether it so happens that the great excitement of danger renders his hand shaky or steady。 The excitement in either case is the same。 No man is ever 〃cool〃 in the sense that personal danger is of the same kind of indifference to him as clambering aboard a street car。 He must always be lifted above himself； must enter an extra normal condition to meet extra normal circumstances。 He can always control his conduct； but he can by no means always determine the way the inevitable excitement will affect his coordinations。 And unfortunately； in the final result it does not matter how brave a man is； but how closely he can hold。 If he finds that his nervous excitement renders him unsteady； he has no business ever to tackle dangerous game alone。 If； on the other hand； he discovers that IDENTICALLY THE SAME nervous excitement happens to steady his front sight to rocklike rigidity…a rigidity he could not possibly attain in normal conditions…then he will probably keep out of trouble。
To amplify this further by a specific instance： I hunted for a short time in Africa with a man who was always eager for exciting encounters； whose pluck was admirable in every way； but whose nervous reaction so manifested itself that he was utterly unable to do even decent shooting at any range。 Furthermore； his very judgment and power of observation were so obscured that he could not remember afterward with any accuracy what had happened…which way the beast was pointing； how many there were of them； in which direction they went； how many shots were fired； in short all the smaller details of the affair。 He thought he remembered。 After the show was over it was quite amusing to get his version of the incident。 It was almost always so wide of the fact as to be little recognizable。 And； mind you； he was perfectly sincere in his belief； and absolutely courageous。 Only he was quite unfitted by physical make…up for a big game hunter； and I was relieved when； after a short time； his route and mine separated。
Well； we clambered up that slope with a fine compound of tension； expectation； and latent uneasiness as to just what was going to happen； anyway。 Finally； we raised the backs of the beasts； stooped； sneaked a little nearer； and finally at a signal stood upright perhaps forty yards from the brutes。
For the first time I experienced a sensation I was destined many times to repeat…that of the sheer size of the animals。 Menagerie rhinoceroses had been of the smaller Indian variety； and in
