登陆注册
26567700000009

第9章

Often and often I have crept shivering on to my waggon-box just as the sun rose and looked out. At first one would see nothing but a vast field of white mist suffused towards the east by a tremulous golden glow, through which the tops of stony koppies stood up like gigantic beacons. From the dense mist would come strange sounds--snorts, gruntings, bellows, and the thunder of countless hoofs. Presently this great curtain would grow thinner, then it would melt, as the smoke from a pipe melts into the air, and for miles on miles the wide rolling country interspersed with bush opened to the view. But it was not tenantless as it is now, for as far as the eye could reach it would be literally black with game. Here to the right might be a herd of vilderbeeste that could not number less than two thousand. Some were grazing, some gambolled, whisking their white tails into the air, while all round the old bulls stood upon hillocks sniffing suspiciously at the breeze. There, in front, a hundred yards away, though to the unpractised eye they looked much closer, because of the dazzling clearness of the atmosphere, was a great herd of springbok trekking along in single file. Ah, they have come to the waggon-track and do not like the look of it. What will they do?--go back? Not a bit of it. It is nearly thirty feet wide, but that is nothing to a springbok. See, the first of them bounds into the air like a ball. How beautifully the sunshine gleams upon his golden hide! He has cleared it, and the others come after him in numberless succession, all except the fawns, who cannot jump so far, and have to scamper over the doubtful path with a terrified /bah/. What is that yonder, moving above the tops of the mimosa, in the little dell at the foot of the koppie? Giraffes, by George! three of them; there will be marrow-bones for supper to-night. Hark! the ground shakes behind us, and over the brow of the rise rush a vast herd of blesbock. On they come at full gallop, their long heads held low, they look like so many bearded goats. I thought so--behind them is a pack of wild dogs, their fur draggled, their tongues lolling. They are in full cry; the giraffes hear them and are away, rolling round the koppie like a ship in a heavy sea. No marrow-bones after all. See! the foremost dogs are close on a buck. He has galloped far and is outworn. One springs at his flank and misses him. The buck gives a kind of groan, looks wildly round and sees the waggon. He seems to hesitate a moment, then in his despair rushes up to it, and falls exhausted among the oxen. The dogs pull up some thirty paces away, panting and snarling. Now, boy, the gun--no, not the rifle, the shot-gun loaded with loopers.

Bang! bang! there, my friends, two of you will never hunt buck again.

No, don't touch the buck, for he has come to us for shelter, and he shall have it.

Ah, how beautiful is nature before man comes to spoil it!

Such a sight as this have I seen many a hundred times, and I hope to see it again before I die.

The first real adventure that befell me on this particular journey was with elephants, which I will relate because of its curious termination. Just before we crossed the Orange River we came to a stretch of forest-land some twenty miles broad. The night we entered this forest we camped in a lovely open glade. A few yards ahead tambouki grass was growing to the height of a man, or rather it had been; now, with the exception of a few stalks here and there, it was crushed quite flat. It was already dusk when we camped; but after the moon got up I walked from the fire to see how this had happened. One glance was enough for me; a great herd of elephants had evidently passed over the tall grass not many hours before. The sight of their spoor rejoiced me exceedingly, for though I had seen wild elephants, at that time I had never shot one. Moreover, the sight of elephant spoor to the African hunter is what "colour in the pan" is to the prospector of gold. It is by the ivory that he lives, and to shoot it or trade it is his chief aim in life. My resolution was soon taken. Iwould camp the waggons for a while in the forest, and start on horseback after the elephants.

I communicated my decision to Indaba-zimbi and the other Kaffirs. The latter were not loth, for your Kaffir loves hunting, which means plenty of meat and congenial occupation, but Indaba-zimbi would express no opinion. I saw him retire to a little fire that he had lit for himself, and go through some mysterious performances with bones and clay mixed with ashes, which were watched with the greatest interest by the other Kaffirs. At length he rose, and, coming forward, informed me that it was all right, and that I did well to go and hunt the elephants, as I should get plenty of ivory; but he advised me to go on foot. I said I should do nothing of the sort, but meant to ride.

I am wiser now; this was the first and last time that I ever attempted to hunt elephants on horseback.

Accordingly we started at dawn, I, Indaba-zimbi, and three men; the rest I left with the waggons. I was on horseback, and so was my driver, a good rider and a skilful shot for a Kaffir, but Indaba-zimbi and the others walked. From dawn till mid-day we followed the trail of the herd, which was as plain as a high road. Then we off-saddled to let the horses rest and feed, and about three o'clock started on again. Another hour or so passed, and still there was no sign of elephants. Evidently the herd had travelled fast and far, and I began to think that we should have to give it up, when suddenly I caught sight of a brown mass moving through the thorn-trees on the side of a slope about a quarter of a mile away. My heart seemed to jump into my mouth. Where is the hunter who has not felt like this at the sight of his first elephant?

同类推荐
  • Hans Brinker

    Hans Brinker

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 平汉录

    平汉录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 杂纂新续

    杂纂新续

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 杂阿含经

    杂阿含经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说一切如来安像三昧仪轨经

    佛说一切如来安像三昧仪轨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 伴魂之无悔的爱

    伴魂之无悔的爱

    白蓝和朴雅之间的故事太多。多的白蓝看着朴雅的骨灰默默得流下了眼泪。
  • 代嫁弃妃

    代嫁弃妃

    “签字!”“为什么?”“因为你已经没有利用价值。”“我对你而言……就……只有利用价值吗?”男子冷冷一笑,“你奢望什么?”女子的心渐渐碎了,“萧绝,为什么,你会这么狠心?”“我不喜欢浪费没有必要的时间。”三年婚姻,害得她家破人亡,在他的婚礼上,她引爆炸弹,风轻云淡,“我们一起下地狱吧!”之后,穿越了……
  • 一撞成婚:娇妻涩涩爱

    一撞成婚:娇妻涩涩爱

    当钻石王老五遇到头脑简单,性格怪戾的未成年潜逃犯罪少女,电光火石间会产生什么化学反应?落魄时,他养她,宠她!落寞时,他陪她,哄她!这辈子,他只有一个愿望,跟她生孩子!苏殁的命运从一个雨夜改变……黑色的轿车撞飞她瘦弱的身体,她唇角勾起一道美丽的弧线,她沾满鲜血的手还未干涸,胸中的恨意还未平息,报应就来了……却不知,命运的轮盘突转,黑色轿车里走下的男人,是她这一辈子的救世主,他深邃的眸子对上她的空洞,一刹那,他漩进了她的世界不可自拔!"
  • 重生之偷窥未来

    重生之偷窥未来

    重生了!呃,不是高材生,只是一个大学学历都没有的白丁,看他如果改变未来,利用并不多的预知创造最大的价值!(烟火不怎么会写简介,嗯,马马虎虎写点算是应付啦!别怪。。)
  • 星河密码

    星河密码

    人工智能臻熟,大取而代之势,人类告急!资源告急!生存告急!暗战层出,日益紧张,展望星河,绝处逢生!人类文明,再次跨越巅峰!解开星河密码神秘的面纱,创造出绚丽灿烂多姿多彩的未来!迎来人类的星河世纪。
  • 异世女王废材逆袭

    异世女王废材逆袭

    她,是黑道上令人闻风丧胆的‘弑神'。在一次任务中,被自己的爱人亲手杀害,含冤而去。重生于异世,穿越到一个令人唾骂的废材身上,从此,她把自己的心冰封了起来。他,是人人畏惧的冷王,一次无意的事故,让他遇见了她,面对冷若冰霜的她,第一次他感到了无助,想要征服。。。岁月的搁浅,他是否会如愿,她是否会敞开心扉???
  • 良心无价

    良心无价

    都说良心不值钱,等你需要良心的时候,就算你倾家荡产也买不回一颗。赵长凯的父亲酒驾撞死了人,并且把他的母亲也害死了,家里的积蓄赔了个精光,亲戚朋友远离他家不算甚至还落井下石,无奈之下,他父亲喝农药自杀了,临死前在一张纸上留下了这句话。
  • 海贼王之寒蝉鸣泣时

    海贼王之寒蝉鸣泣时

    有人曾这样告诉过雨宫奈奈子,任何事情的发生都有相对应的开关,当那个开关被不经意的按下,那么一切就……一切就……
  • 放下:快乐之道

    放下:快乐之道

    做人,要像一只皮箱,能够提得起,也要能够放得下。光是提起,太多的拖累,非常辛苦;光是放下,要用的时候,就会感到不便。所以,做人要当提起时提起,当放下的时候放下。我们经常听到别人说:要放下,要放下!
  • 墨法集要

    墨法集要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。