she-第14章
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Leo fired； and the bullet went right down her open
mouth and out at the back of her neck； and down she
dropped； with a splash； dead。 The other liona full…
grown malewas some two paces behind her。 At this
second he got his forepaws on to the bank； when a
strange thing happened。 There was a rush and
disturbance of the water； such as one sees in a pond
in England when a pike takes a little fish； only a
thousand times fiercer and larger； and suddenly the
lion gave a most terrific snarling roar and sprang
forward on to the bank； dragging something black with
him。
〃Allah！〃 shouted Mahomed； 〃a crocodile has got him by
the leg！〃 and sure enough he had。 We could see the
long snout with its gleaming lines of teeth and the
reptile body behind it。
And then followed an extraordinary scene； indeed。 The
lion managed to get well on to the bank； the crocodile
half standing and half swimming； still nipping his
hind…leg。 He roared till the air quivered with the
sound； and then； with a savage； shrieking snarl；
turned round and clawed hold of the crocodile's head。
The crocodile shifted his grip； having； as we
afterwards discovered； had one of his eyes torn out；
and slightly turned over； and instantly the lion got
him by the throat and held on； and then over and over
they rolled upon the bank； struggling hideously。 It
was impossible to follow their movements； but when
next we got a clear view the tables had turned； for
the crocodile； whose head seemed to be a mass of gore；
had got the lion's body in his iron jaws just above
the hips； and was squeezing him and shaking him to and
fro。 For his part the tortured brute； roaring in
agony； was clawing and biting madly at his enemy's
scaly head； and fixing his great hind claws in the
crocodile's； comparatively speaking； soft throat；
ripping it open as one would rip a glove。
Then； all of a sudden； the end came。 The lion's head
fell forward on the crocodile's back； and with an
awful groan he died； and the crocodile； after standing
for a minute motionless； slowly rolled over on to his
side； his jaws still fixed across the carcass of the
lion； which we afterwards found he had bitten almost
in halves。
This duel to the death was a wonderful and a shocking
sight； and one that I suppose few men have seenand
thus it ended。
When it was all over； leaving Mahomed to keep a
lookout； we managed to spend the rest of the night as
quietly as the mosquitoes would allow。
CHAPTER VI
AN EARLY CHRISTIAN CEREMONY
Next morning； at the earliest blush of dawn； we rose；
performed such ablutions as circumstances would allow；
and generally made ready to start。 I am bound to say
that when there was sufficient light to enable us to
see each other's faces I； for one； burst out into a
roar of laughter。 Job's fat and comfortable
countenance was swollen out to nearly twice its normal
size from mosquito bites； and Leo's condition was not
much better。 Indeed； of the three I had come off much
the best； probably owing to the toughness of my dark
skin； and to the fact that a good deal of it was
covered by hair； for since we started from England I
had allowed my naturally luxuriant beard to grow at
its own sweet will。 But the other two were；
comparatively speaking； clean shaved； which of course
gave the enemy a larger extent of open country to
operate on； though as for Mahomed； the mosquitoes；
recognizing the taste of a true believer； would not
touch him at any price。 How often； I wonder； during
the next week or so did we wish that we were flavored
like an Arab！
By the time that we had done laughing as heartily as
our swollen lips would allow； it was daylight； and the
morning breeze was coming up from the sea； cutting
lanes through the dense marsh mists； and here and
there rolling them before it in great balls of fleecy
vapor。 So we set our sail； and having first taken a
look at the two dead lions and the dead alligator；
which we were of course unable to skin； being
destitute of means of curing the pelts； we started；
and； sailing through the lagoon； followed the course
of the river on the farther side。 At midday； when the
breeze dropped； we were fortunate enough to find a
convenient piece of dry land on which to camp and
light a fire； and here we cooked two wild duck and
some of the water buck's fleshnot in a very
appetizing way； it is true； but still sufficiently。
The rest of the buck's flesh we cut into strips and
hung in the sun to dry into 〃biltong；〃 as I believe
South African Dutch call flesh thus prepared。 On this
welcome patch of dry land we stopped until the
following dawn； and； as before； spent the night in
warfare with the mosquitoes； but without other
troubles。 The next day or two passed in similar
fashion； and without noticeable adventures； except
that we shot a specimen of a peculiarly graceful
hornless buck； and saw many varieties of water…lilies
in full bloom； some of them blue and of exquisite
beauty； though few of the flowers were perfect； owing
to the prevalence of a white water…maggot with a green
head that fed upon them。
It was on the fifth day of our journey； when we had
travelled； so far as we could reckon； about one
hundred and thirty…five to a hundred and forty miles
westward from the coast； that the first event of any
real importance occurred。 On that morning the usual
wind failed us about eleven o'clock； and after pulling
a little way we were forced to halt more or less
exhausted at what appeared to be the junction of our
stream with another of a uniform width of about fifty
feet。 Some trees grew near at handthe only trees in
all this country were along the banks of the river
and under these we rested； and then； the land being
fairly dry just here； walked a little way along the
edge of the river to prospect； and shoot a few
waterfowl for food。 Before we had gone fifty yards we
perceived that all hopes of getting farther up the
stream in the whale…boat were at an end； for not two
hundred yards above where we had stopped were a
succession of shallows and mud…banks； with not six
inches of water over them。 It was a watery _i_ cul…de…
sac _i_ 。
Turning back； we walked some way along the banks of
the other river； and soon came to the conclusion； from
various indications； that it was not a river at all；
but an ancient canal； like the one which is to be seen
above Mombasa； on the Zanzibar coast； connecting the
Tana River with the Ozy； in such a way as to enable
the shipping coming down the Tana to cross to the Ozy；
and reach the sea by it； and thus avoid the very
dangerous bar that blocks the mouth of the Tuna。 The
canal before us had evidently been dug out by man at
some remote period of the world's history； and the
results of his digging still remained in the shape of
the raised banks that had no doubt once formed towing…
paths。 Except here and there； where they had been
hollowed out or fallen in； these banks of stiff；
binding clay were at a uniform distance from each
other； and the depth of the water also appeared to be
uniform。 Current there was little or none； and； as a
consequence； the surface of the canal was choked with
vegetable growth； intersected by little paths of clear
water； made； I suppose； by the constant passage of
waterfowl； iguanas； and other vermin。 Now； as it was
evident that we could not proceed up the river； it
became equally evident that we must either try the
canal or else return to the sea。 We could not stop
where we were； to be baked by the sun and eaten up by
the mosquitoes； till we died of fever in。 that dreary
marsh。
〃Well； I suppose that we most try it；〃 I said； and the
others assented in their various waysLeo； as though
it were the best joke in the world； Job； in respectful
disgust； and Mahomed； with an invocation to the
Prophet； and a comprehensive curse upon all
unbelievers and their ways of thought and travel。
Accordingly； as soon as the sun got low； having little
or nothing more to hope for…from our friendly wind； we
stared。 For the first hour or so we managed to row the
boat；
