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she-第13部分

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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; though with great labor; but after that the 
weeds got too thick to allow of it; and we were; 
obliged to resort to the primitive and most exhausting 
resource of towing her。 For two hours we labored; 
Mahomed; Job; and I; who was supposed to be strong 
enough to pull against the two of them; on the bank; 
while Leo sat in the bow of the boat; and brushed away 
the weeds which collected round the cutwater with 
Mahomed's sword。 At dark we halted for some hours to 
rest and enjoy the mosquitoes; but about midnight we 
went on again; taking advantage of the comparative 
cool of the night。 At dawn we rested for three hours; 
and then started once more; and labored on till about 
ten o'clock; when a thunderstorm; accompanied by a 
deluge of rain; overtook us; and we spent the next six 
hours practically under water。

I do not know that there is any necessity for me to 
describe the next four days of our voyage in detail; 
further than to say that they were; on the whole; the 
most miserable that I ever spent in my life; forming 
one monotonous record of heavy labor; heat; misery; 
and mosquitoes。 All the way we passed through a region 
of almost endless swamp; and I can only attribute our 
escape from fever and death to the constant doses of 
quinine and purgatives which we took; and the 
unceasing toil which we were forced to undergo。 On the 
third day of our journey up the canal we had sighted a 
round hill that loomed dimly through the vapors of the 
marsh; and on the evening of the fourth night; when we 
camped; this hill seemed to be within five…and…twenty 
or thirty miles of us。 We were by now utterly 
exhausted; and felt as though our blistered hands 
could not pull the boat a yard farther; and that the 
best thing that we could do would be to lie down and。 
die in that dreadful wilderness of swamp。 It was an 
awful position; and one in。 which I trust no other 
white man will ever be placed; and as I threw myself 
down in the boat to sleep the sleep of utter 
exhaustion; I bitterly cursed my folly in ever having 
been a party to such a mad undertaking; which could; I 
saw; only end in our death in this ghastly land。 I 
thought; I remember; as I slowly sank into a doze; of 
what the appearance of the boat and her unhappy crew 
would be in two or three months' time from that night。 
There she would lie; with gaping seams and half filled 
with fetid water; which; when the mist…laden wind 
stirred her; would wash backward and forward through 
our mouldering bones; and that would be the end of 
her; and of those in her who would follow after myths 
and seek out the secrets of nature。

Already I seemed to hear the water rippling against 
the desiccated bones and rattling them together; 
rolling my skull against Mahomed's; and his against 
mine; till at last Mahomed's stood straight up upon 
its vertebrae; and glared at me through its empty eye 
holes; and cursed me with its grinning jaws; because 
I; a dog of a Christian; disturbed the last sleep of a 
true believer。 I opened my eyes; and shuddered at the 
horrid dream; and then shuddered again at something 
that was not a dream; for two great eyes were gleaming 
down at me through the misty darkness。 I struggled up; 
and in my terror and confosion shrieked; and shrieked 
again; so that the others sprang up too; reeling; and 
drunken with sleep and fear。 And then all of a sudden 
there was a flash of cold steel; and a great spear was 
held against my throat; and behind it other spears 
gleamed cruelly。

〃Peace;〃 said a voice; speaking in Arabic; or rather 
in some dialect into which Arabic entered very 
largely; 〃who are ye who come hither swimming on the 
water? Speak or ye die;〃 and the steel pressed sharply 
against my throat; sending a cold chili through me。

〃We are travellers; and have come hither by chance;〃 I 
answered in my best Arabic; which appeared to be 
understood; for the man turned his head and; 
addressing a tall form that towered up in the 
background; said; 〃Father; shall we slay?〃

〃What is the color of the men?〃 said a deep voice in 
answer。

〃White is their color。〃

〃Slay not;〃 was the reply。 〃Four suns since was the 
word brought to me from _i_ She…who…must…be…obeyed _i_ 
; 'White men come; if white men come; slay them not。 
Let them be brought to the land of _i_ She…who…must…
be…obeyed _i_ 。' Bring forth the men; and let that 
which they have with them be brought forth also。〃

〃Come;〃 said the man; half leading and half dragging 
me from the boat; and as he did so I perceived other 
men doing the same kind office to my companions。

On the bank were gathered a company of some fifty men。 
In that light all I could make out was that they were 
armed with huge spears were very tall; and strongly 
built; comparatively light in color; and nude; save 
for a leopard skin tied round the middle。

Presently Leo and Job were bundled out and placed 
beside me。

〃What on earth is up?〃 said Leo; rubbing his eyes。

〃Oh; Lord! sir; here's a rum go;〃 ejacul
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