the land of footprints-第48章

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avellers　follow　the　lists　blindly；　and　later　copy　them　verbatim　into　their　books。　Not　one　has　thought　to　empty　out　the　whole　bag　of　tricks；　to　examine　them　in　the　light　of　reason；　and　to　pick　out　what　a　man　of　American　habits；　as　contrasted　to　one　of　English　habits；　would　like　to　have。　This　cannot　be　done　a　priori；　it　requires　the　test　of　experience　to　determine　how　to　meet；　in　our　own　way；　the　unusual　demands　of　climate　and　conditions。

And　please　note；　when　the　heads　of　these　equipment　firms；　these　old　African　travellers；　take　the　field　for　themselves；　they　pay　no　attention　whatever　to　their　own　printed　lists　of　〃essentials。〃

Now；　premising　that　the　English　sportsman　has；　by　many　years'　experience；　worked　out　just　what　he　likes　to　take　into　the　field；　and　assuring　you　solemnly　that　his　ideas　are　not　in　the　least　the　ideas　of　American　sportsman；　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　do　something　for　ourselves。

At　present　the　American　has　either　to　take　over　in　toto　the　English　idea；　which　is　not　adapted　to　him；　and　is…TO　HIM…a　nuisance；　or　to　go　it　blind；　without　experience　except　that　acquired　in　a　temperate　climate；　which　is　dangerous。　I　am　not　going　to　copy　out　the　English　list　again；　even　for　comparison。　I　have　not　the　space；　and　if　curious　enough；　you　can　find　it　in　any　book　on　modern　African　travel。　Of　course　I　realize　well　that　few　Americans　go　to　Africa；　but　I　also　realize　well　that　the　sportsman　is　a　crank；　a　wild　and　eager　enthusiast　over　items　of　equipment　anywhere。　He…and　I　am　thinking　emphatically　of　him…would　avidly　devour　the　details　of　the　proper　outfit　for　the　gentle　art　of　hunting　the　totally　extinct　whiffenpoof。

Let　us　begin；　first　of　all；　with：

Personal　Equipment　Clothes。　On　the　top　of　your　head　you　must　have　a　sun　helmet。　Get　it　of　cork；　not　of　pith。　The　latter　has　a　habit　of　melting　unobtrusively　about　your　ears　when　it　rains。　A　helmet　in　brush　is　the　next　noisiest　thing　to　a　circus　band；　so　it　is　always　well　to　have；　also；　a　double　terai。　This　is　not　something　to　eat。　It　is　a　wide　felt　hat；　and　then　another　wide　felt　hat　on　top　of　that。　The　vertical…rays…of…the…tropical…sun　（pronounced　as　one　word　to　save　time　after　you　have　heard　and　said　it　a　thousand　times）　are　supposed　to　get　tangled　and　lost　somewhere　between　the　two　hats。　It　is　not；　however；　a　good　contraption　to　go　in　all　day　when　the　sun　is　strong。

As　underwear　you　want　the　lightest　Jaeger　wool。　Doesn't　sound　well　for　tropics；　but　it　is　an　essential。　You　will　sweat　enough　anyway；　even　if　you　get　down　to　a　brass　wire　costume　like　the　natives。　It　is　when　you　stop　in　the　shade；　or　the　breeze；　or　the　dusk　of　evening；　that　the　trouble　comes。　A　chill　means　trouble；　SURE。　Two　extra　suits　are　all　you　want。　There　is　no　earthly　sense　in　bringing　more。　Your　tent　boy　washes　them　out　whenever　he　can　lay　hands　on　them…it　is　one　of　his　harmless　manias。

Your　shirt　should　be　of　the　thinnest　brown　flannel。　Leather　the　shoulders；　and　part　way　down　the　upper　arm；　with　chamois。　This　is　to　protect　your　precious　garment　against　the　thorns　when　you　dive　through　them。　On　the　back　you　have　buttons　sewed　wherewith　to　attach　a　spine　pad。　Before　I　went　to　Africa　I　searched　eagerly　for　information　or　illustration　of　a　spine　pad。　I　guessed　what　it　must　be　for；　and　to　an　extent　what　it　must　be　like；　but　all　writers　maintained　a　conservative　reticence　as　to　the　thing　itself。　Here　is　the　first　authorized　description。　A　spine　pad　is　a　quilted　affair　in　consistency　like　the　things　you　are　supposed　to　lift　hot　flat…irons　with。　On　the　outside　it　is　brown　flannel；　like　the　shirt；　on　the　inside　it　is　a　gaudy　orange　colour。　The　latter　is　not　for　aesthetic　effect；　but　to　intercept　actinic　rays。　It　is　eight　or　ten　inches　wide；　is　shaped　to　button　close　up　under　your　collar；　and　extends　halfway　down　your　back。　In　addition　it　is　well　to　wear　a　silk　handkerchief　around　the　neck；　as　the　spine　and　back　of　the　head　seem　to　be　the　most　vulnerable　to　the　sun。

For　breeches；　suit　yourself　as　to　material。　It　will　have　to　be　very　tough；　and　of　fast　colour。　The　best　cut　is　the　〃semi…riding；〃　loose　at　the　knees；　which　should　be　well　faced　with　soft　leather；　both　for　crawling；　and　to　save　the　cloth　in　grass　and　low　brush。　One　pair　ought　to　last　four　months；　roughly　speaking。　You　will　find　a　thin　pair　of　ordinary　khaki　trousers　very　comfortable　as　a　change　for　wear　about　camp。　In　passing　I　would　call　your　attention　to　〃shorts。〃　Shorts　are　loose；　bobbed　off　khaki　breeches；　like　knee　drawers。　With　them　are　worn　puttees　or　leather　leggings；　and　low　boots。　The　knees　are　bare。　They　are　much　affected　by　young　Englishmen。　I　observed　them　carefully　at　every　opportunity；　and　my　private　opinion　is　that　man　has　rarely　managed　to　invent　as　idiotically　unfitted　a　contraption　for　the　purpose　in　hand。　In　a　country　teeming　with　poisonous　insects；　ticks；　fever…bearing　mosquitoes；　in　a　country　where　vegetation　is　unusually　well　armed　with　thorns；　spines　and　hooks；　mostly　poisonous；　in　a　country　where；　oftener　than　in　any　other　a　man　is　called　upon　to　get　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　and　crawl　a　few　assorted　abrading　miles；　it　would　seem　an　obvious　necessity　to　protect　one's　bare　skin　as　much　as　possible。　The　only　reason　given　for　these　astonishing　garments　is　that　they　are　cooler　and　freer　to　walk　in。　That　I　can　believe。　But　they　allow　ticks　and　other　insects　to　crawl　up；　mosquitoes　to　bite；　thorns　to　tear；　and　assorted　troubles　to　enter。　And　I　can　vouch　by　experience　that　ordinary　breeches　are　not　uncomfortably　hot　or　tight。　Indeed；　one　does　not　get　especially　hot　in　the　legs　anyway。　I　noticed　that　none　of　the　old…time　hunters　like　Cuninghame　or　Judd　wore　shorts。　The　real　reason　is　not　that　they　are　cool；　but　that　they　are　picturesque。　Common　belief　to　the　contrary；　your　average　practical；　matter…of…fact　Englishman　loves　to　dress　up。　I　knew　one　engaged　in　farming…picturesque　farming…in　our　own　West；　who　used　to　appear　at　afternoon　tea　in　a　clean　suit　of　blue　overalls！　It　is　a　harmless　amusement。　Our　own　youths　do　it；　also；　substituting　chaps　for　shorts；　perhaps。　I　am　not　criticising　the　spirit　in　them；　but　merely　trying　to　keep　mistaken　shorts　off　you。

For　leg　gear　I　found　that　nothing　could　beat　our　American　combination　of　high…laced　boots　and　heavy　knit　socks。　Leather　leggings　are　noisy；　and　the　rolled　puttees　hot　and　binding。　Have　your　boots　ten　or　twelve　inches　high；　with　a　flap　to　buckle　over　the　tie　of　the　laces；　with　soles　of　the　mercury…impregnated　leather　called　〃elk　hide；〃　and　with　small　Hungarian　hobs。　Your　tent　boy　will　grease　these　every　day　with　〃dubbin；〃　of　which　you　want　a　good　supply。　It　is　not　my　intention　to　offer　free　advertisements　generally；　but　I　wore　one　pair　of　boots　all　the　time　I　was　in　Africa；　through　wet；　heat；　and　long；　long　walking。　They　were　in　good　condition　when　I　gave　them　away　finally；　and　had　not　started　a　stitch。　They　were　made　by　that　excellent　craftsman；　A。　A。　Cutter；　of　Eau　Claire；　Wis。；　and　he　deserves　and　is　entirely　welcome　to　this　puff。　Needless　to　remark；　I　have　received　no　especial　favours　from　Mr。　Cutter。

Six　pairs　of　woollen　socks；　knit　by　hand；　if　possible…will　be　enough。　For　evening；　when　you　come　in；　I　know　nothing　better　than　a　pair　of　very　high　moosehide　moccasins。　They　should；　however；　be　provided　with　thin　soles　against　the　stray　thorn；　and　should　reach　well　above　the　ankle　by　way　of　defence　against　the　fever　mosquito。　That　festive　insect　carries　on　a　surreptitious　guerrilla　warfare　low　down。　The　English　〃mosquito　boot〃　is　simply　an　affair　like　a　riding　boot；　made　of　suede　leather；　with　thin　soles。　It　is　most　comfortable。　My　objection　is　that　it　is　unsubstantial　and　goes　to　pieces　in　a　very　brief　time　even　under　ordinary　evening　wear　about　camp。

You　will　also　want　a　coat。　In　American　camping　I　have　always　maintained　the　coat　is　a　useless　garment。　There　one　does　his　own　work　to　a　large　extent。　When　at　work　or　travel　the　coat　is　in　the　way。　When　in　camp　the　sweater　or　buckskin　shirt　is　handier；　and　more　easily　carried。　In　Africa；　however；　where　the　other　fellow　does　most　of　the　work；　a　coat　is　often　very　handy。　Do　not　make　the　mistake　of　getting　an　unlined　light…weight　garment。　When　you　want　it　at　all；　you　want　it　warm　and　substantial。　Stick　on　all　the　pockets　possible；　and　have　them　button　securely。

For　wet　weather　there　is　nothing　to　equal　a　long　and　voluminous　cape。　Straps　crossing　the　chest　and　around　the　waist　permit　one　to　throw　it　off　the　shoulders　to　shoot。　It　covers　the　hands；　the　rifle…most　of　the　little　horses　or　mules　one　gets　out　there。　One　can　sleep　in　or　on　it；　and　it　is　a　most　effective　garment　against　heavy　winds。　One　suit　of　pajamas　is　enough；　considering　your　tent　boy's　commendable　mania　for　laundry　work。　Add　handkerchiefs　and　you　are　fixed。

You　will　wear　most　of　the　above；　and　put　what　remains　in　your　〃officer's　box。〃　This　is　a　thin　steel；　air…tight　affair　with　a　wooden　bottom；　and　is　the　ticket　for　African　work。

Sporting。　Pick　out　your　guns　to　suit　yourself。　You　want　a　light　one　and　a　heavy　one。

When　I　came　to　send　out　my　ammunition；　I　was　forced　again　to　take　the　other　fellow's　experience。　I　was　told　by　everybody　that　I　should　bring　plenty；　that　it　was　better　to　have　too　much　than　too　little；　etc。　I　rather　thought　so　myself；　and　accordingly　shipped　a　trifle　over　1；500　rounds　of　small　bore　cartridges。　Unfortunately；　I　never　got　into　the　field　with　any　of　my　numerous　advisers　on　this　point；　so　cannot　state　their　methods　from　first…hand　information。　Inductive　reasoning　leads　me　to　believe　that　they　consider　it　unsportsmanlike　to　shoot　at　a　standing　animal　at　all；　or　at　one　running　nearer　than　250　yards。　Furthermore；　it　is　etiquette　to　continue　firing　until　the　last　cloud　of　dust　has　died　down　on　the　distant　horizon。　Only　thus　can　I　conceive　of　getting　rid　of　that　amount　of　ammunition。　In　eight　months　of　steady　shooting；　for　example…shooting　for　trophies；　as　well　as　to　feed　a　safari　of　fluctuating　numbers；　counting　jackals；　marabout　and　such　small　trash…I　got　away　with　395　rounds　of　small　bore　ammunition　and　about　100　of　large。　This　accounted　for　225　kills。　That　should　give　one　an　idea。　Figure　out　how　many　animals　you　are　likely　to　want　for　ANY　purpose；　multiply　by　three；　and　bring　that　many　cartridges。

To　carry　these　cartridges　I　should　adopt　the　English　system　of　a　stout　leather　belt　on　which　you　slip　various　sized　pockets　and　loops　to　suit　the　occasion。　Each　unit　has　loops　for　ten　cartridges。　You　rarely　want　more　than　that；　and　if　you　do；　your　gunbearer　is　supplied。　In　addition　to　the　loops；　you　have　leather　pockets　to　carry　your　watch；　your　money；　your　matches　and　tobacco；　your　compass…anything　you　please。　They　are　handy　and　safe。　The　tropical　climate　is　too　〃sticky〃　to　get　much　comfort；　or　anything　else；　out　of　ordinary　pockets。

In　addition；　you　supply　your　gunbearer　with　a　cartridge　belt；　a　leather　or　canvas　carrying　bag；　water　bottle　for　him　and　for　yourself；　a　sheath　knife　and　a　whetstone。　In　the　bag　are　your　camera；　tape　line；　the　whetstone；　field　cleaners　and　lunch。　You　personally　carry　your　field　glasses；　sun　glasses；　a　knife；　compass；　matches；　police　whistle　and　notebook。　The　field　glasses　should　not　be　more　than　six　power；　and　if　possible　you　should　get　the　sort　with　detachable　prisms。　The　prisms　are　apt　to　cloud　in　a　tro