第88章

Crossingtheclear，ripplingstream，weclamberedupthesteepbankontheoppositeside，and，afterarideofaboutamileandahalf，wegainedthewater-shed，andcommencedagradualdescenttowardsthewest。

Wewerenowjoinedbynumerouspeople，bothmen，womenandchildren，allofwhomwerebentuponthehunt。

Themencarriedtheirnetsandspears；theboyswerealsoarmedwithlighterweapons，andtheverylittlefellowscarriedtinylances，allofwhichhadbeencarefullysharpenedfortheexpectedgame。

Thewomenwereingreatnumbers，anduponthatdaythevillageswerequitedeserted。Babiesaccompaniedtheirmothers，strappedupontheirbackswithleathernbands，andprotectedfromtheweatherbytheusualtortoise-likecoveringsofgourd-shells。ThusitmaybeimaginedthattheShoolitribewerebornhunters，astheyhadaccompaniedthepublichuntsfromtheirearliestinfancy。

Mytwoboys，SaatandBellaal，carriedspareguns。Thesefinestrongladsalwaysattendedme，andtheyhadbecomeusefulgun-bearers。Theywerebothpluckyfellows。LittleAmarnhadbeensufferingformorethantwelvemonthsfromanulceratedleg；thereforehewassparedfromunnecessaryfatigue，andwasthepetboyathome。

Asweproceeded，thenumberofnativesincreased，buttherewasnonoiseorloudtalking。Everyoneappearedthoroughlytounderstandhisduties。

HavingcrossedthebeautifulUn-y-Ameriver，weenteredthegamecountry。Extensiveprairies，devoidofforest，nowstretchedbeforeusingracefulundulationstothebaseofdistantmountains。Thecountrywaswateredbynumerousclearstreams，allofwhichdrainedintothemainchanneloftheUn-y-Ameriver，thatbecamearoaringtorrentduringthewetseason。

WenowlefttheFabbopathandstruckofftoourleftforseveralmiles，overgroundthathadbeenclearedbyburning，whichshowedinmanydirectionsthecrimsonfruitofthewildginger，growinghalf-exposedfromtheearth。Thisisaleathery，hardpod，aboutthesizeofagoose-egg，filledwithasemi-transparentpulpofasubacidflavour，withadeliciousperfumebetweenpine-appleandlemon-peel。Itisveryjuicyandrefreshing，andisdecidedlythebestwildfruitofCentralAfrica。

Thenativesimmediatelycollectedaquantity，andwequicklypushedforwardtotherendezvous，where，uponarrival，wefoundagreatnumberofpeoplewerecollected。

Alineofaboutamileandahalfwasquicklyprotectedbynetting，andthenativeswerealreadyinposition。

Eachmanhadlashedhisnettothatofhisneighbourandsupporteditwithbamboos，whichweresecuredwithropesfastenedtotwistedgrass。

Thustheentirenetresembledafence，thatwouldbeinvisibletothegameinthehighgrass，until，whendriven，theyshouldburstsuddenlyuponit。

Thegrasswasasdryasstraw，andseveralthousandacreswouldbefireduptowindward，whichwouldcompeltheanimalstorunbeforetheflames，untiltheyreachedthenettingplacedafewpacesinfront；wherethehighgrasshadbeenpurposelyclearedtoresisttheadvanceofthefire。

Beforeeachsectionofnet，amanwasconcealedbothwithinandwithout，behindascreen，simplyformedofthelong，grasstiedtogetheratthetop。

Theruleofsportdecidedthattheproprietorofeachsectionofnettingoftwelveyardslengthwouldbeentitledtoallgamethatshouldbekilledwithintheselimits；butthattheownersofthemanorswhichformedthehuntuponthatdayshouldreceiveahindlegfromeveryanimalcaptured。

Thiswasfairplay；butinsuchhuntsabreachofthepeacewasofcommonoccurrence，asalargeanimalmightchargethenetandreceiveaspearfromtheownerofthesecti

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