Hippos and Crocodiles. 43 



The wild life in the river and along its banks was a 

 continual source of pleasure to us as we rode along. 

 Hippopotami were rarely seen, but now and again an 

 enormous black head would show above the water for 

 a few moments, and sometimes a long black ridge in 

 the middle of the river would denote where a hippo 

 was resting on some sandbank barely covered by the 

 water. We often saw gigantic footprints on the bank, 

 where one of them had come out of the water to feed, 

 and at night the natives light fires at intervals along the 

 river side to keep the great beasts in the water, for a 

 patch of beans is little to boast about after even one 

 hippopotamus has been browsing on it. 



Much further south than we travelled the hippo is 

 exceedingly common, and notwithstanding the re- 

 strictions, many must be killed if one may judge by the 

 universal use of the '* korbag," a whip which is made out 

 of its hide. It is curious how this whip, which, by the 

 way, we found very useful for both man and beast, is 

 employed under various names (such as '' sjambok " in 

 the south) all over Africa. Crocodiles were common and 

 were often to be seen, sometimes three or four together, 

 lying asleep on the bank, facing the breeze with their 

 mouths wide open. Once we saw two calves standing 

 unprotected at the water's edge, and just as we passed. 



