With Flashlight and Rifle ^ 



of the moon comes out from behind the clouds, and there 

 resounds and reverberates throughout the marsliy wilder- 

 ness a voice of which the Bible makes mention — so 

 Brehm r(;minds us — as one of the mightiest voices of 

 animals in days of old. " And when Rehoboth lifts up 

 his \oice. . . ." Yes, when Rehoboth lifts up his voice, 

 the whole world seems to tremljle. The sound is so tre- 

 mendous that its effect the first time vou hear it is startlinor 

 in the extreme. 



At long intervals the old bull hippopotamus thunders 

 out in this way over his kingdom, and the effect is 

 magical — all the more so for the mournful aspect of the 

 landscape. It means that he is emerging trom his trodden, 

 almost tunnelled paths and haunts, and betaking himselt 

 to some spot up on the dry land to graze. 



Shortly before sunset yet another fascinating picture, 

 full of life, is offered to our gaze. Hundreds of thousands 

 of finch-like birds and weavers fly hot-haste to the 

 swamp for their evening drink, before betaking themselves 

 for the night to the security of the papyrus-thickets. 

 Hither they have hurried in wave-like throngs, rising and 

 falling, keeping a serpentine course along the level 

 of the pa|)yrus — looking indeed like some monstrous 

 serpent seen afir oft^ in the; twilight. A kind of mighty 

 humming noise accom])anies their llight, so strong and 

 loud that the stranger is a[)t to be frightened by it at first. 

 It is extraordinary how exactly they keep to certain 

 distinct courses in thc-ir llight every evening. 



On pre\'i()us occasions I had Ix^en struck by the \\a\' 

 in which the indi\itkial bii'ds kept together in their 



] 14 



