XXII THE MEETING OK THE WATERS 473 



which the Umfule here runs, at last reached its 

 junction with the Umniati. Although there are large 

 deep pools of water, the home of the hippopotamus, 

 more than a hundred miles nearer the sources of the 

 former river, it only pours a narrow stream ot water 

 three or four yards wide and knee-deep into the 

 Umniati at this season of the year. The Umniati 

 itself is narrow and rocky just at this point, but a 

 little below the junction it opens out into a sandy 

 bed, fully 400 yards broad, through which two or 

 three narrow channels ot water find their way. 



Just below where the waters of the two rivers 

 met, there was a fine deep-blue pool, in which a 

 herd of about ten hippopotami were disporting 

 themselves. They evidently did not know anything 

 of firearms, and appeared to be as unconcerned at 

 our presence, and as unsuspicious of danger, as the 

 hippopotami are when inspected by visitors at the 

 Zoological Gardens. For some time we sat on the 

 rocks at the edge of the pool, and the uncouth-looking 

 beasts kept coming to the surface not more than 

 thirty yards from us, staring at us in a stolid, lazy 

 sort of way, and then again sinking to the bottom. 

 Our guide now clamoured loudly for us to shoot 

 one for him, arid as our boys and we ourselves also 

 wanted some more fat meat, Jameson killed a tat 

 cow. As the pool was very narrow, we might easily 

 have shot them all, but, with the exception of this 

 one, we did not molest them in any way. 



During the heat of the day we occupied ourselves 

 in superintending the cutting up of the meat, and in 

 jotting down the directions of the two rivers by 

 compass. 



The Umniati here runs to the north-east, and the 

 Umfule enters it almost at right angles. About 



