THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



nary sportsman is, therefore, restricted to only two on his 

 Hcense. 



Colonel Roosevelt was probably the last man who had 

 a chance of shooting hippos in any of the beautiful lakes of 

 Nakuru, Elmenteita, or Naivasha, in which latter water he 

 shot several hippos during August of 1909, after which 

 time, upon the issuance of the new game license, the three 

 above-mentioned lakes were declared game preserves for 

 hippos. 



In districts where the " river hog " is seldom or not at 

 all disturbed, he is often seen resting or sleeping on the 

 sand banks in the middle of the rivers, or even on the sandy 

 shores of lakes and streams. He generally lies with his 

 body half submerged in the water, so that if he scents dan- 

 ger, he may be able instantly to disappear under the sur- 

 face. Sometimes, however, he gets up entirely out of the 

 water, even in broad daylight, to bask in the sun close to 

 the water's edge. I once saw three big hippos, sleeping 

 on the northern banks of the Sondo River, in the Kisii 

 country. They were huddled up very close to one another, 

 as they so often are seen when resting on dry land. The 

 one nearest to the water was perhaps only three yards 

 away from the edge, and all were lying parallel to the river, 

 facing upstream, although, strangely enough, a strong 

 wind was blowing the opposite way, much to my delight. 

 Alone, with an eleven-millimeter Mauser rifle in a sling 

 over the shoulder, and with camera in hand, I began to 

 stalk the three sleeping hippos, with a view of doing my 

 utmost to get a snapshot of them at close quarters before 

 they should roll into the stream. 



When I first detected any hippos in this place we were 



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