CH. IX] ADVENTrUK WITH HIPPOS 219 



shallow, muddy water boiled as the huge beasts, above 

 and })elow the surface, scattered in every direction. 

 Their eyes starting, the two rowers began to back water 

 out of the dangerous neighbourhood, while 1 shot at an 

 animal whose head appeared to my left, as it made off 

 with frantic haste ; for 1 took it for granted that the 

 hippo at which I had first fired (and which was really 

 dead) had escaped. This one disappeared as usual, and 

 I had not the sliohtest idea wliether or not I had killed 

 it. I had small opportunity to ponder the subject, for 

 twenty feet away the water bubbled and a huge head 

 shot out fficing me, the jaws wide open. There was no 

 time to guess at its intentions, and I fired on the instant. 

 Down went the head, and I felt the boat quiver as the 

 hippo passed underneath. Just here the lily-pads were 

 thick ; so I marked its course, fired as it rose, and down 

 it went. But on the other quarter of the boat a beast, 

 evidently of great size — it proved to be a big bull — now 

 appeared, well above water, and I put a bullet into its 

 brain. 



I did not wish to shoot again unless I had to, and 

 stood motionless, with the little Springfield at the ready. 

 A head burst up twenty yards off, with a lily-pad 

 plastered over one eye, giving the hippo an absurd 

 resemblance to a discomfited prize-fighter, and then dis- 

 appeared with great agitation. Two half-grown beasts 

 stupid from fright appeared, and stayed up for a minute 

 or two at a time, not knowing what to do. Other heads 

 popped up, getting farther and farther away. By degrees 

 everything vanished, the water grew calm, and we rowed 

 over to the papyrus, moored ourselves by catching hold 

 of a couple of stems, and awaited events. Within an 

 hour four dead hippos appeared — a very big bull and 

 three big cows. Of course, I would not have shot the 



