Hunting in Many Lands 



skipped harmlessly along the surface of the 

 lake, and knew I had missed. At once all heads 

 in sight disappeared. There must have been 

 fifty in view when the sun rose. Presently, 

 one by one, they reappeared, and this time, as 

 if impelled by curiosity, came much closer than 

 before. I took aim at one not fifty yards away, 

 and could hear the thud of the bullet as it 

 struck. I thought, as the hippo at once disap- 

 peared, that it was done for. I had not yet 

 learned that the brain of these animals is very 

 small, and that the only fatal shot is under 

 the ear. 



After this shot, as after my first, all heads 

 vanished, but this time I had to wait much 

 longer ere they ventured to show themselves. 

 When they did reappear, however, it was too 

 close for comfort. One great head, blinking 

 its small eyes and holding its little horselike 

 ears at attention, was not twenty feet away, 

 and another was still closer on my other side. 

 While hesitating at which to shoot I lost my 

 opportunity, for they both ducked simultane- 

 ously. 



I was riveted to my uncomfortable seat, and 

 I could hear my boatman murmuring "Allah ! " 

 with fright, when slowly, but steadily, I felt the 



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