186 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



bar or small island or lying asleep in the edge 

 of the papyrus. As we approached they lifted 

 their heads to gaze at us and then slowly took 

 to the water. In a few minutes they usually 

 appeared again some distance away. We paid 

 little attention to them unless we thought that 

 a hippo was coming to the surface close to one 

 of the boats. Then I would take the rifle and 

 stand guard until the danger was over. 



"One day was quite like another. To break 

 the monotony and to furnish a little excitement 

 for the men, I occasionally took a shot at a 

 crocodile on the bank. We would then stop 

 long enough for the boys to wrench out the 

 teeth, which they either made into necklaces or 

 traded for food with the natives whose villages 

 we passed. 



"They were an interesting people, those jolly, 

 black-skinned villagers. As soon as we came in 

 sight of a town the inhabitants rushed from their 

 huts and followed along the bank, laughing and 

 joking with my men, and trying to persuade us to 

 land and barter. The women and children who 

 tended wickerwork fish-traps presented us with 

 specimens of their catch and were greatly pleased 

 with the trifling gifts we gave them in return. 



