A FIGHT WITH "HIPPOS" 187 



"We had passed a village and were skimming 

 along close to the papyrus, when suddenly the 

 canoe shot across the mouth of a small estuary 

 that the high papyrus growth had completely 

 hidden. The other craft was following close 

 behind, and the two boats were in a position 

 to blockade the mouth of the little bay, when I 

 heard a terrific splashing of water. I turned 

 instantly and saw that we had surprised a 

 herd of about ten hippos in the edge of the 

 papyrus. 



"Our sudden appearance had startled them, 

 and so strong was their instinct to seek refuge 

 in deep water that with one accord the entire 

 herd tumbled off the bank and came splashing 

 down upon us. 



"I snatched my rifle and turned to fire. 

 There was no time to aim carefully for the 

 brutes were less than thirty feet away. So, 

 hoping that the noise and flash might split the 

 herd and cause the hippos to pass round us, I 

 simply pointed the weapon at the head of a 

 large bull and pulled the trigger. 



"The struggling creatures did not swerve 

 from their course. When, however, they had 

 come so close that I could almost have touched 



