A FIGHT WITH "HIPPOS" 193 



exhausted; the time that he remained under 

 water and the distance that he travelled became 

 shorter with each successive dive. It seemed 

 strange that he endured the torture so long with- 

 out attacking the canoes. 



"Suddenly, while the boats were huddled 

 close together, the floats stopped. To the ex- 

 perienced hunters that must have been a signal 

 of approaching danger, for, as if by magic, 

 silence reigned, and some of the men began to 

 back frantically. 



"Again the spears were poised in the air and 

 again the great head burst from the water in 

 front of the fleet. But this time, instead of 

 diving, the animal hurled itself at one of the 

 canoes. The beast's blunt muzzle struck the 

 craft amidships and tossed it into the air. It 

 landed squarely across a canoe near by, and both 

 were swamped. 



"The other canoes raced to the rescue of the 

 ten men struggling in the water. The air was 

 filled with spears, but they seemed to have no 

 more effect on the animal than so many pin- 

 pricks. 



"In the din caused by the shouting of the men, 

 the bellowing of the infuriated beast, and the 



