252 STALKS ABROAD 



upon the path, spade-beetles, singly or in pairs, 

 laboriously toiled. With painstaking care they rolled 

 little compact balls. Then one, balancing himself on 

 his forelegs, would place his hinder pair upon the ball, 

 whilst his companion mounted on top in an attitude 

 for all the world like that of the performing dogs one 

 sees at a circus. He then, by his weight, gave an 

 impetus to the tiny mass whilst his friend pedalled 

 frantically. Thus they got it started, though how its 

 movements were directed was always a mystery to me. 

 We had a short rest on the way, and reached the 

 Tana river about four o'clock in the afternoon. 



There was a beautiful pool just below the camp, 

 in which several hippopotami were disporting them- 

 selves. A little water wagtail preened himself on a 

 branch after his evening bath, and half-a-dozen geese, 

 showing but little fear, had placed themselves in a 

 picturesque group at the water's edge. It was a 

 peaceful scene, and I wondered as I looked why man's 

 most deeply rooted instincts should prompt him to 

 bring murder and sudden death into a picture from 

 which he derived so much enjoyment. 



I shot a goose, which we had for dinner the next 

 day, but it was anything but appetising. 



We went after the hippos the following morning. 

 Two are allowed on each licence. There is very little 

 sport in killing them. One shot at the back of the 

 head, or sideways, close to the ear, finishes them off 

 at once. Burton killed one which went rolling over 

 in the rapid current, its little legs waving in a 



