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CHAPTER X. 



HIPPOPOTAMI. 



As elephants had been heard to pass towards the 

 ford in early morning, it was resolved to search for 

 them in the woods across the river. The sun was 

 just rising- as we reached the drift, down which was 

 passing a grand old hippo. The water was suffi- 

 ciently shoal to show quite two feet of his back, so 

 we opened fire upon him at once. I never saw an 

 animal apparently in such a funk ; but, in spite of 

 his plunging, and the good speed he made through 

 the shallow water, bullet after bullet hit him. At 

 last he turned over, rolled like a log before the 

 stream into deep water, and then disappeared. 

 It is seldom that the sportsman gets such a chance 

 at these animals, for they are exceedingly cunning, 

 especially where they have been shot at, always rising 

 to breathe, if possible, among the reeds ; and when 

 such cover is not available, then exhibiting above 

 the surface of the water no more than the extremity 

 of their nostrils and their two prominent, frog-like 

 eyes. A hippopotamus always sinks when killed, 

 but after the lapse of a few hours the carcass floats. 

 If the stomach of the beast is only partially filled 

 with food, this may occur in three or four hours ; if, 



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