CHAPTER XVII. 



HIPPOPOTAMUS SHOOTING. 



Lake Kazinga, whose existence, I believe, until 

 recently was unknown, is situated very near the 

 south-western boundary of Uganda, and not very 

 far from that point where the respective confines of 

 German East Africa, of the Congo, and of Uganda 

 meet at Mount Sabyino, ii,88i feet above sea 

 level. On a former "safari" through that region 

 I spent a couple ot hours wandering along the 

 northern shore in search of hippopotamus, and was 

 surprised at its considerable extent. I then gleaned 

 two facts for future reference : firstly, that the natives 

 living beside the lake were very wild and hostile ; 

 secondly, that the southern shore offered the best 

 facilities for hippopotamus. Making use of this 

 knowledge on the present occasion, I halted my 

 "safari " half-way up the southern side, and ordered 

 my headman to pitch my tent opposite to a small 

 island. I knew that I should not have any oppor- 

 tunity of sport till late in the afternoon or towards 

 sunset, as the hippopotamus rest during the day 

 and feed at night, so I proceeded to make my 

 preparations with due deliberation. About 4 o'clock 

 I started off, with a strong pair of Zeiss field-glasses 



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