HERD OF HIPPOPOTAMI. 451 



daybreak the next morning, when, finding heavy 

 rain falling, and feeling somewhat out of sorts, 

 I had made up my mind to take a day's rest, 

 when M'pogola came in with the intelligence that 

 some canoe-men had just seen a large herd of 

 river-horse a short distance up the river. 



I immediately drew on my boots, and, protected 

 from the weather by a light macintosh and a 

 " sou'-wester," sallied forth with my guns, &c. 

 Borrowing a canoe from the king, which was 

 paddled by my own Kroomen, and accompanied 

 by three other craft filled with villagers, we 

 pulled up stream for about half an hour, when I 

 heard a loud snorting, which apparently came from 

 the bush, and passing the entrance of a small bayou, 

 I saw a large herd of hippopotami gambolling 

 about in the shallows. 



I immediately pulled back, and telling the 

 people in the other canoes to keep quiet and 

 remain where they were, I crossed the river with- 

 out being seen, and paddled as noiselessly as pos- 

 sible up stream, so as to get well to leeward of 

 them, for a strong sea-breeze was blowing, and I 

 2g2 



