EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 345 



The angle being passed, several dark objects are seen floating list- 

 lessly on the water, looking more like the crest of sunken rocks than 

 living creatures. 



" Ever and anon, one or other of the shapeless masses is sub- 

 merged, but soon again makes its appearance on the surface. On, 

 on, glides the raft w^ith its sable crew, who are now worked up to 

 the highest state of excitement. 



" At last, the raft is in the midst of the herd, who appear quite 

 unconscious of danger. Presently one of the animals is in immediate 

 contact with the raft. Now is the critical moment. The foremost 

 harpooner raises himself to his full height, to give the greater force 

 to the blow, and the next instant the fatal iron descends with un- 

 erring accuracy in the body of the hippopotamus. 



ALL EFFORTS TO ESCAPE ARE UNAVAILING. 



" The wounded animal plunges violently, and dives to the bot- 

 tom; but all his efforts to escape are unavailing. The line or the 

 shaft of the harpoon may break; but the cruel barb once inbedded 

 in the flesh, the weapon (owing to the toughness and thickness of 

 the beast's hide) cannot be withdrawn. 



" As soon as the hippopotamus is struck, one or more of the 

 men launch a canoe from off the raft, and hasten to the shore with 

 the harpoon-line, and take a round turn with it about a tree, or 

 bunch of reeds, so that the animal may either be ' brought up ' at 

 once, or, should there be too great a strain on the line, ' played ' 

 (to liken small things to great) in the same manner as the salmon 

 by the fisherman. But if time should not admit of the line being 

 passed round a tree, or the like, both line and ' buoy ' are thrown 

 into the water, and the animal goes wherever he chooses. 



" The rest of the canoes are now all launched from off the raft, 

 and chase is given to the poor brute, who, so soon as he comes to 

 the surface to breathe, is saluted with a shower of light javelins. 

 Again he descends, his track deeply crimsoned with gore. Pres- 

 ently — and perhaps at some little distance — he once more appears 

 on the surface, when, as before, missiles of all kinds are hurled at 

 his devoted head. 



