28o A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



shallow water. When the barbed harpoon is plunged 

 through the thick hide of the animal, it becomes detached 

 from the shaft, and the poison soon begins to work. 

 They seldom use more than one harpoon to an animal, 

 unless it has been badly placed and has only penetrated 

 slightly. If the harpoon has been properly thrown, they 

 follow it up by trying to plunge the heavy spears into 

 the animal behind the shoulder, before it can take to 



Hippo-Hunters on Lake Tana. 



the water, which it always attempts to do the moment 

 it is wounded. Then a sharp look-out is kept till the 

 body floats, a process which takes from four hours to 

 three days, according to the position of the wound. The 

 only part of the animal they value is the skin, every 

 part of which is used for making whips, plaited bridles, 

 mule-hobbles, etc. They value the tusks so slightly, 

 that they sold a fine set from an animal they had 

 recently killed, for a dollar, to one of my men. They 

 were very reluctant to have their portraits taken, and 



