To Naivasha after Duck and Snipe 



were smoking and discussing the scenery and 

 things in general, as well as the species of duck 

 that swam on the surface of the water and wheeled 

 round, when, with a snort and a grunt, out of a 

 big reed -bed rushed a hippopotamus. It was 

 interesting to me as it was the first I had seen in 

 East Africa, and he was quite near at hand. It 

 was also a most unusual place to find one, as it 

 was so close to the station with its whistling and 

 shunting of trains. 



However, there he was, fairly caught after his 

 night out, half plunging, half swimming out of 

 the reeds till he got into deep water. The sun 

 glistened on his wet back as he bolted in a 

 terrible fright towards his home at the west end, 

 whither we were going. We were so taken by 

 surprise that we both stared for a moment, and 

 then my friend seized a rifle and fired twice. I 

 did the same in a twinkling. We both missed him, 

 the bullets cutting the water up beyond him. 



Another long shot or two, but he got off, and 

 well he deserved it. I was very much struck by 

 the rapidity with which he got through the water, 

 his huge bulk making the spray fly on all sides, 

 but the speed with which he moved was mar- 

 vellous. 



The sport was desultory, as all the duck were 

 resting and feeding in yesterday's reeds round 

 the edge ; but now and again we " struck ile " in 

 the marshy parts of the islands. However, the 



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