182 LEAVES FROM THE 



other tlian the vivid form which it takes under his 

 hand : — 



We had proceeded about two miles when we came upon some 

 most thoroughly -beaten, old-established hippopotamus paths, and 

 presently, in a broad, long, deep, and shaded pool of the river,* 

 we heard the sea-cows bellowing. There I beheld one of the 

 most wondi'ous and interesting sights that a sportsman can be 

 blest with. I at once knew that there must be an immense herd 

 of them, for the voices came from different parts of the pool ; so 

 creeping in through the bushes to obtain an inspection, a large 

 sandy island appeared at the neck of the pool, on which stood 

 several large shady trees. 



The neck of the pool was very wide and shallow, with rocks and 

 large stones ; below it was deep and still. On a sandy pro- 

 montory of this island stood about thirty cows and calves, whilst 

 in the pool opposite, and a little below them, stood about twenty 

 more sea-cows, with their heads and backs above water. About 

 fifty yards further down the river again, showing out their heads, 

 were eight or ten immense fellows, which I think were all bulls; 

 and about one hundred yards below these, in the middle of the 

 stream, stood another herd of about eight or ten cows with calves, 

 and two huge bulls. The sea-cows lay close together like pigs ; a 

 favourite position was to rest their heads on their comrades' sterns 

 and sides. The herds were attended by an immense number of 

 the invariable rhinoceros birds, which, on observing me, did their 

 best to spread alarm through the hippopotami. I was resolved to 

 select, if possible, a first-rate old bull out of this vast herd, and I 

 accordingly delayed firing for nearly two hours, continually running 

 up and down behind the thick thorny cover, and attentively 

 stud3'ing the heads. At length I determined to go close in, and 

 select the best head out of the eight or ten bulls which lay below 

 the cows. I accordingly left the cover, and walked slowly forward 

 in full view of the whole herd to the water's edge, where I lay 

 down on my belly and studied the heads of these bulls. The cows, 

 on seeing me, splashed into the water, and kept a continual 

 snorting and blowing till night set in. — P. 194. 



XJjDon another occasion (p. 218), Mr. Gumming fell in 

 with a herd of about thirty hippopotami ; they lay upon 

 some rocks in the middle of a very long and broad pool : 

 and, again, with at least thirty lying upon the rocks in 



I 



* The Limpopo. 



