-* The Hippopotamus 



stream unless there be sand-banks, not too far below the 

 spot where you see them, or else shallow rapids, upon 

 which the bodies carried down sideways may be stranded ; 

 otherwise the animals would be carried right away and 

 lost to the hunter. Therefore I raised my rifle and began 

 to fire, remaining well hidden all the time. When my 

 men arrived about half an hour later I had killed about 



HIPPOPOTAMUSES AT HOME 



fifteen crocodiles, and could have killed at least ten more 

 had I been better provided with ammunition. 



The speed to which "kiboko" is able to attain on 

 land is as surprising as that of the rhinoceros and the 

 elephant, and seems incongruous with its unwieldy shape. 

 Twice only have I seen hippopotamuses take to flight on 

 land. Each time I was astonished by their activity. 

 Once also I was very hard pressed by a hippopotamus 

 in these circumstances, and only just escaped with my 

 life. I had encountered the animal on land towards 

 evening. Contrary to my expectation, after receiving a 



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