140 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



deep water. The blood of my victims discoloured 

 the water all round, and we could not see whether 

 those which escaped were not swimming for us. 



" Presently the boat received a violent jar, and look- 

 ing overboard, we perceived that we were in the midst of 

 the herd. They did not, however, attack us, but were 

 rather, I imagine, anxious to get away. We, too, pulled 

 out of the way as fast as we could, as I was not anxious 

 to be capsized. Of the dead animals we recovered but 

 one, which was found two days after on a little island 

 on the river's mouth. I think it likely that the negroes 

 secretly ate up the others as they washed ashore, fear- 

 ing to tell me lest I should claim the prizes. 



" I afterwards determined to go on a night hunt after 

 hippopotami. We lay down under shelter of a bush 

 and watched. As yet none of the animals had come 

 out of the water. We could hear them snorting and 

 plashing in the distance, the subdued snort-like roars 

 breaking in upon the still night in a very odd way. 

 The moon was nearly down, 'and the watch was getting 

 tedious, when I was startled by a sudden groan, and 

 peering into the half-light, saw dimly a huge animal 

 looking doubly monstrous in the uncertain light. It 

 was quietly eating grass, which it seemed to nibble off 

 quite close. 



" Igala and I both took aim; he fired, and without 

 waiting to see the result ran away as swiftly as a good 

 pair of legs could carry him. I was not quite ready, 



