142 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



ming, whilst the other half remained on my side 

 When the swimmers reached the other shore they 

 separated into two bands, one of which went up the 

 river, at a short distance from it, and the other 

 descended. The same was done on my side. The 

 four bands thus embraced three-fourths of the river 

 space ; I alone remained in my place in the c.entre of 

 the hunters., At a given signal all had orders to leave 

 their posts slowly and to come towards me, some 

 shouting as loud as they could, others firing their guns 

 at intervals, in order to drive up any hippopotami 

 that might be found in that space of the river to 

 within range of my gun. They encountered eight, and 

 all the bands of hunters being reunited in one common 

 centre, nothing further was wanted but patience and 

 dexterity. 



" In a short time we wounded several of them. Two 

 were already dead, and the people of the horde were 

 transported with joy. But some amongst them having 

 swum out in order to bring to land the two dead 

 beasts, one of the swimmers received from a wounded 

 hippopotamus a blow with his snout, and another had 

 his thigh ripped open by his tusk. This double acci- 

 dent made me fearful of something worse happening. 

 I recalled my people, and, to the great regret of the 

 Namaquois, I terminated a hunt which all said ought 

 to have been more successful, but which could not be 

 continued without very great peril." 



