THE HIPPO POOL 



the whole length of the river — hundreds of miles. 

 Furthermore, every little tributary stream, no mat- 

 ter how small, provided it can muster a pool or so 

 deep enough to submerge so large an animal, has 

 its faithful band. I have known of a hippo quite 

 happily occupying a ditch pool ten feet wide and 

 fifteen feet long. There was literally not room 

 enough for the beast to turn around; he had to go 

 in at one end and out at the other! Each lake, too, 

 is alive with them: and both lakes and rivers are 

 many. 



Nobody disturbs hippos, save for trophies and an 

 occasional supply of meat for the men, or of cooking 

 fat for the kitchen. Therefore they w^ax fat and 

 sassy, and will long continue to flourish in the land. 



It takes time to kill a hippo, provided one is 

 wanted. The mark is small, and generally it is im- 

 possible to tell whether or not the bullet has reached 

 the brain. Harmed or whole the beast sinks any- 

 way. Some hours later the distention of the stom- 

 ach will float the body. Therefore the only decent 

 way to do is to take the shot, and then wait a half 

 day to see whether or not you have missed. There 

 are always plenty of volunteers in camp to watch 

 the pool, for the boys are extravagantly fond of 

 hippo meat. Then it is necessary to manoeuvre a 

 rope on the carcass, often a matter of great difficulty, 



32$ 



