THE FIRST NIGHT-WATCH. 77 



bably our protectors think it is safer to risk this than to 

 walk into the jaws of a crocodile in still water. Our 

 search was so far successful that we saw five hippos ; 

 but as they only put up their noses now and again for 

 a moment to breathe, it was impossible to get a good 

 shot at them. A crocodile was more accommodating, 

 for, swimming along the surface of the water, he exposed 

 himself sufficiently to allow a bullet to penetrate his 

 thick hide, and then, after two violent convulsions, in 

 which he threw himself half out of the water, he sank. 

 The men say he must be dead, and that his carcass 

 will float to-morrow. The programme for to-night is to 

 wait ' at home ' quietly, as our camp lies between two 

 main elephant-paths to the river, and if they are heard 

 trumpeting on either side of us, we are then to sally 

 forth. Coke, however, prefers to take advantage of the 

 full moon, and watch by the river. 



Jan. 23, Coke returned at midnight, having had no 

 success beyond hearing an elephant, and seeing a hippo 

 at the river-side that he thought was an elephant in the 

 darkness until, after waiting in ambush for a few 

 moments expecting it to approach him on its return, he 

 saw it disappear into the river. 



By drawing lots, our hunters have been disposed of 

 thus : Said to Coke, Ibrahim to Cumming, Mohamed to 

 Vivian, and Essafi to myself; and to-day, each of us 

 having gone off at sunrise in a different direction with 



