USEFUL BOOKS FOR TRAVELLERS. 203 



Messrs. Lord and Baines in their valuable book entitled , 

 ' Shifts and Expedients of Camp-life,' and it is used, ac- y 

 cording to them, by the Hottentots. 



This book, though rather bulky for a traveller with 

 light baggage, is so full of practical hints that it well 

 repays a careful study ; whilst Galton's ' Art of Travel ' (L- * 

 is more valuable as a pocket companion, in containing 

 much useful information in a condensed form. A peti- 

 tion from the Arabs for a hippo, as they are in want of 

 fat, induced me to pay a visit to a pool, where, at the 

 expense of two cartridges from the express, I was able 

 to carry out their wishes. 



The worst of killing a hippo is that the day is over 

 so far as having your hunter is concerned, for he at once 

 returns to the camp to announce the joyful news and 

 bring the men back to the pool, where, by the time they 

 arrive, the body is found floating, and then he must pre- 

 side over the cutting-up performance. On this occasion 

 I remained at the pool to note the time of floating, and 

 it occurred in just under an hour and a half. To my 

 surprise, the Arabs hesitated to swim out to the hippo as 

 it floated in the middle of the big pool, from fear of croco- 

 diles ; but after a great deal of shouting and splashing 

 with stones four of the boldest entered the river, whilst 

 the others kept up the shouting and stone-throwing, and 

 having fastened one end of a rope round a leg, they re- 

 turned safely to shore with the other, and then all joined 



