258 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



nose and eye, for more is rarely seen. With luck 

 the first hippo may be accommodating and remain 

 up long enough for a steady shot, but after the first 

 they become very wary, and our plan then is, after 

 seeing the spot where one has risen to breathe, to 

 keep the rifle directed to it ; and when the hippo 

 rises again, as he frequently does in the same place after 

 two or three minutes, or more if the pool has been 

 disturbed, to take a snap-shot at him, and if he is hit 

 his desperate struggles under water generally set the 

 whole pool in commotion ; but sometimes death is so in- 

 stantaneous, judging by the quickness with which they 

 float, that there is no immediate evidence of their being 

 mortally wounded. 



Curiously enough, after a long morning's tracking, 

 and at last, guided by the little bird already referred to, 

 Essafi and myself for the first time found three rhinos 

 together. Two were asleep close to us, and another was 

 feeding at a little distance off. I again tried the effect 

 of a double discharge from the twelve-bore rifle behind 

 the left shoulder of one, but without any effect ; and as 

 it bolted with its companion it was so hidden that I 

 could not give it a ' Henry ' bullet. No. 3 stood quietly 

 looking at me, so I fired at it with this rifle, and in- 

 stantly on it came towards me. 



Coke's experience of yesterday was much too recent 

 for me not to be affected by it, and I found myself 



