xii A NIGHT AFTER HIPPO 139 



outspreading branch, and commenced our vigil. 

 Soon the jungle around us began to be alive 

 with its peculiar sounds a night bird would call, 

 a crocodile shut his jaws with a snap, or a rhino 

 or hippo crash through the bushes on its way to 

 the water : now and again we could even hear 

 the distant roar of the lion. Still there was nothing 

 to be seen. 



After waiting for some considerable time, a 

 great hippo at last made his appearance and 

 came splashing along in our direction, but unfor- 

 tunately took up his position behind a tree which, 

 in the most tantalising way, completely hid him 

 from view. Here he stood tooting and snorting 

 and splashing about to his heart's content. For 

 what seemed hours I watched for this ungainly 

 creature to emerge from his covert, but as he 

 seemed determined not to show himself I lost 

 patience and made up my mind to go down after 

 him. I therefore handed my rifle to Mahina to 

 lower to me on reaching the ground, and began 

 to descend carefully, holding on by the creepers 

 which encircled the tree. To my intense vexation 

 and disappointment, just as I was in this helpless 

 condition, half-way to the ground, the great 

 hippo suddenly came out from his shelter and 

 calmly lumbered along right underneath me. I 

 bitterly lamented my ill-luck and want of patience, 



