WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



less by any real danger than by their own fear. I myself 

 made it a rule, on my travels, not to allow any of my 

 blacks to fire, not even at night, when on guard duty, 

 before they received orders or permission to do so, ex- 

 cept, of course, in an emergency. But then I travelled 

 only as a collector and observer, not as a hunter, and I 

 made it a point to study the character and the habits 

 of the beasts of the wilderness, and was willing to be 

 guided by my knowledge and not by fear or the desire 

 to kill all within sight. 



I have never been really molested by the river-hog, 

 even while encamped on the very banks of rivers, 

 swamps, or lakes, although many a curious animal paid 

 the camp a visit at night. Once only one of my Askaris 

 found it necessary to scare away an animal by firing, 

 as it touched the canvas of my tent. 



One day I killed a bull hippopotamus. My Wando- 

 robbo men rushed without hesitation into the small 

 pool, although there were tw^o "makaita" left in it, and 

 secured the dead animal. They almost touched the 

 two living ones who came at intervals to the surface 

 to breathe. 



Remarkable, also, is the peaceful association of the 

 river- hog and the crocodile. Even the young hippopot- 

 ami do not run much risk of being swallowed by the 

 big water- lizards, because their mothers protect them 

 most assiduously against all enemies, including the male 

 river-hog, who, when in a rage, will try to kill the in- 



156 



