WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



Ugly, fearful jaws, but broke down before it could ad- 

 vance farther. 



These beasts, while naturally timid, are also exceed- 

 ingly curious. Captain Merker told me that the ratives 

 living around the inland lakes allure the animals by the 

 cry, "Makau! makau!" 



I had often heard that the hippopotami are very 

 dangerous to canoes and boats, and was consequently 

 very nervous when I sailed some of the African rivers 

 and lakes in my fragile folding-boat. I shall never for- 

 get my sensation when, in navigating a stream, I sud- 

 denly saw the heads of two river-hogs emerge from 

 the water only a few feet away from me. However, 

 they did not demonstrate their "overthrowing" ten- 

 dencies against me. The only time my little boat w^as 

 attacked and upset the aggressors were crocodiles. 



I met with a great many river-hogs in the Rufu River, 

 which is navigable only for very small boats. I was one 

 of the first Europeans to hunt in the woods bordering 

 on this river. 



The animals love to rest and sleep on islands in the 

 rivers and lakes, and they frequent the same sleeping- 

 places for years. They are very skilful in climbing even 

 steep banks, and use the same paths to and from their 

 watery domiciles. The natives — for instance, near the 

 rivers emptying into the Victoria-Nyanza — who are 

 very fond of the flesh and fat of the hippopotami, dig 

 pits and arrange for their capture on and above the 



i6o 



