THE PRIMEVAL FORESTS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 225 



understand, one finds more in every part of the forest at every 

 season than one can master. But one does not see the same things 

 at every spot, and at every season. Here, where spring lasts only 

 a few weeks, and summer and autumn are counted by days, the long 

 reign of winter sets in directly after the rainy season, just as in the 

 steppe, and the full, rich, overflowing life of animals and plants is 

 crowded into a very short time. As soon as the birds have finished 

 brooding they begin to migrate; as soon as the mammals have 

 exhausted the food-supply in one part of the forest they betake 

 themselves to another. Consequently one meets different animals 

 in the same spot at different times, or at least one sees different 

 aspects of animal life. The river, for instance, becomes animated in 

 proportion as the forest becomes depopulated. 



While the river is high, one does not see much of the animals 

 which live in and about the water. All the islands are deeply 

 buried under the water, the banks are likewise flooded, and the 

 birds which usually inhabit them are crowded out for the time. 

 And if a crocodile should raise his head and part of his scaly back 

 above the water, he must be close to the boat if one sees him at all. 

 Strictly speaking, there remain only the hippopotamuses, which are 

 comparatively abundant in some parts, the birds flying about over 

 the water, and perhaps a few diving-birds to prove that any higher 

 vertebrates live in and about the river. But, when the rain has 

 ceased, the river falls, and all the islands, sand-banks, and the river- 

 banks themselves stand out once more. The scene is changed also 

 as far as the animal world is concerned. The hippopotamuses retire 

 to the deepest parts of the river, associating in troops sometimes of 

 considerable strength, and making themselves very conspicuous as 

 they come to the surface to breathe, each breath being inhaled with 

 a snort which can be heard a long way off. During the day they 

 land on islands or sand-banks to rest or stretch themselves in the sun, 

 and they can then be seen from a distance of more than half a mile. 

 The crocodiles eagerly enjoy a pleasure they had to forego while 

 the river was high, that of sunning themselves for hours in the 

 heat of the day. To this end they creep out about mid-day on a 

 flat, sandy island, fall heavily with an audible plump on the sand, 



("70) 15 



