MY THREE SEA-COWS. 53 



that no man in his senses would attempt such a thing. 

 I have never seen crocodiles so numerous, and I suspect 

 that the river takes its name from that fact. Umlumazi 

 is from the root luma, to bite. By free translation one 

 might call it the biting river. 



Here and there it formed deep pools of considerable 

 length, and about a hundred yards in width. 



While skirting the bank of one of these pools we 

 came to a sea-cow path. Moyen examined it, and 

 announced that a sea-cow had quite recently entered the 

 pool, as the sand at the spot where he had slid into the 

 water was still wet from the effect of the splash caused 

 by his entering the water. 



We ensconced ourselves on the bank and watched for 

 some time. At last Moyen touched me and pointed. 

 On casting a glance in the direction indicated I saw the 

 head of a sea-bull rise out of the pool. The nostrils, eyes, 

 and ears appeared first, and then he rose until the crown 

 of his head was quite a foot above the surface of the 

 water. He was directly facing us, and was apparently 

 gazing at us. The points of his two huge under tusks 

 were visible, and I longed to own them. Taking him 

 between the eyes, I fired. The bull gave a smart slap 

 as it struck him and he sunk instantly, but whether I 

 had killed him or not I cannot say. I think not, for 

 the next morning I sent a man to examine the pool, 

 but he returned saying that he could not see the body 

 floating in the pool. 



It is one thing to hit a sea-cow, and quite another 

 thing to kill him. Indeed, I consider him to be the 

 toughest animal in creation. He did not show any more, 

 and had probably gone under the other bank, where he 

 could protrude his nostrils and breathe with safety. 



