VI HIPPO SHOOTING 55 



the river in the boat, to see where it had floated. When 

 we reached the pool, we found a big carcase towed 

 ashore, which my men said was floating by a sunken 

 tree when they arrived. H. said hippo seldom rose 

 under a couple of days, and that probably my wounded 

 one had stirred up the dead bodies of those they had 

 shot two days ago. With much exertion the body was 

 got partly out of the water, and the men set to work to 

 get the head-skin off. Meanwhile those in the boat had 

 seen nothing of the first carcase which had floated down- 

 stream, so after prodding about in the pool, to see if any 

 more dead ones were about, I set off in the boat and 

 soon found the body, caught by a bough which projected 

 into the water. We towed it ashore and got it partly up 

 the bank. After a hurried dinner, I went off to the 

 zariba, but saw no game all night. Ne.xt morning, 

 without returning to camp for breakfast, we started up- 

 stream for some way, seeing nothing but a small pig. 

 The buffalo appeared to have crossed the river to the 

 other side. W'hile we were lying in the shade, two men 

 whom I had sent on ahead, returned to say they had 

 seen some vvaterbuck. W'e soon sighted the herd, but 

 it was some time before we could fintl the buck. 

 Suddenly we came upon him, and with a hurried shot 

 wounded him. Then began a stift chase, for the river 

 here flows close to the hills, ami there were endless 

 rough spurs to climb. Once more I wounded the 

 animal at long range, as it stood under the shade of a 

 tree, and eventually came up and finished it off. It had 

 a fine head, and a splendid coat of long coarse hair. By 

 the time we had tramped the 8 miles back to camp, 



