346 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



about their business, and determined to continue along the 

 route we had followed on our up journey in the hopes of 

 striking spoor farther on. I noticed a good many of the 

 smaller species of pauw, similar to the common pauw of South 

 Africa, during this day's march — a bird I have seldom met 

 with in Equatorial Africa. 



The next morning we regained our former track in about 

 half an hour, and after following it for about two more I saw 

 a school of hippos in shallowish water near the shore of the 

 lake. As my men were keen for meat, that of the hippo- 

 potamus being highly esteemed of Swahilis, and my cook 

 importunate for lard, I determined to try and shoot one. The 

 wind, blowing off the lake, favoured me, and I was able to 

 creep up under cover of some rushes growing on the bank. 

 In the confusion that followed my first shot I could not tell 

 whether I had killed or no, and so fired at and wounded a 

 second. I was sorry afterwards that I had done so, for when 

 the rest had made good their escape, the first was seen lying 

 dead. I was compelled, then, to finish off the other, both on 

 account of its being wounded and because it stood close to 

 the dead one, so that the men dare not go to the latter. They 

 proved to be bull and cow, but unfortunately neither fat. In 

 order that the men might have the full benefit of the meat, I 

 camped close by ; and they enjoyed themselves to their hearts' 

 content, rolling the carcases over and over up the gently 

 shelving shore to the water's edge, and there cutting them up. 

 When they had taken all they wanted, the onslaught of the 

 flocks of vultures, of two or three species, that had collected, 

 mingled with a good few marabouts, was a sight to see ; 

 nothing could be seen but a confused mass of dingy feathers 

 and flapping wings heaped up over the spot, with here and 

 there a grotesque marabout, tall and solemn, standing pompously 

 by with inflamed and distended throat. 



As soon as I decided to camp, I had sent Juma on to 

 reconnoitre- ahead, for we had seen some yesterday's spoor 



