142 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA 



within twenty yards of the bank. Having looked about 

 him, he again dived, and continued his course up the 

 river, which could be traced from the wave above. I 

 ran in front of him, and when he came up the third 

 time I was standing opposite to him, ready with my 

 rifle at my shoulder. I sent the bullet into his brain, 

 when he floundered for one moment at the surface, and 

 then sank to the bottom. There he most probably only 

 remained for half an hour ; but in a few minutes night 

 set in, and I had thus the extreme mortification to lose 

 my hippopotamus, the second one which I had shot. 

 We slept beneath a shady tree ; at midnight a few drops 

 of rain fell, and I feared a drenching ; it, however, pass- 

 ed away. In the course of the day we saw several very 

 large crocodiles, three of which I shot. One of these 

 lay upon an island ; I shot him dead on the spot ; he 

 did not gain the water. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



We cross the Limpopo — Rash Encounter -with a Hippopotamus — Re« 

 markable dome-like Rock — Two Serolomootlooques shot — Hollow 

 Trees containing Honey — Gigantic Ant-hills — Hunting acioss the 

 Limpopo — Another Boa Constrictor — A Visit from Seleka — A Sea- 

 cow shot, which sinks — EesuiTection of the Beast — Splendid Hippo- 

 potamus-shooting. 



On the 17th of June, having found a good drift, I 

 tressed the Limpopo with my wagons, and drew them 

 up in a green and shady spot. I then rode a long way 

 down the eastern bank in quest of hippopotami, and 

 late in the evening I found one, which I did not mo- 

 lest, trusting to find him next day. 



