68 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



Victoria Falls adopt a still more cruel method of destruction, and 

 when a herd is found to frequent some narrow pool, they will 

 surround it on all sides with a strong fence, and sit quietly by 

 while the unfortunate quadrupeds slowly perish by starvation. 



After inhaling a sufficient quantity of breath, these amphibiae are 

 capable of remaining under water for fully five or six minutes, or 

 perhaps slightly longer, and although exceedingly helpless on land they 

 swim with sufficient rapidity to overtake a rapidly paddled canoe, 

 which would about equal in pace a quick walk. When the vege- 

 tation in the neighbourhood of some frequented pool has been 

 consumed, a herd will migrate to more favourable situations, and 

 in their wanderings may occasionally be found perhaps a couple of 

 days' journey from water. It is needless to state that when thus 

 overtaken, they may be killed without any danger. Taking it all 

 round, however. Hippopotamus shooting is but tame sport, and 

 should only be indulged in when a supply of meat is found to be 

 absolutely necessary. In the first place, it is impossible to tell at once 

 whether a shot has taken deadly effect or not, and when killed 

 outright in the water the body immediately sinks to the bottom; 

 when the weather is cold, unless excessively fat, it will not 

 again rise to the surface for perhaps nine or ten hours ; when, 

 however, the weather is warm, and the carcass fat, it will usually 

 float in about five hours. On the other hand, although the ivory 

 of the teeth is excellent in quality, and the hide furnishes by far the 

 best sjamboks^ both are comparatively of such little value that it 

 appears to any reasonable person a disgraceful act to slaughter so 

 huge, and, generally, so harmless an animal for such paltry booty. 

 However, as nothing that can be said here will conduce much to 

 their preservation, those who have an opportunity, and are anxious 

 to avail themselves of it, had far better choose some night when the 

 moon is full, and lie in waiting in a frequented path, than run the 

 chance of wounding several in the water, and, perhaps, obtaining 



none. 



The meat on the ribs of a cow Hippopotamus when fat, is ex- 

 tremely good, but rather rich for a dyspeptic stomach. It can be 

 improved by salting it slightly in strips, and leaving it to hang in 

 the shade for about a day and night. The flesh of the head, if 

 cooked in the following manner, will be found simply delicious : — 

 A hole of sufficient dimensions should be dug in the sand, and in 

 this a strong wood fire built ; the ashes after the fire has burnt low 



