STANLEY POOL. 135 
when you are not. Moreover, do not forget that in Africa 
a cosy cup of tea or coffee and a little light refreshment 
often comes in most opportunely and soothingly in moments 
of despondency and trouble, and that it “keeps people 
up” somewhat as proverbial cake and wine was supposed 
to do before a funeral. 
As we left our sand-bank camp of the night before, the 
sun shone in but a half-hearted manner and more rain fell, 
but I was expecting momentarily to arrive at the newly 
founded station of Kimpoko, near the north-western end 
of Stanley Pool, where, at least, we should find rest and 
shelter for an hour or two. We saw many bands of 
hippopotami this morning, nine or ten generally going 
together. They approached the boat with a boldness and 
confidence which showed they had been little shot at by 
white men. However, the natives here hunt them assidu- 
ously with the harpoon.. Indeed, in one creek, where 
the hippopotami were indulging in their uncouthest 
- gambols, we ourselves saw a group of men some twenty 
yards from their prey, actively preparing for the chase. 
The tameness of these huge beasts is wonderful ; one could 
almost fancy oneself in the enclosure of some vaster 
Zoological Garden: and when they opened their huge 
mouths, from time to time, displaying their glistening tusks, 
I sought involuntarily for the bun of my childhood to 
deftly throw into the pink chasm that yawned before me. 
Flocks of grey parrots* flew across the sky, alternately 
screeching and whistling melodicusly. I have seen it 
stated erroneously that the grey parrot never whistles in 
a wild state ; on the contrary, it does so very sweetly and 
with a great variety of note. 
The newly-appointed agent at Kimpoko had seen us 
* These birds are found in incredible quantities on Stanley Pool. 
If Cross or Jamrach established themselves here, parrots would soon 
be advertised in England at half-a-crown a-piece. I earnestly hope 
they may not, and that the Expedition, in acquiring such control over 
these territories, will extend to the wild things of nature the same 
protection from rapine as they promise to the indigenous men and 
women, ; 
