460 NUMEROUS HIPPOPOTAMI. 



lake in the immediate neighbourhood. I found it 

 to be an irregular and very circumscribed depression 

 among some low flat-topped hills, and communi- 

 cating by a deeply cut but narrow channel, with 

 the river. This was now however, quite dry, and 

 the waters of the lake appeared to be much lower 

 than the level of the Hawash. Lofty trees, many 

 of them quite new to me, grew close down to the 

 water's edge. Beneath them were some white 

 pelicans, with their heads and long beaks resting 

 upon their craws, that seemed to be idly ruminating 

 upon their last meal of fish. 



The smooth surface of the lake at intervals, was 

 frequently disturbed by the cautiously protruded 

 face and nostrils of a bulky hippopotamus, which, 

 snorting with a deeply-drawn breath, would 

 prepare for his gambolling plunge again to the 

 bottom. I fired several times, but without success, 

 although my companions were satisfied them- 

 selves that some were killed, because the noise of 

 the report, and perhaps the soft harmless tap of a 

 leaden bullet, induced the animals to remove them- 

 selves farther off, or to keep altogether out of sight 

 below the surface, as on occasions of emergency 

 they can remain for a long period at the bottom 

 without a fresh supply of air. I looked out for 

 crocodiles, many of which, other travellers reported 

 were to be seen in this lake. I do not question the 

 correctness of these observations because I did not 

 happen to see one myself. Many of my companions 



