Chap. III. FISHING-CANOES. 73 



winch readily floats on the surface. They show great dexterity 

 in harpooning the hippopotamus ; and, the barbed blade of the 

 spear being attached to a rope made of the young leaves of the 

 palmyra, the animal cannot rid himself of the canoe, attached to 

 him in whale fashion, except by smashing it, which he not un- 

 frequently does by his teeth or by a stroke of his hind foot. 



On returning to the Bakurutse, we found that their canoes for 

 fishing were simply large bundles of reeds tied together. Such a 

 canoe would be a ready extemporaneous pontoon for crossing any 

 river that had reedy banks. 



