Chap. XVI. HEKD OF HIPPOPOTAMI. 323 



Bume, which conies from the south, we passed the island of 

 Nakansalo, and went down the rapids of the same name on 

 the 17th, and came on the morning of the 19th to the more 

 serious ones of Nakabele, at the entrance to Kariba. The 

 Makololo guided the canoes admirably through the open- 

 ing in the dyke. When we entered the gorge we came on 

 upwards of thirty hippopotami : a bank near the entrance 

 stretches two-thirds across the narrowed river, and in the 

 still place behind it they were swimming about. Several 

 were in the channel, and our canoe-men were afraid to 

 venture down among them, because, as they affirm, there is 

 commonly an illnatured one in a herd, which takes a malig- 

 nant pleasure in upsetting canoes. Two or three boys on 

 the rocks opposite amused themselves by throwing stones 

 at the frightened animals, and hit several on the head. It 

 Avould have been no difficult matter to have shot the whole 

 herd. We fired a few shots to drive them off; the balls 

 often glance off the skull, and no more harm is done than 

 when a schoolboy gets a bloody nose ; we killed one, which 

 floated away down the rapid current, followed by a number 

 of men on the bank. A native called to us from the left 

 bank, and said that a man on his side knew how to pray 

 to the Kariba gods, and advised us to hire him to pray for 

 our safety, while we were going down the rapids, or we should 

 certainly all be drowned. No one ever risked his life in 

 Kariba without first paying the river-doctor, or priest, for his 

 prayers. Our men asked if there was a cataract in front, 

 but he declined giving any information ; they were not on 

 his side of the river ; if they would come over, then he might 

 be able to tell them. We crossed, but he went off to the 

 village. We then landed and walked over the hills to have a 

 look at Kariba before trusting our canoes in it. The current 

 was strong, and there was broken water in some places, but 



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