Chap. LXXVIII. HIPPOPOTAMI. — VIEW OF BARNO. 227 
there being an entire lack of milk. The communica- 
tion with the opposite shore was rendered rather diffi- 
cult by the great breadth of the open river, which, 
moreover, became repeatedly agitated by a thunder- 
storm, and was infested by several hippopotami, which 
at times were furiously snorting about in the river, as 
if in anger at our having disturbed their quiet retreat. 
The day of our arrival they had thrown the whole of 
our horses into disorder, and put them to flight while 
they were pasturing near the shore. They even at times 
interrupted the intercourse between the two banks, 
and altogether exhibited a very noisy character, 
especially during the evening and in the course of 
the night, when they wanted to come out for their 
usual food. Two white " ar," a rather rare species 
of antelope in these quarters, were seen by some of 
my companions on the rocky heights above. 
At times I was roaming about in the recesses of 
the rocky slope, which offered very charming views, 
one of which is represented in the plate opposite, or I 
had some conversation with people who were passing 
by. Among the latter were especially a troop of She- 
rifen, a section of the Kel e' Suk, but very different 
from the general character of that tribe, whose dis- 
tinguishing features are humility and harmlessness. 
All of them came in full armour, and many were 
well dressed, and their general bearing bore tes- 
timony to an independent mind. It was curious, how- 
ever, that the chief of these people mistook me for 
El Bakay, and therefore paid his compliments to me 
Q 2 
