65 
tlie Caffres had a long chase after, but -ultimately secured ; 
they are in great spirits at the idea of hippopotamus meat 
to-morrow, as it is very fat and rich, and their favourite 
food. I begin to find the three or four hours' march in 
the morning, and another turn for about the same time in 
the afternoon after game, is quite as much as one can do 
every day, especially as we have no stimulants, and a diet 
that we are not used to. A schoolboy couldn 't revel in a 
pastry cook's more than we should if we could get a chance. 
We put another head in a tree to-day and smeared it well 
with wood ashes to help dry it, and also make it less 
tempting to the vultures. 
July 24:th. After despatching a couple of men to hunt 
up the kraals and see if they could buy us any eatables, 
we started off to the sea-cow pool, E. going with us 
on the donkey. Sara and Klangilan were the only two 
left in the camp, all the others turning out for the day's 
sport. We reached the pool after an hour's walk, and 
took up our position on some rocks to watch for the 
hippo's. After waiting some time the Caffres reported 
them a little lower down, so off we ran, and there sure 
enough, in a deep but small pool, we saw them repeatedly 
coming up to the surface with a snort and a blow, throwing 
up the water in two small jets through their nostrils; they 
are extremely curious, and like to see anything that excites 
them, besides trying to detect the presence of an enemy 
by sniffing the wind. I sat down with my rifle, and with 
my first shot I hit one. I had several more shots, some- 
times hitting and sometimes missing, but found it very 
difficult shooting, as they only give one such a short time, 
perhaps two or three seconds, to take aim, coming up first 
on one side and then the other, and unless the bullet 
enters the brain the shot is not fatal — just above the eye, 
or under the ear, is the best place to aim at. They kept 
moving up and down the river from one pool to another, 
E 
