38o TRAVELS IN 
are at the loweft, it will rife within the fpace of 
four-and-twenty hours to the extreme of its 
higheft flood. Sometimes, too, its inundations 
continue for fix weeks or two months together. 
Now this I had to apprehend ; and if the ac- 
cident had happened, it would have rendered 
my return to the camp at the deferted houfe of 
Schoenmaker, where I had left my waggons, 
' by no means eafy. 
I deemed it prudent, therefore, to return to 
the river without delay. In truth, difl:ant from 
it as we were, we were obliged to haften our 
march, which, after the extreme fatigue of a 
day fpent in the chace and without food, was 
a fevere toil. However, we reached it before 
night ; and the next day we fwam over again 
to the ifland. 
On our landing we repaired diredly to the 
hippopotamus, with an intention to procure 
from it a farther fupply of food. On its car- 
cafe was a fuperb vulture, eagerly employed in 
devouring it. As I had never beheld one fo 
large, my joy may eafily be conceived. But 
this joy was detrimental to the accuracy of my 
aim ; for, in my eagernefs,. I fhot too much on 
one fide, and wounded it but flightly. 
7 Though 
