346 
ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA 
CHAP. 
about their business, and determined to continue along the 
route we had followed on our up journey in the hopes of 
striking spoor farther on. I noticed a good many of the 
smaller species of pauw, similar to the common pauw of South 
Africa, during this day’s march—a bird I have seldom met 
with in Equatorial Africa. 
The next morning we regained our former track in about 
half an hour, and after following it for about two more I saw 
a school of hippos in shallowish water near the shore of the 
lake. As my men were keen for meat, that of the hippo¬ 
potamus being highly esteemed of Swahilis, and my cook 
importunate for lard, I determined to try and shoot one. The 
wind, blowing off the lake, favoured me, and I was able to 
creep up under cover of some rushes growing on the bank. 
In the confusion that followed my first shot I could not tell 
whether I had killed or no, and so fired at and wounded a 
second. I was sorry afterwards that I had done so, for when 
the rest had made good their escape, the first was seen lying 
dead. I was compelled, then, to finish off the other, both on 
account of its being wounded and because it stood close to 
the dead one, so that the men dare not go to the latter. They 
proved to be bull and cow, but unfortunately neither fat. In 
order that the men might have the full benefit of the meat, I 
camped close by ; and they enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ 
content, rolling the carcases over and over up the gently 
shelving shore to the water’s edge, and there cutting them up. 
When they had taken all they wanted, the onslaught of the 
flocks of vultures, of two or three species, that had collected, 
mingled with a good few marabouts, was a sight to see; 
nothing could be seen but a confused mass of dingy feathers 
and flapping wings heaped up over the spot, with here and 
there a grotesque marabout, tall and solemn, standing pompously 
by with inflamed and distended throat. 
As soon as I decided to camp, I had sent Juma on to 
reconnoitre ahead, for we had seen some yesterday’s spoor 
