JUJA FARM; HIPPO AND LEOPARD 113 
would see an impalla or a waterbuck making its way from 
the plain back to the river-bottom, to spend the day in the 
shade. One of these I stalked, and after a good deal of 
long-range shooting broke a hind leg high up. It got out 
of sight and we rode along the edge of the steep descent 
which led down into the river-bottom proper. In the bot¬ 
tom there were large, open, grassy places, while the trees 
made a thick fringe along the river course. We had given 
up the impalla and turned out toward the plain, when one 
of my gun-bearers whistled to us and said he had seen the 
wounded animal cross the bottom and go into the fringe 
of trees bounding a deep pool in which we knew there were 
both hippos and crocodiles. We were off our horses at 
once, and, leaving them at the top, scrambled down the 
descent and crossed the bottom to the spot indicated. The 
impalla had lain down as soon as it reached cover, and as 
we entered the fringe of wood I caught a glimpse of it 
getting up and making off. Yet fifty yards farther it 
stopped again, standing right on the brink of the pool, so 
close that when I shot it, it fell over into the water. 
When, after arranging for this impalla to be carried 
back to the farm, we returned to where our horses had 
been left, the boys told us with much excitement that there 
was a large snake near by; and sure enough a few yards 
off, coiled up in the long grass under a small tree, was a 
python. I could not see it distinctly, and using a solid bul¬ 
let I just missed the backbone, the bullet going through 
the body about its middle. Immediately the snake lashed 
at me with open jaws, and then, uncoiling, came gliding 
rapidly in our direction. I do not think it was charging; 
I think it was merely trying to escape. But Judd, who 
