i8 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
retreat to the welcome river, where it could wash, 
and prepare for a renewal of the conflict. Upon 
one occasion I saw a hippopotamus, which, when 
harpooned, had emerged from the river to attack 
the hunters, return over and over again to the 
charge, until it had smashed and broken so many 
spears that I was forced to terminate the fight by 
a bullet in its brain. 
The natives of Central Africa do not advance 
to the attack by swimming like the Hamran Arabs, 
but they harpoon the hippopotamus from canoes; 
and they are frequently upset by the infuriated 
animal before they have time to escape by paddling. 
Swimming would be a safer method of harpooning, 
as the hunter can save himself by diving, unseen by 
the hippopotamus, which invariably looks upwards 
when in the water, as it instinctively directs its 
vision towards the light; but in the White Nile 
and in the lakes there are crocodiles in such great 
numbers that few people would presume upon the 
risk. 
Although the hippopotamus affords excellent 
sport when hunted in this fashion, the ordinary 
method of shooting these animals in the water 
exhibits the poorest form of amusement. It is 
impossible to determine whether it is killed or 
otherwise, until the body appears upon the surface. 
The bullet may be heard to strike, and the huge 
head will instantly disappear, but the most ex¬ 
perienced person may be deceived in accepting 
the shot as fatal, and a sudden snort a few minutes 
