ELMENTEITA IN FEBRUARY 
139 
After the shot, stillness reigned as before. There 
7 w 
was no sign of a charge, no crash of a falling or a flying 
foe—only silence, presently broken by my brother 
asking from behind, “ What’s happened ? ” A few yards 
ahead, we found thick bush, impenetrable ; so, leaving 
a handkerchief to mark the exact spot, we resumed 
our course, intending to return by daylight. Little 
recked we that long before that day should break we 
were destined to hear that terrible snort once more— 
but eras fuge queer ere. 
The hippos, we ascertained, had recently been 
disturbed at this point, which explained their shyness in 
approaching the waters of Karriendoos. We therefore 
changed our tactics and decided to attack them by night, 
when they come ashore to feed far and wide on the 
grassy veld. The moon being just past the full, 
favoured this enterprise, and we gave orders for a start 
at 2.30 a.m. next morning. It was, however, but a 
little after midnight that we were aroused by the night- 
watchmen, who excitedly stated that there was already 
a hippo within sight of the camp. This, on turning out 
in pyjamas, we at once verified for ourselves. There, 
not 300 yards away on the open prairie, the great 
pachyderm was plainly visible in the bright moon- 
rays. Pulling on coats and camp-shoes, we were 
ready for action and away within thirty seconds. The 
intruder deigned no sign of notice, and soon we had 
slipped in to what looked well within fifty yards, at 
which point I whispered “ That’s near enough; let’s 
stop to fire,” and had already dropped down in order to 
rest the *450 on my knee, when our huge opponent at 
last detected us. Again that terrible hissing snort, and 
in a moment he had turned upon us. I could not rise, 
so fired both my barrels, my brother (who remained on 
foot) only one, realising that we were caught and re¬ 
serving his second for contingencies. On reaching back 
for my second gun, I found that the valiant Mabruki 
had gone—he was already fifty yards away campwarch 
But no second gun was needed. So far as one could 
