ch. ix] ADVENTURE WITH HIPPOS 219 
shallow, muddy water boiled as the huge beasts, above 
and below the surface, scattered in every direction. 
Their eyes starting, the two rowers began to back water 
out of the dangerous neighbourhood, while I shot at an 
animal whose head appeared to my left, as it made off 
with frantic haste ; for I took it for granted that the 
hippo at which I had first fired (and which was really 
dead) had escaped. This one disappeared as usual, and 
I had not the slightest idea whether or not I had killed 
it. I had small opportunity to ponder the subject, for 
twenty feet away the water bubbled and a huge head 
shot out facing me, the jaws wide open. There was no 
time to guess at its intentions, and I fired on the instant. 
Down went the head, and I felt the boat quiver as the 
hippo passed underneath. Just here the lily-pads were 
thick; so I marked its course, fired as it rose, and down 
it went. But on the other quarter of the boat a beast, 
evidently of great size—it proved to be a big bull—now 
appeared, well above water, and I put a bullet into its 
brain. 
I did not wish to shoot again unless I had to, and 
stood motionless, with the little Springfield at the ready. 
A head burst up twenty yards off, with a lily-pad 
plastered over one eye, giving the hippo an absurd 
resemblance to a discomfited prize-fighter, and then dis¬ 
appeared with great agitation. Two half-grown beasts 
stupid from fright appeared, and stayed up for a minute 
or two at a time, not knowing what to do. Other heads 
popped up, getting farther and farther away. By degrees 
everything vanished, the water grew calm, and we rowed 
over to the papyrus, moored ourselves by catching hold 
of a couple of stems, and awaited events. Within an 
hour four dead hippos appeared—a very big bull and 
three big cows. Of course, I would not have shot the 
