.
. r l l r .
as I was quite aware that my men would be only too
willing to accompany me upon future excursions.
“ It was quite dark before we reached the river ;
we had been much delayed by repeated falls into
deep holes, and over hidden stones; thus I was well
satisfied to find myself once more at home after
having crossed the river, in pitchy darkness, in a
similar maimer as before. Every person in the
village had had a good view of the stalk, therefore,
as two giraffes had been seen to fall, the Arabs
were waiting on the bank in expectation of meat.
“ September 3.—This morning I crossed the river
with about twenty men, some swimming with
inflated skins, and others supported by logs of
ambatch. A number of swimmers were holding- on
to a pole to which four inflated girbas were
attached; this is an excellent plan for assisting soldiers
to cross a river, as they can land together
in parties, instead of singly, with their guns dry,,
should the opposite bank be occupied by an enemy.
I sat in my gun-case, with the two rifles that I
used yesterday, in addition to the little Fletcher;
heaps of clothes and sandals belonging to the
swimmers formed my cargo; while in case of accident,
I ]jad taken off my belt and shoes, and tied
my ammunition within an inflated skin. Neptune
in his car drawn by dolphins was not more completely
at home than I in my gun-case, towed by
my fish-like hippopotami hunters. After pirouetting
in several strong whirlpools, during which time a
o