fortunate for our old Neptune that he was secure
upon the high ledge of rock, for if he had been in
the path of the infuriated beast, there would have
been an end of Abou Do. The old man plunged
into the deep pool just quitted by the hippo, and
landed upon our side; while in the enthusiasm of the
moment I waved my cap above my head, and gave
him a British cheer as he reached the shore. His
usually stern features relaxed into a grim smile of
delight: this was one of those moments when the
gratified pride of the hunter rewards him for any risks.
I congratulated him upon his dexterity; but much
remained to be done. I proposed to cross the river,
and to follow upon the tracks of the hippopotamus,
as I imagined that the buoy and rope
would catch in the thick jungle, and that we should
find him entangled in the bush; but the old hunter
gently laid his hand upon my arm, and pointed up
the bed of the river, ’explaining that ■ the hippo
would certainly return to the water after a short
interval.
In a few minutes later, at a distance of nearly
half a mile, we observed the hippo emerge from
the jungle, and descend at full trot to the bed of
the river, making direct for the first rocky pool
in which we had noticed the herd of hippopotami.
Accompanied by the old howarti (hippo hunter),
we walked quickly towards the spot: he explained
to me that I must shoot the harpooned hippo, as
we should not be able to secure him in the usual
method by ropes, as nearly all our men were absent
from camp, disposing of the dead elephants.
Upon reaching the pool, which was about a hundred
and thirty yards in diameter, we were immediately
greeted by the hippo, who snorted and roared
as we approached, but quickly dived, and the buoyant
float ran along the surface, directing his course
in the same manner as the cork of a trimmer with
a pike upon the hook. Several times he appeared,
but, as he invariably faced us, I could not obtain
a favourable shot; I therefore sent the old hunter
round the pool, and he, swimming the river, advanced
to the opposite side, and attracted the attention
of the hippo, who immediately turned towards
him. This afforded me a good chance, and I fired
a steady shot behind the ear, at about seventy
yards,' with a single-barrelled rifle. As usual with
hippopotami, whether dead or alive, he disappeared
beneath the water at the shot. The crack of the
ball and the absence of any splash from the bullet
told me that he was h it; the ambatch float
remained perfectly stationary upon the surface. I
watched it for some minutes—it never moved; several
heads of hippopotami appeared and vanished in
different directions, but the float was still; it marked
the spot where the grand old bull lay dead
beneath.
I shot another hippo, that I thought must be
likewise dead; and, taking the time by my watch,
I retired to the shade of a tree with Hassan, while
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