and saw that he acted precisely as I had instructed
him.
“ Push, my b o y s ; push for your liv e s !”
The crew bent their heads and strained their
arms; the boat began to move, and there was a
hissing, grinding noise below me. I seized my
double-barrelled elephant rifle and shouted,
“ Safeni! Safeni, return!”
The natives were quick-eyed. T h e y saw the
boat moving, and with one accord they swept
down the hill uttering the most fearful cries.
My boat was at the water’s edge. “ Shoot
her into the lake, my men; never mind the
water” ; and clear o f all obstructions she darted
out upon the lake.
Safeni stood for an instant on the water’s edge,
with the cloths in his hand. The foremost o f a
crowd o f natives was about twenty yards from
him. He raised his spear and balanced himself.
"Sp ring into the water, man, head first,” I cried.
The balanced spear was about to fly , and
another man was preparing his weapon for a
deadly cast, when I raised my gun and the
bullet ploughed through him and through the
second. T he bowmen halted and drew their
bows. I sent two charges o f duck-shot into
their midst with terrible effect. T he natives
retreated from the beach on which the boat had
la te ly lain.
Having checked the natives, I assisted one of
my men into the boat, and ordered him to lend
a hand to the others, while I reloaded my big
guns, keeping my eyes on the natives. There
was a point about 100 yards in length on the
east, which sheltered the cove. Some o f the
natives made a rush for this, but my guns commanded
the exposed position, and they were
obliged to retire.
T he crew seized their rifles, but I told them
to leave them alone, and to tear the bottom-
boards out o f the boat and use them as p ad d le s ;
for there were two hippopotami advancing upon
us open-mouthed, and it seemed as if we were
to be crushed’ in the water after such a narrow
escape from the ferocious people ashore. I
permitted one o f the hippos to approach within
ten yards, and, aiming between his e y e s , perforated
his skull with a three-ounce ball, and
the second received such a wound that we were
not molested b y him.
Meanwhile the savages, baffled and furious at
seeing their prey escape, had rushed, after a
short consultation, to man two canoes that were
drawn u p . on the beach at the north-we§t corner
of the cove. Twice I dropped men as they
endeavoured to launch the boats; but they
persisted, and finally, launching them, pursued
us vigorously. Tw o other canoes were seen
coming down the coast from the eastern side of
the island.