There were many hippopotami in this lake, and, very shortly after I had
killed the first, I shot a second much in the same manner. I always
carried a harpoon in the boat with the rope and ambatch float. The
latter was painted red, so that it could be easily observed. I
therefore, stuck the harpoon in the dead hippopotamus as a mark, and
hastened back to my diahbeeah for assistance, as the flesh of two
hippopotami would be very welcome to the people, who had not received
rations of butcher's meat for many weeks. On arrival at the diahbeeah we
quickly made sail, and soon returned to the hippopotamus. By the time we
had cut up this large animal and secured the flesh, the sun was so low
that I considered it would be better to fasten the other hippo by a rope
attached to the hind legs, and tow it bodily astern of the diahbeeah. It
could then be divided on the following day.
In this manner we returned to our anchorage at the tail of the lake,
close to the entrance of the new channel. By the time we arrived, the
moon was up. The diahbeeah was close to a mud-bank covered with high
grass, and about thirty yards astern of her was a shallow part of the
lake about three feet deep. A light boat of zinc was full of strips of
hippopotamus' flesh, and the dingy was fastened alongside.
After dinner and a pipe, the usual arrangements were made for the night.
There were many servants, male and female, on board; these began to
suspend their mosquito curtains to the rigging and to creep beneath; the
sailors, after chatting for a considerable time, dropped off to
sleep - until the sentry was the only man on board who was on the alert.
I always slept on the poop-deck, which was comfortably arranged with
sofas and carpets.
The night was cold, and the moon clear and bright. Every one was wrapped
up in warm blankets, and I was so sound asleep, that I cannot describe
more until I was suddenly awoke by a tremendous splashing quite close to
the diahbeeah, accompanied by the hoarse wild snorting of a furious
hippopotamus. I jumped up, and immediately perceived a hippo which was
apparently about to attack the vessel. The main deck being crowded with
people sleeping beneath their thick mosquito curtains, attached to the
stairs of the poop-deck, and to the rigging in all directions, rendered
it impossible to descend. I at once tore away some of the ties, and
awakened the sleepy people. My servant, Suleiman, was sleeping next to
the cabin door. I called to him for a rifle. Before the affrighted
Suleiman could bring the rifle, the hippopotamus dashed at us with
indescribable fury. With one blow he capsized and sank the zinc boat
with its cargo of flesh. In another instant he seized the dingy in his
immense jaws, and the crash of splintered wood betokened the complete
destruction of my favourite boat. By this time Suleiman appeared from
the cabin with an unloaded gun in his hand and without ammunition. This
was a very good man, but he was never overburdened with presence of
mind; he was shaking so fearfully with nervousness, that his senses had
entirely abandoned him. All the people were shouting and endeavouring to
scare the hippo, which attacked us without ceasing with a blind fury
that I have never witnessed in any animal except a bull-dog.
By this time I had procured a rifle from the cabin, where they were
always kept fixed in a row, loaded and ready for action, with bags of
breechloading ammunition on the same shelf.
The movements of the animal were so rapid as he charged and plunged
alternately beneath the water in a cloud of foam and wave, that it was
impossible to aim correctly at the small but fatal spot upon the head.
The moon was extremely bright, and presently, as he charged straight at
the diahbeeah, I stopped him with a No. 8 Reilly shell. To my surprise,
he soon recovered, and again commenced the attack.
I fired shot after shot at him without apparent effect. The diahbeeah
rocked about upon the waves raised by the efforts of so large an animal;
this movement rendered the aim uncertain. At length, apparently badly
wounded, he retired to the high grass; there he lay by the bank, at
about twenty-five yards' distance, snorting and blowing.
I could not distinguish him, as merely the head was above water, and
this was concealed by the deep shadow thrown by the high grass. Thinking
that he would die, I went to bed; but before this I took the precaution
to arrange a white paper sight upon the muzzle of my rifle, without
which, night shooting is very uncertain.
We had fallen asleep; but in about half an hour we were awoke by another
tremendous splash, and once more this mad beast came charging directly
at us as though unhurt. In another instant he was at the diahbeeah; but
I met him with a ball in the top of his head which sent him rolling over
and over, sometimes on his back, kicking with his four legs above the
surface, and again producing waves which rocked the diahbeeah. In this
helpless manner he rolled for about fifty yards down the stream, and we
all thought him killed.
To our amazement he recovered, and we heard him splashing as he moved
slowly along the river through the high grass by the left bank.
