The steamer that had been hopelessly stranded, and the
entire fleet, were floating merrily in the pond. Thank God, I had
forgotten nothing in the preparatory arrangements for the expedition.
Without the spades, hoes, grass-knives, bill-hooks, timber, &c., &c.,
we never could have succeeded in this journey.
My diahbeeah was in the lake waiting for the fleet to accomplish the
passage. I had made an excursion one day in the dingy to examine the
south end of the lake, which I found to be about eight miles in length.
On returning, I was rather anxious for the small boat, as a bull
hippopotamus made a hostile demonstration. The water was not more than
five feet six inches deep; thus as the hippo, after having snorted and
sunk, continued to approach the boat, I could distinguish the path of
his advance by the slight wave raised upon the surface. He presently
raised his head about twenty yards from the boat, but at the same time
he received a Reilly explosive shell under the eye which ended his
worldly cares.
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.
