This
Distance Was A Little Too Great For The Accurate Firing Necessary To
Reach The Brain, Especially When The Shot Must Be Taken From A Boat, In
Which There Is Always Some Movement.
I therefore allowed the animal to
disappear, after which I immediately ordered the boat forward, to remain
exactly over the spot where he had sunk.
A few minutes elapsed, when the
great ugly head of the hippopotamus appeared about thirty paces from the
boat, and having blown the water from his nostrils, and snorted loudly,
he turned round and seemed astonished to find the solitary little boat
so near him. Telling the two boatmen to sit perfectly quiet, so as to
allow a good sight, I aimed just below the eye, and fired a heavy shell,
which contained a bursting charge of three drachms of fine-grained
powder. The head disappeared. A little smoke hung over the water, and I
could not observe other effects. The lake was deep, and after vain
sounding for the body with a boathook, I returned to the diahbeeah just
as it became dark.
"March 18. - A heavy shower of rain fell, which lasted for an hour and a
half. When the rain ceased, the day continued cloudy with variable wind.
The body of the hippopotamus was discovered at daybreak floating near
us, therefore all hands turned out to cut him up, delighted at the idea
of fresh meat. There was about an acre of high and dry ground that
bordered the marsh in one spot; to this the carcase of the hippopotamus
was towed.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 55 of 782
Words from 14337 to 14599
of 207249
