They desired me to
lie down, and they crept into the jungle out of view of the
river; I presently observed them stealthily descending the dry
bed about two hundred paces above the spot where the hippos were
basking behind the rocks.
They entered the river, and swam down
the centre of the stream towards the rock. This was highly
exciting:--the hippos were quite unconscious of the approaching
danger, as, steadily and rapidly, the hunters floated down the
strong current; they neared the rock, and both heads disappeared
as they purposely sunk out of view; in a few seconds later they
reappeared at the edge of the rock upon which the young hippo
stood. It would be difficult to say which started first, the
astonished young hippo into the water, or the harpoons from the
hands of the howartis! It was the affair of a moment; the hunters
dived directly they had hurled their harpoons, and, swimming for
some distance under water, they came to the surface, and hastened
to the shore lest an infuriated hippopotamus should follow them.
One harpoon had missed; the other had fixed the bull of the herd,
at which it had been surely aimed. This was grand sport! The bull
was in the greatest fury, and rose to the surface, snorting and
blowing in his impotent rage; but as the ambatch float was
exceedingly large, and this naturally accompanied his movements,
he tried to escape from his imaginary persecutor, and dived
constantly, only to find his pertinacious attendant close to him
upon regaining the surface.
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