This Was Not To Last Long; The
Howartis Were In Earnest, And They At Once Called Their Party,
Who, With Two Of The Aggageers, Abou Do And Suleiman, Were Near
At Hand; These Men Arrived With The Long Ropes That Form A
Portion Of The Outfit For Hippo Hunting.
The whole party now halted on the edge of the river, while two
men swam across with one end of the long rope.
Upon gaining the
opposite bank, I observed that a second rope was made fast to the
middle of the main line; thus upon our side we held the ends of
two ropes, while on the opposite side they had only one;
accordingly, the point of junction of the two ropes in the centre
formed an acute angle. The object of this was soon practically
explained. Two men upon our side now each held a rope, and one of
these walked about ten yards before the other. Upon both sides of
the river the people now advanced, dragging the rope on the
surface of the water until they reached the ambatch float that
was swimming to and fro, according to the movements of the
hippopotamus below. By a dexterous jerk of the main line, the
float was now placed between the two ropes, and it was
immediately secured in the acute angle by bringing together the
ends of these ropes on our side.
The men on the opposite bank now dropped their line, and our men
hauled in upon the ambatch float that was held fast between the
ropes.
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