ght, Kendo being sure that we were keeping the right course. We were
thankful, however, once more to bring up, when we believed that we had
put sufficient distance between ourselves and our pursuers, and that
there was now no longer any fear of our being overtaken by them. We had
another enemy, however, to contend with. As we lay moored to the bank
we heard grunting sounds, and a splashing which proceeded, we well knew,
from hippopotami, and from the frequency and loudness of the noises we
had good reason to believe that a number of the creatures were either
sporting about or feeding near us. However, they seldom attack canoes
so as to injure them intentionally and are generally greatly afraid of
human beings either when on shore or in the water.

Huge and awkward as they are, they can run, and manage to make good
progress over the ground, which they do when in search of grass, the
food they live on. The bodies of those we saw were fully as large as
elephants, although, having short legs, they were of a very different
height, indeed, their bellies almost sweep the ground as they walk.
Their feet are constructed in a very curious manner, to enable them to
walk among the reeds and over the mud, as also to swim with ease. The
hoof is divided into four short unconnected toes, which they can spread
out like the feet of the camel when moving over the soft mud, or when
swimming. The skin, which is almost entirely hairless, except in a few
spots, is of a yellowish colour, the lower part assuming almost a
pinkish hue. The head is hideous in the extreme, and armed with huge
crooked tusks, the object of which is not so much for defence, as to dig
up grass from the bottom of the river. These tusks afford the whitest
ivory to be procured. There must have been thirty or forty of these
creatures gambolling about around us. In spite of their noise, "those
who had the watch below," as Charley called it, slept as soundly as
tops.

As soon as the sun rose the next morning, we went on shore for the first
time since we had embarked, but no enemies were in sight, and we
ventured to breakfast comfortably on the bank; Harry and I having shot
several birds which contributed to the repast. As soon as breakfast was
over, we continued our course, as we were anxious to get into a district
where people were accustomed to white men, and were likely to assist us.

Our canoe was leading, Tom being a little astern. We were just rounding
a