ive off the elephants and hippopotami which infested their
plantations. One afternoon he was requested to shoot a savage old bull
hippopotamus which had given chase to several people. Accompanied by
Mrs Baker he rode to the spot, about two miles off, where the
hippopotamus lived in a deep and broad portion of the river. The old
hippopotamus was at home.

"The river, about two hundred and fifty yards wide, had formed by an
acute bend a deep hole. In the centre of this was a sandbank just below
the surface. Upon this shallow bed the hippopotamus was reposing. On
perceiving the party he began to snort and behave himself in a most
absurd manner, by shaking his head and leaping half way out of the
water. Mr Baker had given Bacheet, one of his attendants, a pistol,
and had ordered him to follow on the opposite bank. He now directed him
to fire several shots at the hippopotamus, in order if possible to drive
the animal towards him. The hippo, a wicked, solitary, old bull,
returned the insult by charging towards Bacheet with a tremendous
snorting, which sent him scrambling up the steep bank in a panic. This
gave the brute confidence; and the sportsman, who had hitherto remained
concealed, called out according to Arabic custom: `_Hasinth! hasinth_!'
the Arabic for hippopotamus. The brute, thinking no doubt that he might
as well drive the intruder away, gave a loud snort, sank, and quickly
reappeared about a hundred yards from him. On this Mr Baker ordered
Bacheet to shoot to attract the animal's attention. As the hippopotamus
turned his head, Mr Baker took a steady shot, aiming behind the ear,
and immediately the saucy old hippo turned upon his back and rolled
about, lashing the still pool into waves, until at length he
disappeared."

His intention of engaging a party of the Hamran Arabs, celebrated as
hunters, to accompany him in his explorations of the Abyssinian rivers
having become known, several of these men made their appearance at Son.
They are distinguished from the other tribes of Arabs by an extra length
of hair, worn parted down the centre and arranged in long curls. They
are armed with swords and shields, the former having long, straight,
two-edged blades, with a small cross for the handle, similar to the
long, straight, cross-handled blades of the crusaders. Their shields,
formed of rhinoceros, giraffe, or elephant-hide, are either round or
oval. Their swords, which they prize highly, are kept as sh