arp as
razors. The length of the blade is about three feet, and the handle six
inches long. It is secured to the wrist by a leathern strap, so that
the hunter cannot by any accident be disarmed.

These men go in chase of all wild animals of the desert; some are noted
as expert hippopotamus slayers, but the most celebrated are the
Aggageers, or elephant hunters. The latter attack the huge animal
either on horseback, or on foot when they cannot afford to purchase
steeds. In the latter case, two men alone hunt together. They follow
the tracks of an elephant which they contrive to overtake about noon,
when the animal is either asleep or extremely listless and easy to
approach. Should the elephant be asleep, one of the hunters will creep
towards its head, and with a single blow sever the trunk stretched on
the ground, the result being its death within an hour from bleeding.
Should the animal be awake, they will creep up from behind, and give a
tremendous cut at the back sinew of the hind leg, immediately disabling
the monster. It is followed up by a second cut on the remaining leg,
when the creature becomes their easy prey.

When hunting on horseback, generally four men form a party, and they
often follow the tracks of a herd from their drinking-place for upwards
of twenty miles.

Mr Baker accompanied them on numerous hunting expeditions, and
witnessed the wonderful courage and dexterity they displayed.

After spending three months at Son, he set out for the Settite River, he
and his wife crossing the Atbara River on a raft formed of his large
circular sponging bath supported by eight inflated skins secured to his
bedstead.

A party of the Aggageers now joined him. Among them was Abou Do, a
celebrated old hippopotamus hunter, who, with his spear of trident shape
in hand, might have served as a representative of Neptune. The old Arab
was equally great at elephant hunting, and had on the previous day
exhibited his skill, having assisted to kill several elephants. He now
divested himself of all his clothing, and set out, taking his harpoon in
hand, in search of hippopotami.

This weapon consisted of a steel blade about eleven inches long and
three-quarters of an inch in width, with a single barb. To it was
attached a strong rope twenty feet long, with a float as large as a
child's head at the extremity. Into the harpoon was fixed a piece of
bamboo ten feet long, around which the the rope was twisted, while th