The hippopotamus killed by Groot Willem and Hans was a fine specimen,--a
bull full-grown and with teeth and tusks large and perfect.
Measuring it with the barrel of his roer, Willem pronounced it to be
sixteen feet in length; and he estimated its circumference around the
body at but one foot less.
Leaving it where it had fallen, they rode to another part of the lagoon.
The fine hippopotami they had seen inspired them with a cheerful
prospect for the future,--as far as hunting that species of game was
concerned,--but a still brighter one was in store for them.
Not half a mile from where the first was killed, they reached a small
pool about four feet in depth. Seven hippopotami were wallowing within
it, and others were seen grazing the low swampy ground not far-away.
They had been so little molested by man that they were not afraid of
feeding by daylight. Those in the pool were wholly at the mercy of the
hunters; for they had not the courage to leave it; and the water was not
of sufficient depth either to conceal or protect them.
For nearly half an hour the four young hunters stood by the side of the
pool, loading and firing whenever a favourable opportunity presented.
The seven huge creatures were then left dead or dying, and the hunters
returned to their kraal.
Macora was waiting for them, having come over for the purpose of making
a "morning call." As a present to the young hunters, he had brought
them a milch cow, for which they were very thankful.
The cow was consigned to the keeping of Swartboy, who had strict
injunctions to look well after it. "That cow is worth more to us than
either of the horses," remarked Hendrik to the Bushman, "and I would not
trust it to the keeping of Congo; but I know it will be safe with you."
Swartboy was delighted.
When Macora was told that they had that morning killed eight
hippopotami, he became roused to a state of tremendous excitement. Two
of his attendants were despatched immediately to his village, to convey
the pleasing intelligence to his people, that an unlimited amount of
their favourite food was waiting for them.
Having done enough for one day, the hunters reposed in the shade of
their tent, until about two hours before sunset, when they were roused
by the arrival of nearly three hundred people, men, women, and children,
of Macora's tribe,--all anxious to be led to the bodies of the
hippopotami.
Groot Willem was afraid that the disturbance made by so many people
would drive every sort of game from the neighbourhood, and that they
would have to move their camp. But knowing this argument would not be
strong enough to convince several hundred hungry people that so large a
quantity of good food should be wasted, no objection was made to
conducting them to the scene of the morning's sport.
Groot Willem and Hendrik, attended by Congo, were soon in their saddles
prepared for a night's shooting at the lagoon. They started off,
accompanied by Macora and all his following, leaving Hans and Arend to
take care of the kraal.
On reaching the place where the first hippopotamus had been killed in
the morning, a flock of vultures and a pack of jackals were driven from
the carcass; and several of the natives stopped to prevent these
carnivora devouring any more of the animal's body, by appropriating it
to themselves.
Obeying the instructions of their chief, Macora's followers had brought
with them long and strong rheims,--that is, cords made of rhinoceros
hide,--and, on reaching the pool in which the seven dead hippopotami
were lying, Macora gave orders for the carcasses to be hauled out.
This work, under ordinary circumstances, would have been next to
impossible; but taking into consideration the flatness of the ground,
and the united strength of some hundred and fifty men capable of
handling a rope, the thing was soon accomplished.
The task of skinning and cutting up then commenced; while the women and
children kindled fires and made other preparations for a grand banquet.
Until a late hour of the night, the natives remained at work. All the
flesh not required for immediate use was separated into long slips, to
be dried in the sun, and thus converted into _biltongue_, while the
whole of the teeth were to remain the property of those who had killed
the hippopotami.
The two hunters, Groot Willem and Hendrik, on that night had not far to
travel in order to obtain a sufficiency of their favourite sport.
Attracted by the odour of the slain pachyderms, lions, hyenas, and
jackals came prowling about the pool, loudly expressing their
disapprobation of the fact that they themselves had not been invited to
partake of the feast. Notwithstanding the large number of human beings
collected upon the spot, the hyenas came close up, and, with deafening
roars, threatened to make an attack.
The guns of Groot Willem and Hendrik were, for a time, kept constantly
cracking, and the ugly brutes at length grew more wary, betaking
themselves to a safer distance.
The hunters had no desire to lose time or ammunition, in mere wanton
destruction of life. They only desired to kill such game as might
contribute towards remunerating them for the long journey; and they soon
ceased firing at hyenas and jackals. Leaving the pool, they walked
along the shore of the lagoon, towards the ground where they had seen
the hippopotami during the earlier hours of the day.
Night being the usual time for those animals to feed, the youths
calculated upon making an addition to the list of their prizes,--nor
were they disappointed.
Half a mile from the spot where Macora and his tribe had been left
feasting, was an open plain, lit by the beams of a brilliant moon. Ten
or fifteen dark objects were seen moving slowly over its surface; and
leaning forward in their saddles, the hunters could see that they were
hippopotami. They rode gently towards them.
The animals, entirely unacquainted with the dangerous character of those
who were approaching, neither stirred from the spot nor took any notice
of the horsemen, until the latter were within close range of them.
"That seems to be one of the biggest of them," whispered Groot Willem,
pointing to a large bull that was browsing at less than a hundred paces
off. "I shall make sure of him. You, Hendrik, take another, and let us
both fire together."
Willem, as he spoke, raised the heavy death-dealing roer to his
shoulder. Taking aim for the centre of the head, he fired. The next
moment, the monster was seen staggering backwards, drawing its shattered
head along the ground.
It was not thinking of a retreat to the water,--of retiring through fear
of further danger, or of anything else. It was in the agonies of death!
This manner of action was not long sustained, for after trailing about
ten yards from where it was struck, it fell heavily on the earth and
turned over on one side, to move no more in life.
Hendrik had fired almost at the same instant of time; but for some
seconds, the creature to which his attention had been directed, made no
acknowledgment of the favour. It started off, and, along with the
others, made straight towards the lagoon.
For a time, Hendrik was again chagrined to think that the rival hunter
had been more successful than himself. His chagrin, however, was not
destined to long continuance; for on their way to the water, one of the
hippopotami was observed to tumble over in its tracks.
After loading their guns, the horsemen rode up to the prostrate animal
and found it struggling to rise. The bullet from Hendrik's rifle had
entered its right shoulder; and another from the same gun now put a
period to its struggles as well as existence.
The two hunters, not yet contented with their success, took cover under
a cluster of trees; and, dismounting from their horses, lay in wait to
see if the hippopotami would again oblige them by coming out upon the
plain. Neither in this watch were they disappointed. Occasionally,
they could hear the harsh bellowing of the animals as they came to the
surface of the water, and before long, the bodies of three huge monsters
were seen moving slowly towards them. Reserving fire until one came
within a few yards of their position, both hunters discharged their
pieces almost simultaneously.
With a cry that resembled the combined snorting of a hog and the
neighing of a horse, the "zeekoe" faced back towards the lagoon; but,
instead of moving off, it commenced turning slowly round and round, as a
dog may be sometimes seen to do before laying himself down to repose.
In a similar fashion did the hippopotamus lie down to rise no more.
Three others were shot on that same night, making fourteen hippopotami
killed within twenty-four hours. This was a greater number, so Macora
said, than had been killed by his own people within the two preceding
years.