LADIES HUNTING HIPPOS--MISS BOLAND OVERBOARD AMONG THE
CROCODILES--DISCUSSING A CHANGE OF BASE.
I was very glad that Jack made the offer and enabled us to get rid of
the little brutes. Harry's face was covered with frowns because Jack
had got ahead of him in giving our prizes away. I do not believe we
should have kept the lions many days--certainly not after leaving
that place and trekking away elsewhere. A pet lion is not an
agreeable companion for a gentleman, and as for taking them back to
Durban in the hope of selling them, the scheme would have been
ridiculous. I had no idea that the ladies would keep the creatures
long, but they would certainly enjoy the possession of them more than
we should have done.
After a brief halt at our camp the whole party proceeded to the
river, where the hippopotamus-hunt was to take place. We left our
horses half a mile or so back from the water, in the care of the
Kafirs, and finished our journey on foot.
The boat was exactly where we had left it. Jack brought it around to
a convenient place at the bank, and then said he could take one of
the ladies with his native paddlers, but was doubtful about taking
the two of them.
There was an amiable contention between our fair visitors as to which
should have the first opportunity of spearing a hippo. It was
finally settled that Mrs. Roberts should take the first chance, and
she thereupon stepped into the boat and followed Jack's instructions.
I should have remarked before that they came, not on their
side-saddles, but on their man-fashion saddles, and were habited in
their hunting-costumes, which have already been described. It was a
visit of work and not of ceremony, and they were dressed accordingly.
The boat pulled out into the stream, where the heads of several
hippos were now and then visible, and also the heads of an equal or
greater number of crocodiles. The rest of us remained on the bank,
walking slowly downward, so as to keep constantly opposite the boat,
which drifted with the current, aided now and then by a perfectly
silent stroke of a paddle. Jack had equipped Mrs. Roberts with a
hippopotamus-spear, and stood close at her side, peering over the bow
of the boat.
It was some time before a good chance was presented for using the
spear; several hippos came up and looked at the boat, but somehow
they seemed a little wary, and did not allow their curiosity to get
altogether the better of their judgment. But all things come to him
who waits, and the hippos came in due time to our waiting friends. A
good-sized hippo paddled up alongside the boat, and then turned, as
if he would cross its bow. As he did so his back was just at the
surface, and presented a splendid mark for the spears.
"Now!" said Jack to Mrs. Roberts; and she thrust the spear with all
her force into the back of the amphibious animal below her. At the
same time Jack launched another spear into the back of the beast, to
make entirely certain that he was secure.
Then the boat was paddled rapidly to the shore, the lines attached to
the spears were thrown to us, and with a dozen Kafirs trailing away
with all their strength, the poor hippo at the other end had little
chance. He swam and whirled about, but it was no use. Nearer and
nearer he came to the shore, and when the proper time arrived a rope
was passed around him and firmly fastened, and he was dragged up on
the land.
[Illustration: HIPPOPOTAMUS HUNT.]
Then there was more rejoicing, and congratulations all around were
showered upon Mrs. Roberts. She protested that the animal was not
her prize, it having been speared by Mr. Delafield. That gentleman
gallantly called her attention to the rule of hunting in Africa--that
the first shot is the counting one. "You threw the first spear into
the hippo," said he, "and therefore the game is yours. The spear
that I threw was simply a precautionary one; but yours is just as
firmly imbedded as mine, and probably would have secured him without
any assistance."
"Very well," said Mrs. Roberts; "I won't make any dispute about it,
as I know you will all vote me down, even if I am right. Now, Miss
Boland, it's your turn."
When everything was ready, Miss Boland stepped into the boat,
accompanied, as had been Mrs. Roberts, by Jack and the paddlers. The
same course was adopted as before, the boat going farther down the
stream, in order to get away from the scene of the late commotion.
There was the same period of watching and waiting for a hippo to come
along, and the same result--that one came along in time. Miss Boland
had been duly instructed as to the necessity of driving the spear or
harpoon well into the flesh of the animal. When the time came to
throw the spear she bent all her energies to it, and drove the weapon
deep into the flesh of the prey at which it was aimed. In doing so
she lost her balance and fell overboard into the river!
A cry of horror arose from the bank where we stood, and the faces of
all of us became the complexion of marble. A woman struggling in the
river! The river full of crocodiles! Can anything more horrible be
imagined?
Jack gave the order for the paddlers to turn the boat; and luckily
they paddled in the right direction, and whirled the craft so as to
bring the bow directly over Miss Boland. Jack braced himself,
reached down, and clutched her garments between the shoulders. As he
did so he glanced along the water, and saw several crocodiles coming
in his direction! There was no chance for deliberation or
politeness; he clutched Miss Boland by the arms, and dragged her over
the side of the boat and into a place of safety. It was all the work
of an instant--not literally an instant, but I think not more than a
minute. Miss Boland said afterward that it was all done so quickly
that she had not time to get frightened, though she did think of the
crocodiles while she was in the water.
The crocodiles came around the boat, and were evidently disappointed,
if one might judge by their manner. As soon as the fair passenger
was rescued, the boat was paddled to the shore, the line attached to
the hippo being paid out as usual. The shore was reached in safety,
and Miss Boland, dripping with water, stepped somewhat unsteadily to
the ground. Having reached the firm earth, she threw her arms around
Mrs. Roberts, and then the two of them sat down on a bunch of reeds
and fainted. They were perfectly right to do so, as the danger was
all over.
The hippo was dragged ashore as the first one had been. When the
ladies came to themselves they concluded that they did not want any
more hippo-hunting that day. We returned to camp as quickly as we
could; the ladies declined our invitation to remain for luncheon, but
went to their own quarters immediately.
Of course we had a good deal to say to one another about the
incidents of the day, and particularly concerning the mishap, which
might have been horribly serious.
"But for your quickness, and the strength of your arms," said Harry,
addressing Jack, "I'm afraid our lady friend would have been food for
the crocodiles. What a horrible thought!"
"Yes, indeed," said Jack; "I'm so glad I didn't have time to think;
had there been any opportunity whatever for exercising my thoughts,
I'm afraid I should have been paralyzed at the situation."
"It is just possible," I added, "that the crocodiles which were
swimming so rapidly toward the boat were doing so from curiosity, and
not with the idea that something which they could catch was there."
"Yes, that's barely possible," said Harry; "let us suppose it was the
case, and dismiss the subject; I don't like to think of it."
"Nor I," said Jack.
I added, "Nor I."
So by mutual consent we put the river and the hippos, and all
incidents connected with them, out of our thoughts. We discussed
buffaloes and elephants and other game, and at length I suggested
that we had better be moving from where we were.
"Why so!" queried Jack, and Harry echoed the inquiry.
"Well," I answered, "because we have used up most of the game in this
neighborhood; we've had no really good shooting for several days.
Killing hippos is not first-class hunting, as you know. Neither is
killing lions at night; true, their skins are worth something, but
not very much, and it's a kind of hunting that I don't care for
particularly. Some skill is required, it is true, but I don't like
the idea of concealing myself in a hole in the ground near the
carcass of an animal that has been put out as bait. Of course, if
any lions come along we'll take them in, but I would just as lief
they would stay away.
"Now, as to moving away from here: I was thinking last night that we
had better turn off to the west, where the river is much smaller than
it is here, and there are plenty of good fording-places. Then we can
cross it and work away to the north, until we get into what looks to
be a good hunting-ground. There we can outspan and make a kraal."
Jack and Harry did not take kindly to my suggestion; they insisted
that the shooting was still good enough, although they were obliged
to admit that it was by no means equal to what we found on our
arrival. All the time they were talking my mind was at work, and I
thought I could see the reason for their wishing to remain. But I
did not give any hint of what was uppermost in my thoughts, and
though I held out promises of rare sport to the north of the river, I
was unable to convince them. As all our movements were determined by
a majority vote, I was left in the lurch, and obliged to assent to
remaining a while longer where we were.
The manager reported certain little repairs necessary to the wagons,
and we devoted the afternoon to them. At supper in the evening we
discussed our plans for the next day, and ordered runners to go out
and look for elephants and buffaloes in the forests where we had
previously found them. I had little expectation that any would be
discovered, as it is not generally the habit of these animals to
remain long in a place where they have been disturbed.
We had just finished breakfast on the following morning when our
manager came to the tent with a letter in his hand.
"The post has just arrived," said he, "and I bring a letter which you
gentlemen can divide among you."
I took the letter from the manager's hands, and found that it was
addressed on the envelope, "Messrs. Manson, Delafield, and Lawrence.
In Camp near Luranga River." It bore no postmark, and I readily
perceived that it had not come through regular course of mail.
Before opening it I surmised its origin.
The letter was from Mrs. Roberts and Miss Boland; or rather it was
from Mrs. Roberts, as her name alone was signed to it. It announced
that they had just determined to make a movement to the north, and
their men were at that moment inspanning the oxen. "We don't know
exactly where we shall go," the letter said, "but somewhere to the
north of the river, where we can find a good region for hunting. We
are greatly obliged to you gentlemen for the kindness you have shown
us, and should it ever be in our power to reciprocate, it will give
us great pleasure to do so. Our manager says it will be three or
four hours before we will be under way, and that gives us time to
send this letter to you."
"Any answer?" the manager asked.
"We must send them an answer, certainly," said Jack. "Frank, sit
down and drop them a note."
"Yes," said Harry, "politeness requires that we shall respond to it.
By all means, Frank, write something."
Thus impelled, I opened my despatch-box and penned a hasty note,
acknowledging the receipt of their missive, and hoping they would
have a successful journey to the north of the river, and find an
abundance of game. I added the echo of their expression of
satisfaction at having met us, and also the hope that we might again
be of service to them. I read it over to my friends and hastily
sealed it, and despatched it by the messenger, a Kafir boy, who could
travel about as fast across-country as an able-bodied horse.
After the boy had gone I remarked that it was a great pity we were to
lose our neighbors.
"I don't see why we should lose them," said Jack; "let's inspan, and
go in the same direction!"