the land of footprints-第49章

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（e）　That　an　official　shall　be　appointed　to　be　known　as　the　Inspector　of　Rhinos　whose　duty　it　shall　be　to　examine　the　hobbles；　numbers　and　flags　of　all　Trail　Rhinos；　and　to　keep　the　same　in　due　working　order　and　repair。

And　I　do　submit　to　all　and　sundry　that　the　above　resolutions　have　as　much　sense　to　them　as　have　most　of　the　petitions　submitted　to　Government　by　settlers　in　a　new　country。



XXIII。　THE　HIPPO　POOL

For　a　number　of　days　we　camped　in　a　grove　just　above　a　dense　jungle　and　not　fifty　paces　from　the　bank　of　a　deep　and　wide　river。　We　could　at　various　points　push　through　light　low　undergrowth；　or　stoop　beneath　clear　limbs；　or　emerge　on　tiny　open　banks　and　promontories　to　look　out　over　the　width　of　the　stream。　The　river　here　was　some　three　or　four　hundred　feet　wide。　It　cascaded　down　through　various　large　boulders　and　sluiceways　to　fall　bubbling　and　boiling　into　deep　water；　it　then　flowed　still　and　sluggish　for　nearly　a　half　mile　and　finally　divided　into　channels　around　a　number　of　wooded　islands　of　different　sizes。　In　the　long　still　stretch　dwelt　about　sixty　hippopotamuses　of　all　sizes。

During　our　stay　these　hippos　led　a　life　of　alarmed　and　angry　care。　When　we　first　arrived　they　were　distributed　picturesquely　on　banks　or　sandbars；　or　were　lying　in　midstream。　At　once　they　disappeared　under　water。　By　the　end　of　four　or　five　minutes　they　began　to　come　to　the　surface。　Each　beast　took　one　disgusted　look；　snorted；　and　sank　again。　So　hasty　was　his　action　that　he　did　not　even　take　time　to　get　a　full　breath；　consequently　up　he　had　to　come　in　not　more　than　two　minutes；　this　time。　The　third　submersion　lasted　less　than　a　minute；　and　at　the　end　of　half　hour　of　yelling　we　had　the　hippos　alternating　between　the　bottom　of　the　river　and　the　surface　of　the　water　about　as　fast　as　they　could　make　a　round　trip；　blowing　like　porpoises。　It　was　a　comical　sight。　And　as　some　of　the　boys　were　always　out　watching　the　show；　those　hippos　had　no　respite　during　the　daylight　hours。　From　a　short　distance　inland　the　explosive　blowing　as　they　came　to　the　surface　sounded　like　the　irregular　exhaust　of　a　steam…engine。

We　camped　at　this　spot　four　days；　and　never；　in　that　length　of　time；　during　the　daytime；　did　those　hippopotamuses　take　any　recreation　and　rest。　To　be　sure　after　a　little　they　calmed　down　sufficiently　to　remain　on　the　surface　for　a　half　minute　or　so；　instead　of　gasping　a　mouthful　of　air　and　plunging　below　at　once；　but　below　was　where　they　considered　they　belonged　most　of　the　time。　We　got　to　recognize　certain　individuals。　They　would　stare　at　us　fixedly　for　a　while；　and　then　would　glump　down　out　of　sight　like　submarines。

When　I　saw　them　thus　floating　with　only　the　very　top　of　the　head　and　snout　out　of　water；　I　for　the　first　time　appreciated　why　the　Greeks　had　named　them　hippopotamuses…the　river　horses。　With　the　heavy　jowl　hidden；　and　the　prominent　nostrils；　the　long　reverse…curved　nose；　the　wide　eyes；　and　the　little　pointed　ears　alone　visible；　they　resembled　more　than　a　little　that　sort　of　conventionalized　and　noble　charger　seen　on　the　frieze　of　the　Parthenon；　or　in　the　prancy　paintings　of　the　Renaissance。

There　were　hippopotamuses　of　all　sizes　and　of　all　colours。　The　little　ones；　not　bigger　than　a　grand　piano；　were　of　flesh　pink。　Those　half…grown　were　mottled　with　pink　and　black　in　blotches。　The　adults　were　almost　invariably　all　dark；　though　a　few　of　them　retained　still　a　small　pink　spot　or　so…a　sort　of　persistence　in　mature　years　of　the　eternal　boy…；　I　suppose。　All　were　very　sleek　and　shiny　with　the　wet；　and　they　had　a　fashion　of　suddenly　and　violently　wiggling　one　or　the　other　or　both　of　their　little　ears　in　ridiculous　contrast　to　the　fixed　stare　of　their　bung　eyes。　Generally　they　had　nothing　to　say　as　to　the　situation；　though　occasionally　some　exasperated　old　codger　would　utter　a　grumbling　bellow。

The　ground　vegetation　for　a　good　quarter　mile　from　the　river　bank　was　entirely　destroyed；　and　the　earth　beaten　and　packed　hard　by　these　animals。　Landing　trails　had　been　made　leading　out　from　the　water　by　easy　and　regular　grades。　These　trails　were　about　two　feet　wide　and　worn　a　foot　or　so　deep。　They　differed　from　the　rhino　trails；　from　which　they　could　be　easily　distinguished；　in　that　they　showed　distinctly　two　parallel　tracks　separated　from　each　other　by　a　slight　ridge。　In　other　words；　the　hippo　waddles。　These　trails　we　found　as　far　as　four　and　five　miles　inland。　They　were　used；　of　course；　only　at　night；　and　led　invariably　to　lush　and　heavy　feed。　While　we　were　encamped　there；　the　country　on　our　side　the　river　was　not　used　by　our　particular　herd　of　hippos。　One　night；　however；　we　were　awakened　by　a　tremendous　rending　crash　of　breaking　bushes；　followed　by　an　instant's　silence　and　then　the　outbreak　of　a　babel　of　voices。　Then　we　heard　a　prolonged　sw…i…sh…sh…sh；　exactly　like　the　launching　of　a　big　boat。　A　hippo　had　blundered　out　the　wrong　side　the　river；　and　fairly　into　our　camp。

In　rivers　such　as　the　Tana　these　great　beasts　are　most　extraordinarily　abundant。　Directly　in　front　of　our　camp；　for　example；　were　three　separate　herds　which　contained　respectively　about　sixty；　forty；　and　twenty…five　head。　Within　two　miles　below　camp　were　three　other　big　pools　each　with　its　population；　while　a　walk　of　a　mile　above　showed　about　as　many　more。　This　sort　of　thing　obtained　for　practically　the　whole　length　of　the　river…hundreds　of　miles。　Furthermore；　every　little　tributary　stream；　no　matter　how　small；　provided　it　can　muster　a　pool　or　so　deep　enough　to　submerge　so　large　an　animal；　has　its　faithful　band。　I　have　known　of　a　hippo　quite　happily　occupying　a　ditch　pool　ten　feet　wide　and　fifteen　feet　long。　There　was　literally　not　room　enough　for　the　beast　to　turn　around；　he　had　to　go　in　at　one　end　and　out　at　the　other！　Each　lake；　too；　is　alive　with　them；　and　both　lakes　and　rivers　are　many。

Nobody　disturbs　hippos；　save　for　trophies　and　an　occasional　supply　of　meat　for　the　men　or　of　cooking　fat　for　the　kitchen。　Therefore　they　wax　fat　and　sassy；　and　will　long　continue　to　flourish　in　the　land。

It　takes　time　to　kill　a　hippo；　provided　one　is　wanted。　The　mark　is　small；　and　generally　it　is　impossible　to　tell　whether　or　not　the　bullet　has　reached　the　brain。　Harmed　or　whole　the　beast　sinks　anyway。　Some　hours　later　the　distention　of　the　stomach　will　float　the　body。　Therefore　the　only　decent　way　to　do　is　to　take　the　shot；　and　then　wait　a　half　day　to　see　whether　or　not　you　have　missed。　There　are　always　plenty　of　volunteers　in　camp　to　watch　the　pool；　for　the　boys　are　extravagantly　fond　of　hippo　meat。　Then　it　is　necessary　to　manoeuvre　a　rope　on　the　carcass；　often　a　matter　of　great　difficulty；　for　the　other　hippos　bellow　and　snort　and　try　to　live　up　to　the　circus　posters　of　the　Blood…sweating　Behemoth　of　Holy　Writ；　and　the　crocodiles　like　dark　meat　very　much。　Usually　one　offers　especial　reward　to　volunteers；　and　shoots　into　the　water　to　frighten　the　beasts。　The　volunteer　dashes　rapidly　across　the　shallows；　makes　a　swift　plunge；　and　clambers　out　on　the　floating　body　as　onto　a　raft。

Then　he　makes　fast　the　rope；　and　everybody　tails　on　and　tows　the　whole　outfit　ashore。　On　one　occasion　the　volunteer　produced　a　fish　line　and　actually　caught　a　small　fish　from　the　floating　carcass！　This　sounds　like　a　good　one；　but　I　saw　it　with　my　own　two　eyes。

It　was　at　the　hippo　pool　camp　that　we　first　became　acquainted　with　Funny　Face。

Funny　Face　was　the　smallest；　furriest　little　monkey　you　ever　saw。　I　never　cared　for　monkeys　before；　but　this　one　was　altogether　engaging。　He　had　thick　soft　fur　almost　like　that　on　a　Persian　cat；　and　a　tiny　human　black　face；　and　hands　that　emerged　from　a　ruff；　and　he　was　about　as　big　as　old…fashioned　dolls　used　to　be　before　they　began　to　try　to　imitate　real　babies　with　them。　That　is　to　say；　he　was　that　big　when　we　said　farewell　to　him。　When　we　first　knew　him；　had　he　stood　in　a　half　pint　measure　he　could　just　have　seen　over　the　rim。　We　caught　him　in　a　little　thorn　ravine　all　by　himself；　a　fact　that　perhaps　indicates　that　his　mother　had　been　killed；　or　perhaps　that　he；　like　a　good　little　Funny　Face；　was　merely　staying　where　he　was　told　while　she　was　away。　At　any　rate　he　fought　savagely；　according　to　his　small　powers。　We　took　him　ignominiously　by　the　scr