CHAPTER XXV.. Ladies Hunting Hippos--Miss Boland Overboard Among the

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.

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!"