The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-08-10


 and allowed to tange themselves into mass. As the lower reeds in time become soaked with water, and sink, fresh material is added above.
 Although the rafts look insecure, they arc really quite safe. If the hunting ground is a long dis tance from the village mast and sail are used to assist their progress.
 On the morning after my arrival groups of tives the river bank busily engaged in cut ting rushes, which they made into rafts on which | they placed the canoes. Makata and his brother were to accompany me, and l found that, in con- sideration of my being stranger the largest canoe had been awarded to my party, and for my safety and comfort the raft was more heavily built than the others.
 | At last we pushed our raft off from the shore and allowed the huge mass to float down with the stream We lay flat upon it, perfectly hidden by the fringe or small hedge that was built all around the canoes. I had not omitted to take my double eight-bore Express rifle
 At last we reached the bathing place of the hip popotamus herd, and I could hear the sound of their blowing in every direction. found it rather tiresome to lie still within easy shot of the gang for it is the practice of the natives not to give chase to any particular animal, but to wait until one of them comes close to the raft.
 Peering through the rushes, side by side with kskata, l could see the huge head of hippopota- mus as it swam near us. Only the eyes, ears and nose could be seen These parts were of bright scarlet, quite unlike the dull, leaden hue which these parts assume in captivity.
 AS we neared the swimming animal Makata rose on one knee. When he gripped his harpoon he trembled with excitement 1 had been told to re- main perfectly still, and to do only what my na- tive companion told me to do Seguini, the brother noiselessly coied the harpoon rope that it would run out easily.
 The most perfect quiet was observed, as even a splash or a strange sudden shadow would scare the herd and put it to flight, and our chance would be lost for that day.
 When at last the brute was so near that could almost have touched him, Makata, with one move ment, rose to his full heightand hurled the har- poon; as he did so he made hissing sound, as if he were grooming horse. With dull thud the heavy spear sank into the neck of the brute and quivered with the force that had driven it home. Sung by the strange and unexpected pain, the animal gave a convulsive spring, shook from the rude socket the head of the harpoon, which still remained attached to the shaft by its many stranded rope, and dashed down stream at full speed Se- guini paid out the line rapidly, while Makata and sprang into the canoe, and continued to pay it out as he followed us. But as he took his seat he held the line taut, and the hippopotamus drew the canoe from of the raft of rushes and lowed it along as if it were a cork.
 It was like whaling on a small scale Now and again. as our speed became too great or the hippo potamus made a sudden turn to left or right the rope was paid out or hauled in. Our object was to tire the monster out sufficiently to be able to steer or drive 1t into shallow water. Our party of three squatted in frail craft which apparently was not large enough to carry a boy Segun sat in the bow his whole attention directed to the rope, and between his knees rested heavy bladed, keen-edged knife; sat amidships, with my rifle across my knees and the water washed my finger tips as l gripped the gunwale. In the stern stood Makata with the paddle in his hand and harpoon at his feet His face was ablaze with ex citement, and he looked like an averaging demon.
 noise upstream attracted our attention. and we saw another hippopotamus with canoe towing behind it.
 "Take care" shouted our steersman, "you will run foul of us. Steady, Seguini, steady wait until give the word-now, then-cutp As he spoke, the infuriated brute made straight st us open-mouthed. Seguini severed the rope attached to our animal at one cut, and with deft turn of his paddle, Makata shot the light canoe sixty feet from the threatening beast. Our course | llxuoa asffn fv. @ha