Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14

BEFORE could solve my problem, night
forced us to make for the village on the OPP
poSite shore. There I introduced myself to
Chief Bauio, who lent me hut in which Hec-
tor set up my cot. 1t was past midnight when
I awoke, bolt upright and talking aloud to my
self had dreamed of what I was sure would
be perfect way to take my hippo alive.
So the next day, with boys hired from the
chief. started up the river again, finally
choosing a remote hippo path that stretched
for more than half mile between the stream
let and the rice fields. When we came to a
suitable tree I sent Hector up with a rope.
which we fastened to trigger native fashion.
But the other end drew behind the first, and
to it attached an old kerosene can half filled
with empty tins When the snare was set
tested it by touching the trigger with my SIAM
box, or hippo staff. The rope went flying up
ward and the kerosene can went Gathering to
earth. Pea Soup cried out, jumping. 1T will
work" 1 said to myself. 1T frightened Pea
Soup-it will frighten the hippo"
So cheerfully superintended the digging of
a pit-not eight, but ten feet deep. The extra
two feet I stuffed with dried grasses to break
the hippos fall. At the bottom my pit was ten
feet by fifteen, but it narrowed to opening
of six by ten, so small as to make escape inn
possible for a captured hippo On the third
day when the last pailful of earth had been
carried of, we fixed the camouhage over the
opening, rugged the trigger to the rope and
then returned to the village.
The plan is obvious When the rattle clat-
tered out Of the tree behind the hippo he would
naturally run forward in fright. In a moment
therefore, he would go tumbng down upon his
soft bed of grasses, where he would lie UNI
harmed till we found him. 1t seemed reason
able to me.
But how would be a hippo would
pass this particular path? And, even if
he passed would he stumble upon some little
thing, unnoticed by us, that would send him
off before he reached the trigger? Then, too,
how could / be sure my trap was set on path
still travelled by hippos? Very soon 1 decided
that, to be sure of taking animal,
must prepare many pits. So within circum-
ference of thirty miles, l selected twenty-stx
other seemingly favorable locations. And in
the days when the pits were being dug that
swamp hummed with industry I made Hector
and Pea Soup and tall, Stringy lad called Boz
sambo overseers assigning one-third of the
country to each. But before any one of the
pits was left as finished inspected each detail.
THEN long wait began. Before daybreak
each morning the three boys made the
rounds of their allotted traps. The days of our
waiting stretched into fortnight, to the morn
ing when Hector padding back to the village,
painted excitedly:
"Massa he drop down, fill pit up! Massa,
saw him! Plenty big hippo for true"
1t did not take us many minutes to pack a
canoe with boards and tools of all kinds. Then
we set out, three boatloads of us moving up
stream to the plaintive singing of the boys.
Soon 1 was peering down at our hippo from
board stretched across the opening of the pit.
He lay there in the dimness, fine big chap,
wallowing strangely on his side, while from his
pinkish, half-opened mouth came a sound that
seemed to me hardly normal. Something was
the matter with him, knew at once. What?
made haste to find out.
The boys brought me a pole. prodded him.
His response low and pig-like half grunt,
half growl. 1t was plainly tinged with suffer-