第22章

Thenightwascold，andthemoonclearandbright。Everyonewaswrappedupinwarmblankets，andIwassosoundasleep，thatIcannotdescribemoreuntilIwassuddenlyawokebyatremendoussplashingquiteclosetothediahbeeah，accompaniedbythehoarsewildsnortingofafurioushippopotamus。Ijumpedup，andimmediatelyperceivedahippowhichwasapparentlyabouttoattackthevessel。Themaindeckbeingcrowdedwithpeoplesleepingbeneaththeirthickmosquitocurtains，attachedtothestairsofthepoop-deck，andtotherigginginalldirections，rendereditimpossibletodescend。Iatoncetoreawaysomeoftheties，andawakenedthesleepypeople。Myservant，Suleiman，wassleepingnexttothecabindoor。Icalledtohimforarifle。BeforetheaffrightedSuleimancouldbringtherifle，thehippopotamusdashedatuswithindescribablefury。Withoneblowhecapsizedandsankthezincboatwithitscargoofflesh。Inanotherinstantheseizedthedingyinhisimmensejaws，andthecrashofsplinteredwoodbetokenedthecompletedestructionofmyfavouriteboat。BythistimeSuleimanappearedfromthecabinwithanunloadedguninhishandandwithoutammunition。Thiswasaverygoodman，buthewasneveroverburdenedwithpresenceofmind；hewasshakingsofearfullywithnervousness，thathissenseshadentirelyabandonedhim。Allthepeoplewereshoutingandendeavouringtoscarethehippo，whichattackeduswithoutceasingwithablindfurythatIhaveneverwitnessedinanyanimalexceptabull-dog。

BythistimeIhadprocuredariflefromthecabin，wheretheywerealwayskeptfixedinarow，loadedandreadyforaction，withbagsofbreechloadingammunitiononthesameshelf。

Themovementsoftheanimalweresorapidashechargedandplungedalternatelybeneaththewaterinacloudoffoamandwave，thatitwasimpossibletoaimcorrectlyatthesmallbutfatalspotuponthehead。

Themoonwasextremelybright，andpresently，ashechargedstraightatthediahbeeah，IstoppedhimwithaNo。8Reillyshell。Tomysurprise，hesoonrecovered，andagaincommencedtheattack。

Ifiredshotaftershotathimwithoutapparenteffect。Thediahbeeahrockedaboutuponthewavesraisedbytheeffortsofsolargeananimal；

thismovementrenderedtheaimuncertain。Atlength，apparentlybadlywounded，heretiredtothehighgrass；therehelaybythebank，atabouttwenty-fiveyards’distance，snortingandblowing。

Icouldnotdistinguishhim，asmerelytheheadwasabovewater，andthiswasconcealedbythedeepshadowthrownbythehighgrass。Thinkingthathewoulddie，Iwenttobed；butbeforethisItooktheprecautiontoarrangeawhitepapersightuponthemuzzleofmyrifle，withoutwhich，nightshootingisveryuncertain。

Wehadfallenasleep；butinabouthalfanhourwewereawokebyanothertremendoussplash，andoncemorethismadbeastcamechargingdirectlyatusasthoughunhurt。Inanotherinstanthewasatthediahbeeah；butImethimwithaballinthetopofhisheadwhichsenthimrollingoverandover，sometimesonhisback，kickingwithhisfourlegsabovethesurface，andagainproducingwaveswhichrockedthediahbeeah。Inthishelplessmannerherolledforaboutfiftyyardsdownthestream，andweallthoughthimkilled。

Toouramazementherecovered，andweheardhimsplashingashemovedslowlyalongtheriverthroughthehighgrassbytheleftbank。Thereheremainedsnortingandblowing，andasthelightofthemoonwasofnoserviceinthedarkshadowsofthehighgrass，wewaitedforaconsiderabletimeandthenwenttobed，withtherifleplacedinreadinessondeck。

InashorttimeIheardloudersplashing。Iagaingotup，andI

perceivedhimabouteightyyardsdistant，walkingslowlyacrosstheriverintheshallows。Havingafairshotattheshoulder，IfiredrightandleftwiththeNo。8Reillyrifle，andIdistinctlyheardthebulletsstrike。Hene

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