Near the banks, however, it was very dark, and the night wind sighed sadly in the reeds.
To our left, on the further side of the river, was a little sandy bay which was clear of trees, and here I could make out the forms of numerous antelopes advancing to the water, till suddenly there came an ominous roar, whereupon they all made off hurriedly.

Then after a pause I caught sight of the massive form of His Majesty the Lion, coming down to drink his fill after meat.

Presently he moved on, then came a crashing of the reeds about fifty yards above us, and a few minutes later a huge black mass rose out of the water, about twenty yards from me, and snorted.
It was the head of a hippopotamus.

Down it went without a sound, only to rise again within five yards of where I sat.

This was decidedly too near to be comfortable, more especially as the hippopotamus was evidently animated by intense curiosity to know what on earth our canoes were.