Fortunately there was a good axe on hand.
But for this and Swartboy's knowledge, double the time might have been wasted in the operation.
The ivory having been extracted and put away in a safe place, the "cutting up" then commenced in earnest.

Von Bloom and Swartboy were the "baas-butchers," while Hans and Hendrik played the part of "swabs." As the carcass lay half under water, they would have had some difficulty in dealing with the under part.

But this they did not design to touch.
The upper half would be amply sufficient to provision them a long while; and so they set about removing the skin from that side that was uppermost.
The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under-skin, of tough and pliant nature.

Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would have saved this for making them--as it is used for such purposes by the Bushmen and other natives.

But they had vessels enough in the wagon, and this skin was thrown away.
They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with the axe.