Thetamarindswereoftwovarieties，andwereproducedinextraordinaryquantities。Abouttwomilesfromhead-quarters，therewasanextensiveportionoftheforestcomposedalmostexclusivelyofthesemagnificenttrees。
TheforestwasalsorichinthetreeknownbytheArabsas”heglik”Thisbearsafruitaboutthesizeofadatelalobe，whichisacombinationofsweet，bitter，andhighlyaromatic。Mymencollectedseveralhundredweight，asIwishedtotryanexperimentindistilling。Therewasanexcellentcopperstillinthemagazine，andIsucceededinproducingadeliciousspiritsomewhatresemblingkirschenwasser。
Mycottonwasnowripe，andIcleaneditwithasmallhandginthatcouldbeworkedbytwomen。ThisgreatlyinterestedtheBarivisitors，who，bymyspecialinvitation，hadbeenresidingforsometimeatGondokoro。
Thedryseasonhadbeenveryunfavourableforcotton；nevertheless，thequalitywasgood，andprovedthatitwouldthriveinthelocality。Thespeciesthatwasindigenousgrewtoagreatsize，andseemedtodefythedrought。Thisborearedblossom，andthepodwassmall。Thenativecottonwasofshortstaple，andadheredstronglytotheseed。
On29thNovember，twoArabsarrivedfromAbouSaood’sLatookastation，100mileseastofGondokoro：theyhadtravelledatnight，andweredesertersfromthevakeel。Oneofthesefellowsturnedouttobemyoldfollowerduringmyformerjourney，Mohammedthecamel-driver，andheliterallycriedwithjoywhenhesawmywifeandmeagain。Hegavemeallthenewsfromtheslave-traders’camp，whichwasfullofslaves，andtheywereafraidthatImightarrive，astheywereawarethatIknewtheroad。ThevakeelofLatookahadreceivedandharbouredtwoofmyEgyptiansoldiers，whohaddesertedfromGondokoroandjoinedtheslave-huntersundertheguidanceofaBari。
On1stDecember，LieutenantBakershotafinebullelephant，withverylargetusks；thiswaswithinfourmilesofhead-quarters。AtthisseasontheywereverynumerousintheneighbourhoodofGondokoro。DuringmyabsencetothesouthofRegiaf，therehadbeenacuriousnocturnalalarminthestation。
Uponafinemoonlightnightthesentrieswereastonishedbytheappearanceoftwoimmensebullelephants，that，havingmarchedalongthecliff，tookthefortintherearontheriverside。
Thefortwasaredan，openattheriverbase；thus，unheedingthesentry，theelephantscoollywalkedintothecentre。Thesentry’smusketwasimmediatelyrespondedtobytheguard；thebuglers，startledbyasharpfireofmusketry，blewthealarm。
Theelephants，nowalarmedintheirturn，rushedonwards，butuponascendingtheearthwork，theyweremetbyadeepyawningditch，whichtheycouldnotcross。Thewholeforceturnedout，andtheattackonthethick-skinnedintrudersbecamegeneral。Thebulletsflewsowildlythatitwasmoredangerousforbystandersthanfortheelephants。
Inthemeanwhile，thepanic-strickenanimalschargedwildlyinalldirections，butwereinvariablystoppedbytheditchandrampart，untilatlasttheyhappenedtofindtherightdirection，andretreatedbytheiroriginalentrance，mostprobablynotmuchtheworsefortheadventure。
Mr。Higginbotham，whogavemethisaccount，describedtheexcitementofthetroopsassointense，thattheylettheirmusketsoffcompletelyatrandom：andsothickwerethebulletsinhisdirection，thathewasobligedtotakeshelterbehindawhite-anthill。
Ihadnotimetodevotetoelephant-shooting，otherwiseImighthavekilledaconsiderablenumberintheneighbourhoodofGondokoro。TheBarisarenotgoodhunters，andtheymerelycatchtheelephantsinpitfalls；therefore，beingfreefromattack，theseanimalsareexceedinglydaring，andeasytoapproach。
Theyaregenerallyattractedbytheripelalobes，thefruitalreadydescribedoftheheglikBalanitesEgyptiaca。Thetrees，ifofmediumsize，arefrequentlytorndownforthesakeofthissmallproduction，thatwouldappeartooinsignificantforthenoticeofsohugeananimal。
Ioncehadanopportunityofwitnessinganelephant’sstrengthexertedinhissearchforthissmallfruit。IwasintheShircountry，andoneevening，accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker，Istrolledintotheforest，abouthalfamilefromourvessels，towatchforwaterbuckReduncaEllipsiprymnainasmallgladewhereIhadshotoneonthepreviousevening。
Wehadnotlongbeenconcealed，whenIheardapeculiarnoiseinthethickforestthatdenotedtheapproachofelephants。
Weatonceretreatedtosomerisinggroundabout150pacesdistant，asoursmallrifleswouldhavebeenuselessagainstsuchheavygame。Inashorttimeseveralelephantsappearedfromvariousportionsofthecovert，andoneofextraordinarysizemovedslowlytowardsus，untilhehaltedbeneathatall，spreadingheglik。Thistreemusthavebeennearlythreefeetindiameter，andwasaboutthirtyfeethighfromthegroundtothefirstbranch；itwasthereforeimpossiblefortheelephanttogatherthecovetedfruit。Torootupsuchatreewouldhavebeenoutofthequestion。Theelephantpausedforashorttime，asthoughconsidering；hethenbuttedhisforeheadsuddenlyagainstthetrunk。I
couldnothavebelievedtheeffect：thislargetree，whichwasequalinappearancetotheaveragesizeofpark-timber，quiveredineverybranchtosuchadegree，thathadapersontakenrefugefromanelephant，andthoughthimselfsecureinthetop，hewouldhavefounditdifficulttoholdon。
Whenthelalobesfall，theymustbepickedupindividuallyandalthoughthetroubleappearsdisproportionedtothevalueofthefruit，thereisnofoodsomuchcovetedbyelephants。
Nearthisspot，onthefollowingday，Ihadacloseadventurewithahippopotamus。IhadgonetothesameplacewhereIhadseentheelephants，andIwasreturningthroughtheforestwithinafewyardsoftherivermargin，when，uponsuddenlyturningroundadensethorn-bush，Icamewithinfourorfivepacesofalargebullhippopotamus。Thisanimalhadlefttheriverforaneveningrambleontheshore，andwasmunchingsomesucculentgrasswithsuchgustothathehadnotheardmyapproach。Unfortunately，Ihadcomeuponhimexactlyatrightangles，whichrestrictedmyshottothetemple。Thisisthemostdifficultofpenetrationinthehippopotamus。
Ionlyhadthe”Dutchman，”andmyattendantMonsoorcarriedasniderrifle；thuswewerebadlyarmedforsoimpenetrableabeast。Ifiredjustinfrontoftheear，certainlywithinfifteenfeet。Theonlyeffectproducedwasashakeofhishead，andheappearedratherstupid，asthoughstunned。Theleft-handbarrelfollowedquicklyupontheright。
Monsoorfiredwithhissnider。The”Dutchman，”beingabreechloader，wasreadyagain，andwefiredintothisstupid-lookingbruteasthoughhehadbeenatarget，andwithaboutthesameeffect。
Suddenly，asthoughwehadjustawakenedhim，heturnedroundandboltedintoadensemassofthorns，aboutthirtypacesbeforeus。
Inthemeantime，thetroopsatthevessels，thatwerewithinabout300
paces，havingheardtherapidandcontinuedfiring，supposedthatIhadbeenattackedbythenatives。The”FortyThieves”rushedtotherescue。
Iheardthebugle，andpresentlythevoicesofthemenastheyapproached，runningthroughthebushatfullspeed。Thehippopotamushadmovedfromhisthornyretreat，andwaswalkingslowlyforward，whenhewasstumbledagainstby”TheForty，”someofwhomliterallyranagainsthim。
Theanimalappearedquitestunnedandstupid，andhemerelystoodandstaredathisnewassailants。Thesightwasperfectlyridiculous。Everyriflewasfiredintohim；butthehollowbulletsofthesnidershadnopenetration，andwemightaswellhavepepperedthestonebullsofNineveh，intheBritishMuseum。Atlength，afterhavingbeenthecentreofablazeoffireworks，aseverymandidhisbesttokillhimduringthespaceofaboutaminute，hecoollyapproachedtheedgeofthecliff，whichwasquiteperpendicularandabouteighteenfeethigh。
Atremendoussplashwastheendoftheencounter，asthehippocommittedhimselftothedeep，withaclumsyjumpfromthemidstofthedisappointedsoldiers。
IwasconstantlyannoyedbythewantofpenetrationoftheBoxerhollowbullets。The”Dutchman”carriedthreedrachmsofNo。6-grainpowder，whichshouldhavedrivenasolidbulletthroughalargeantelope；butthehollowBoxerprojectileinvariablydisappearedinsmallfragmentsuponstrikingabone；oritexpanded，andhadnofurtherpenetratingpowerafterstrikingathickhide。
Thesniders，althoughadmirablemilitaryweapons，possessedaverysmallpowerofpenetration。Ihavefrequentlyseenthebodiesofnativeswithonlyonebullet-mark；andIhaveextractedbulletsthatoughttohavepassedcompletelythrough。
My”FortyThieves”werenowproudofthemselvesasexperiencedinvarioussports，andtheywereterriblydisgustedattheescapeofthehippopotamus。Theywereneveridleforasingleday。Ifnootherworkwasonhand，Ipractisedthematthetarget，ortheyweretreatedtoafewhours’drill。
SometimesItookthemfishing：thiswasalwaysagreatamusement，astheexpeditionwaswellfurnishedwithnets。
Therewasasmalllakenearmystationthataboundedinfish。Oneofmysailorsbelongingtothediahbeeahwasaprofessionalfisherman，descendedfromaraceofthiscalling。Ihadthereforeintrustedhimwiththechargeofthenets。Allthesailorsofthediahbeeahweregoodmen，butthefisherman，Howarti，wasthebestofthepickedcrew。HewasaNubian，borninKhartoum，andofanexceedinglylightcolour。Hisstyleofbeautywasratherspoiledbythelossofoneeye，andaltogetherhispersonalappearancewasnotattractive；buthewasverystrong，althoughasmallman，andinanycaseofemergencyhewasthemostactiveandintelligentsailor。Howartiwasalwaysthefirstmantoleapoverboardwiththetowrope，whenitbecamenecessarytodragthevesselagainstwindandstream：hewas，likeallNubians，anadmirableswimmer。
Ourcomforthaddependedmuchuponthismanthroughouttheexpedition，ashewastheonlypersonwhocouldproperlythrowacasting-net。Thushehadalwayssupplieduswithexcellentfish。Ioftenadmiredhisperseverance，when，aftertwentyorthirtybarrencasts，herestedforawhile，cleanedhisnet，andwaded，inspiteofcrocodiles，toseekamorelikelyspottocatchfishforbreakfast，atatimewhenthismealwoulddependentirelyuponhissuccess。AtsuchtimesIfrequentlyadvisedhimasagoodMohammedantosay”Bismillah”inthenameofGod
beforehethrewthenet。Onthefirstoccasion，beforeIgavehimthisadvice，hehadhadextremelybadluck，andhetoldmethat”somethingwaswrongwiththefish；”ashehadthrownhisnetforanhourwithoutcatchinganything，exceptafewuneatablespike-fish。
Iadvisedhimtocomewithmeinthedingy；andhavingrowedashortdistance，wearrivedatasand-bankinthebendoftheriver。Herewelanded，andIfoundfaultwithHowartiforomittingtosay”Bismillah！””Willitdoanygood?”askedtheprofaneHowarti。”Try，”Ireplied；”youknowtheopinionofMohammedans；nowthen，Howarti，say’Bismillah，’andthrowjustinthatholeclosetotheweeds。Spinyournetsothatitshallfallperfectlyround，andadvanceveryquietlytotheedge，sothatyourshadowshallnotdisturbthefish。””Bismillah！”ejaculatedHowarti，andhecreptcautiouslyforwardtoaverylikely-lookinghole。”Bismillah！”andwithadexterousthrow，thenetdescribedanexactcircleasitfellevenlyuponthewater。
Nosoonerhadthefishermancommencedtotightenthecrownline，whentherapidandpowerfuljerksshowedthathehadsomethinggoodwithinhisnet。”Now，Howarti，looksharp！thebottomiscleansand：haulaway，anddon’tgivethemtimetoburrowbeneaththeleads。”
Howartihauledaway，andasthenetcameneartheshore，therewassuchasplashingandjumpingashehadrarelyseen。Thenetcameinuponthecleansand-bank，andwecountedupwardsoffortyfineboulti，severalofaboutfourpounds，andthesmallestabouthalfapoundweight。
Howarti，havingcountedhisfish，exclaimed，piously，”Elliambd-el-Illah！”andadded：”InfutureIshallalwayssay’Bismillah！’”
Howarticleanedhisnet：thefishwereplacedinabasket，andwerecoveredwithsomeriver-weedtokeepthemfresh。
Oncemorethefishermanarrangedhisnetuponhisarm，andcautiouslyapproachedamostinvitinglittlenook，wheresomelargelotusleavesfloatingonthesurfacedenotedamediumdepth。