We returned on board, amused and interested, but having had a blank day, did not boast. De Horsey, in pulling up the Tenby river, saw a hippopotamus, but he had no gun with him. The Governor informed us that there were plenty of rhinoceros as well as elephant in the neighbourhood. I noticed a magnificent pair of tusks in his room. CHAPTER LXXIV EAST COAST SPORT [Sidenote: 1860. Aug.] After leaving Delagoa Bay it was not much out of our way to pass the small island of Europa, said to abound in turtle. [Sidenote: Europa Island, Aug. 2.] We made it at about 9 P.M. on Thursday, August 2. The moon was at its full. Although a partial eclipse darkened it for a while, by the time we were off the north end of the island the moon shone out in full splendour. It was thought that nothing would be easier than to heave the ship to and send a boat in and bring off as many turtle as we required. At 10 P.M. a party shoved off in the cutter, and shortly afterwards Heneage, O’Rorke, and self left in the galley. We found a sea breaking on a reef that bounded the coast, but farther to the west the breakers became smaller as we got under its lee. A coral reef extending along the coast a full half mile from the shore was clearly distinguishable. Watching our opportunity we got on to shelving coral, it being dead low water, and then found that we had a good quarter of a mile to haul her over water which varied from nothing to six or eight feet with deep holes. However, these were made clear by the light of the moon, and nothing was left but to haul the boat over, or return on board. The water deepened into a comparatively clear space between it and the shore, forming a sort of lagoon. The boat was easily pushed through this, and we landed shortly after midnight. Leaving the remainder to light a fire and prepare for a night’s bivouac, O’Rorke and self started along the beach to the westward to look for turtle. Although there were the tracks of many in the sand, we had travelled two miles before we came to marks that appeared fresh. A large turtle had been coquetting about, as is their wont, in search of a fit spot in the dry sand to deposit her cargo of eggs. In this instance, it was evident that the old lady had been difficult to please, as after many turns and windings the track led again inland; and sure enough, ten yards from the beach, then about eight inches deep, appeared a small oval-shaped hillock, exposed by day to the heat of the sun. It was evident, when we got alongside, the turtle was sleeping away the time until the rising tide had lifted her high enough to allow of her proceeding to sea for further amusement.