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until he gave up half。 No reason given Taylor agent H。 & C。 why returned Apparently when called will come down on the ivory question。 Cuthbert Malet； coffee planter； came call on me。 Only Englishman still in Service State。 Had much to say which did not want printed until he out of country which will be in month or two。 Anstrossi has given me side of cabin where there is room for my cot； so expect to sleep。
STANLEY POOL； Feb。 22nd； 1907。 DEAR MOTHER：
When you get this； I will be on my way to London。 The rest of my stay here will be on board two boats； touching at the banks of the Kasai river。 One I now am on takes me up and another takes me down。 I will see a great deal that is strange and it is very interesting。 Yesterday； for example； only an hour before our train reached Gongolo Station； there were three elephants that wandered across the track。 We were very disappointed not to have seen them。 At the mission house on the way up； I brought the first ice the mission boys had seen and when I put a piece in the hand of one； he yelled and danced about as though it were a coal。 The higher up you go the tougher it gets。 Back in the jungle； one can only imagine what it is like。 Here all the white men have black wives； and the way the whip is used on the men is very different from the lower congo。 The boat is about as large as a touring car； with all the machinery exposed。 I am very comfortable though； with my bed and camp chair； and； books to read； when one gets tired of this great； dirty river。 I； expect to see hippopotamuses and many crocodiles and to learn something of the 〃atrocities〃 by hearsay。 To see for oneself； would take months。 I return from the Kasai district by a boat like this one； burning wood and with a stern wheel； reaching Leopoldville； this place； about the 12th of March； and sailing on the Albertville for Southampton on the 19th of March。 So I should be in London and so very near you by the 8th of April。 Of course； if I take a later boat from here； I will be just that much later。 I am perfectly well； never better。 No fever； no 〃tired feeling〃 good appetite； in spite of awful tough food。 From this place money cannot be used and I carry a bag of salt and rolls of cloth。 For a bottle of salt you get a fowl or a turkey； for a tablespoonful an egg； or a bunch of fruit。 When you write be sure and tell me ALL your plans for the summer； that is； after you have been to see us。 My dearest love to you all。
DICK。
From diary of February 27th； 1907。
Saw two hippos。 Thought Anstrossi said they were buffalo。 So was glad when I found out what they were。 I did not want to go home without having seen only two dead ones。 In a few minutes I saw two more。 Anstrossi fired at them but I did not； as thought it not the game when one could not recover them。 Before noon saw six in a bunchand then what I thought was a spit of rock with a hippo lying on the end of it； turned out to be fifteen hippos in a line！ Burnham has told he had seen eleven in the Volta in one day。 Before one o'clock； I had seen twenty…six； and； later in the day Anstrossi fired at another； and shot a hole in the awning。 That made twenty…seven in one day。 Also some monkeys。 The hippos were delightful。 They seemed so aristocratic； like gouty old gentlemen； puffing and blowing and yawning； as though everything bored them。
From diary of February 28th； 1907。
When just going up for coffee； saw what was so big； looking at it against horizon； thought it must be an elephant。 Was a young hippo。 Captain Jensen brought boat within eighty yards of him； and both Anstrossi and I fired； apparently knocking him off his legs； for he rolled on his side as though his back was broken。 I missed him the second shot； which struck the water just in front of him。 The other three shots caught him in the head； in the mouth and ear。 He lay quite still； and the boys rushed out a gang plank and surrounded him singing and shouting and cutting his tail to make him bleed and weaken him。 They don't die for an hour but he seemed dead enough； so I went to my cabin to re…load my gun and my camera。 In three minutes I came out； and found the hippo still quiet。 Then he began to toss his head and I shot him again； to put him out of pain。 In return for which he rolled over into the water and got away。 I was mad。 Later saw four more。 Just at sunset while taking bath another was seen on shore。 We got within sixty yards of him and all of us missed him or at least did not hurt him。 He then trotted for the river with his head up and again I must have missed； although at one place he was but fifty yards away； when he entered the water； a hundred。 I stepped it off later in the sand。 I followed him up and hit him or some one of us hit him and he stood up on his hind legs。 But he put back to land for the third time。 Captain said wait until moon came out。 But though we hunted up to our waists saw none。 One came quite close at dinner。 Seven on the day。
CONGO RIVERMarch 1； 1907。 DEAR MOTHER：
I have been up the Congo as far as the Kasai river； and up that to a place called Dima。 There I found myself in a sort of cul de sac。 I found that the rubber plantations I had come to see； were nine days journey distant。 In this land where time and distance are so differently regarded than with us； a man tells you to go to Dima to see rubber。 He means after getting to Dima； you must catch a steamer that leaves every two weeks and travel for five days。 But he forgets that that fact is important to visitors。 As he is under contract to stay here three years； it does not much matter to him how he spends a month； or so。 Dima was two hundred yards square； and then the jungle。 In half an hour； I saw it all； and met every one in it。 They gave me a grand reception； but I could not spend ten days in Dima。 The only other thing I could do was to take a canoe to the Jesuit Mission where the Fathers promised me shooting； or； try to catch the boat back to England that stops at interesting ports。 Sooner than stop in Boma； I urged Cecil to take that boat。 So； if I catch it； we will return together。 It is a five weeks journey； and rather long to spend alone。 In any event my letters will go by a faster boat。 I have had a most wonderfully interesting visit； at least； to me。 I hope I can make it readable。 But； much of its pleasure was personal。
I have just had to stop writing this； for what when I get back to New York will seem a perfectly good reason for interrupting a letter to even you。 A large hippopotamus has just pushed past us with five baby hippos in front of her。 She is shoving them up stream； and the papa hippo is in the wake puffing and blowing。 They are very plenty here and on the way up stream； I saw a great many； and every morning and evening went hunting for them on shore。 I wanted the head of a hippopotamus awfully keenly for the farm。 But of the only two I saw on land； both got away from me。 I did not shoot at any I saw in the water； although the other idiot on board did； because if you kill them； you cannot recover them； and it seems most unsportsmanlike。 Besides； I was so grateful to them for being so proud and pompous； and r