624 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



a terrible nuisance to the owners of cultivated lands that happen to be near the river in which 

 the animal has taken up his abode. During the day it is comfortably asleep in its chosen 

 hiding-place, but as soon as the shades of night deepen, the Hippopotamus issues from its 

 den, and treading its way into the cultivated lands, makes sad devastation among the growing 

 crops. Were the mischief to be confined to the amount which is eaten by the voracious brute, 

 it would still be bad enough, but the worst of the matter is, that the Hippopotamus damages 

 more than it eats by the clumsy manner of its progress. The body is so large and heavy, and 

 the legs are so short, that the animal is forced to make a double track as he walks, and in the 

 grass-grown plain can be readily traced by the peculiar character of the track. It may there- 

 fore be easily imagined that when a number of these hungry, awkward, waddling, splay-footed 

 beasts come blundering among the standing crops, trampling and devouring indiscriminately, 

 they will do no slight damage before they think fit to retire. 



The aggrieved cultivators endeavor to protect their grounds and at the same time to make 

 the depredators pay for the damage which they have done, by digging a number of pitfalls 

 across the Hippopotamus paths, and furnishing each pit with a sharp stake in the centre. 



When an animal falls into such a trap, the rejoicings are great, for not only is the ivory of 

 great commercial value, but the flesh is very good eating, and the hide is useful for the manu- 

 facture of whips and other instruments. The fat of the Hippopotamus, called by the colonists 

 "Zee-Koe speck," or Sea-cow bacon, is held in very high estimation, as is the tongue and the 

 jelly which is extracted from the feet. The hide is so thick that it must be dragged from the 

 creature's body in slips, like so many planks, and is an inch and a half in thickness on the 

 back, and three-quarters of an inch on the other portions of the body. Yet, in spite of its 

 enormous thickness and its tough quality, it is quite pliable when seen on the living beast, 

 and accommodates itself easily to all his movements. 



The Hippopotamus is, as the import of its name, River Horse, implies, most aquatic in its 

 habits. It generally prefers fresh water, but it is not at all averse to the sea, and will some- 

 times prefer salt water to fresh. It is an admirable swimmer and diver, and is able to remain 

 below the surface for a very considerable length of time. In common with the elephant, it 

 possesses the power of sinking at will, which is the more extraordinary when the huge size of 

 the. animal is taken into consideration. Perhaps it may be enabled to contract itself by an 

 exertion of the muscles whenever it desires to sink, and to return to its former dimensions 

 when it wishes to return to the surface. It mostly affects the stillest reaches of the river, 

 as it is less exposed to the current, and not so liable to be swept down the stream while 

 asleep. The young Hippopotamus is not able to bear submersion so long as its parent, and 

 is therefore carefully brought to the surface at short intervals for the purpose of breathing. 

 During the first few months of the little animal's life, it takes its stand on its mother's 

 neck, and is borne by her above or through the water as experience may dictate or necessity 

 require. 



There are various modes of hunting this mischievous but valuable animal, each of which 

 is in vogue in its own particular region. The pitfalls above mentioned are universal through- 

 out the whole Hippopotamus country, and lure many an animal to its destruction without 

 needing any care or superintendence on the part of the men who set the snare. There is also 

 the "down-fall," a trap which consists of a log of wood, weighted heavily at one end, to 

 which extremity is loosely fixed a spear-head well treated with poison. This terrible log is 

 suspended over some Hippopotamus path, and is kept in its place by a slight cord which 

 crosses the path and is connected with a catch or trigger. As soon as the animal presses the 

 cord, the catch is liberated, and down comes the armed log, striking the poisoned spear deep 

 into the poor beast's back, and speedily killing it by the poison, if not from the immediate 

 effects of the wound. 



The white hunter of course employs his rifle and finds that the huge animal affords no easy 

 mark, as unless it is hit in a mortal spot it dives below the surface and makes good its escape. 

 Mortal spots, moreover, are not easy to find, or when found, to hit ; for the animal soon gets 

 cunning after it has been alarmed, and remains deeply immersed in the water as long as it is 

 able, and when it at last comes to the surface to breathe, it only just pushes its nostrils above 



