'296 MAMMALIA-HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



which exists in great numbers in the lake, on the border of which we were 

 encamped ; but a violent thunder storm, to our great disappointment, pre- 

 vented our witnessing so novel a species of sport. The flesh is considered 

 a great delicacy. On the morrow we had a full opportunity of convincing 

 ourselves that these uncouth and stupendous animals are very sensibly 

 attracted by musical sounds, even though they should not be of the softest 



kind; as Ave passed along the borders of Lake Muggaby at sunrise, they 

 tollowed the drums of the different chiefs the whole length of the water, 

 sometimes approaching so close to the shore, that the water they spouted 

 from their mouths reached the persons who were passing along the banks. 

 I counted fifteen at one time sporting on the surface ; and my servant 

 Columbus shot one of them in the head, when he gave so loud a roar, as he 

 buried himself in the lake, that all the others disappeared in an instant." 



The preceding cut is copied from Thompson's Travels in Southern Africa, 

 from which we make the following extract. " The hippopotami are nume- 

 rous in many parts of this river, (the Gariep,) and are occasionally caught by 

 the natives, by means of huge pitfalls dug in the paths frequented by them, 

 when they issue from the floods, to browse on the wooded banks. The 

 capture of one of those enormous animals must be an event of rejoicing to a 

 whole horde of half starved Bushmen or Koranas, sufficient to banish hunger 

 and heaviness for months to come. The hippopotamus, though timid on 

 shore, is sometimes a dangerous antagonist in the water. Mr Moffat in- 

 formed me, that once when he was passing Read's Drift, a Hottentot of his 

 party was bit in two by one of these monstrous animals." 



It appears from the accounts of travellers, that the numbers of this animal 

 are very great in nearly all the lakes and rivers of Africa, from the Cape of 

 Good Hope to 15° north latitude. 



