THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 489 



There are various modes of hunting this mischievous but valuable 

 animal, each of which is in vogue in its own particular region. Pitfalls 

 are universal throughout the whole hippopotamus country, and lure 

 many an animal to its destruction without needing any care or superin- 

 tendence on the part of the men who set the snare. They are simply 

 pits dug across the path of the Hippopotamus, and provided with a sharp 

 stake in the centre. 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 liis 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 cun- 

 ning 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 the surface, takes in the required 

 amount of air, and sinks back again to the river bed. Moreover, it will 

 often be so extremely wary that it will not protrude even its mouth in 

 the open water, and looks out for some reeds or floating substances which 

 may cover its movements while breathing. As a general rule it is found 

 that the most deadly wound that can be given to a hippopotamus is on 

 the nose, for the animal is then unable to remain below the surface, and 

 consequently presents an easy mark to the hunter. A heavv ball just 

 below the shoulder always gives a mortal wound, and in default of such 

 a mark being presented, the eye or the ear is a good place to aim at. 



The most exciting manner of hunting the Hippopotamus is by fairly 

 chasing and harpooning it, as if it were a whale or a walrus. This mode 

 of sport is described very vividly by Mr. Andersson. 



The harpoon is a very ingenious instrument, being composed of two 



portions, a shaft measuring three or four inches in thickness and ten or 



twelve feet in length, and a barbed iron point, which fits loosely into a 



socket in the head of the shaft, and is connected with it by means of a 



62 



