THE MfPPOPOTAMUS. 



Within the mouth is an array of white, gleaming tusks, which liavc a terrilic 

 appearance, but are solely intended for cutting gniss and other vegetable sub- 

 stances, and are seldom employed except for that purpose. 



With these teeth the IIipp(Ji)otamus can cut the grass as neatly as if it were 

 mown with a scythe, and is able to sever, as if with shears, a tolerably stout and 

 thick stem. 



Possessed of an enormous appetite, having a stomach that is capable of contain- 

 ing five or six bushels of nutriment, and furnished with such powerful instruments, 

 the Ilippopotanms is a terrible nuisance to the ownei"S of cultivated knds that 

 hii[)pen to be near the river in wliich 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 hmds, makes sad devastation among the growing crops. 

 Were the mischief to be conKned 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 llip- 

 ])opotamus damages more than it eats by the clumsy manner of its j)rogress. The 

 body is so largi' and heavy, and the legs are so short, that the animal is tbrcc<l 

 to make a double track as he walks, and in the grass-grown ])lain can be readily 

 traced by the ])eculiar character of the tract. It may therefore be easilv ima- 

 gined that when a number of these hungry, awkward, waddling, splay-footed 

 beasts come blundering among the standing crops, trampling and devouring indis- 

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



The aggrieved cultivatoi*s endeavour to protect their groumls and at the same 

 time to make the depredator pay for the damage which they liave done, by dig- 

 ging a num])er of j)itfalls across the Ilippopotanms paths, and furnishing each j)it 

 with a sharp stake in the centre. 



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

 ivory of great commercial value, but the flesh is very good eating, and the hide is 

 useful for the manufacture of shields, whips, and spear handles. 



The fat of the Hippopotamus, called by the colonists " Zee-Koespeck," or Sen- 

 cow bacon, is held in very high estiihation, as is the tongue ami 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 thick- 

 ness 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 acconnnodatt^s itself easily to all his movements. 



The Ilippopotanms is, as the import of its name, River Horse, implies, most 

 acquatic in its habits. It generally prefers fresh water, but it is not at all averse 

 to the sea, and will sometimes prefer salt water to fresh. It is an admirable 



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