THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 1 1 



is a dreadful scourge to the inhabitants, who lack the 

 means of destroying it. Occasionally, but rarely, it is 

 seen much farther north, even below the cataract of the 

 Nile at Assouan. 



The hippopotamus abounds in the Niger, where it 

 was seen by Richard and John Lander. Clapperton 

 observed them in the lake Muggaby, Bornou, and in the 

 great lake Tchad and its tributary rivers. 



Quiet and inoffensive, it is only when attacked that 

 the hippopotamus becomes furious, and if hard pressed 

 on land he rushes open-mouthed with the utmost des- 

 peration on his aggressor. If the party attacking the 

 animal in his watery domicile be in a boat, their danger 

 is extreme. Captain Owen (' Narrative of Voyages to 

 explore the Shores of Africa, under Captain W. F. W. 

 Owen ') had many encounters with these animals. 

 While examining a branch of the Temby river, in Dela- 

 goa Bay, a violent shock was suddenly felt from under- 

 neath the boat, and " in another moment a monstrous 

 hippopotamus reared itself up from the water, and in a 

 most ferocious and menacing attitude rushed open- 

 mouthed at the boat, and with one grasp of its tremendous 

 jaws seized and tore seven planks from her side ; the 

 creature disappeared for a few seconds, and then rose 

 again, apparently intending to repeat the attack, but was 

 fortunately deterred by the contents of a musket dis- 

 charged in its face. The boat rapidly filled, but, as she 

 was not more than an oar's length from the shore, they 

 (the crew) succeeded in reaching it before she sank. 

 The keel, in all probability, had touched the back of the 

 animal, which, irritating him, occasioned this furious 

 attack ; and, had he got his upper jaw above the gun- 

 wale, the whole broadside must have been torn out. 

 The force of the shock from beneath, previously to the 

 attack, was so violent, that her stern was almost lifted 

 out of the water, and Mr. Tambs, the midshipman steer- 

 ing, was thrown overboard, but fortunately rescued 

 before the irritated animal could seize him. 



Fig. 2 represents the skeleton of the hippopotamus, 

 which is a ponderous frame- work in unison with the 



