CHAPTER XII 



"HIPPOS" 



CONSIDERING the length of time that 

 Central Africa has been "opened up" 

 to white men, together with the wonder- 

 fully large native population that has always 

 lived there, it is really astonishing that the 

 hippopotamus has not more rapidly decreased 

 in number. Of the three great African pachy- 

 derms the elephant, the rhinoceros, and the 

 hippopotamus the latter is, perhaps, the least 

 suspicious of danger, is not hard to kill, and, 

 being restricted to water, is easily found. 



Seldom is the "hippo" as it is generally 

 called by big-game hunters found far from 

 water during the daytime. As soon as it be- 

 comes alarmed, or is wounded on land, it makes 

 for water and seeks protection in the dense 

 undergrowth in the shallows, or by diving and 

 remaining under until forced to come to the sur- 

 face to breathe. Even then the white hunter 

 can follow along the bank or from a boat can 



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