TV//.' ;///'/';/';/ | l/r\. 626 



tin- surface, takes in the required .iiinniiit <>f air. : ml -inks hack airiin to the rixer ld. More- 

 over, it will often \trem.-lx xxarx. iluii il \\ill not protrude e\.-n iis mouth i'i lln-ii|M-n 



water, and looks out for -MM,.- i..-,|s ,,r tloalini; sul.staiires xx hidi max .-oxer ils m.u .-m.-ul- 

 xxhile breathing. \ ..iifi-.il nil.', il i- found thai the moM .|i-adlx xxoiind llial cult In* given 

 t<> a Hip|M>j>otamus is on the nose. fur tin- animal is tli.-n unable to n-nuiiii |M-|<>XX tin- surface, 

 and conse.pieiitlx presents an easy mark to tin- hunter. A heavy hall just N-loxv the shoulder 

 alxvays gives a mortal xx oiind. and n lefaull - . WtiA ' : !.'. I he eye or the 



ear is a good place to aim at. 



The !ti"-i exciting manner of hunting tin- llip|Mi]Nitaniiis is l>y faiilx < I tailing and har|xx>n- 

 ing it. as if it xxere a xxhale or a xxalrus. This IM.-I. of sjM.rt is described x.-ry x i\ idly l.y Mr. 

 AndersBon. 



The hariMMin is a x.-rx ingenious instrument, lx*in^ coni]uNH(l of txxn iMirtions. a nhaft 

 measiiriiii; thii-e or four inrlies in thickness uml ten or twelve fi--t in length, and a liarlHil iii 

 ]Kiint, xxhirh tits lo<>s.-lv into a socket in the head of the shaft, and is . -..im. <-t.-d xxith it l\ 

 means of a roie itimiHMWHl of u nuinU>r of sejKirate MnituN. This iMM-nliar io|- is rin|.lo\e<l u> 

 ]pr.-M-nt the animal from severim: it, xvhirh he xvould S,M,II inaiiiiue wii- it to ! com]Mis,-d of a 

 sinirle stnind. To the other end of the shaft u strong line is fastened, and to the other end uf 

 the line a flout or Imox is attached. AH this rotn|>osite harpoon in very xvej^hty it is not thrown 

 at the animal, but is urged by the force of the harpooner'8 arm. The manner of employing it 

 shall be told in Mr. Andersson's own words: 



"As soon as the position of the Hippopotami in ascertained, one or more of the most 

 skilful and intrepid of the hunters stand prepared with the hnriioons ; whilst the rest make 

 ready to launch the canoes, should the attack prove successful. The hustle and noise mused 

 !>y these preparations gradually subside. Conversation is carried on in u whis|N-r. and e\.-ry 

 oti>- is on the qui-vite. The snorting and plunging Itecome every moment inoif .li-^iim-t ; Imt 

 a tend in the stream still hides the animals from view. The auirle U-ing |i.ss.-<l, s,-\,-nii dark 

 olij<-<-ts are seen floating listlessly on the water, looking more like the create of sunken nx-ks 

 than living creatures. Ever and anon, one or other of the shajx-li-ss masses is sulirnenred. but 

 soon again makes its appearance on the surface. On, on, glides the nift xxith its salile crew. 

 who are now worked up to the highest state of excitement. At last, the raft is in the midst of 

 the herd, who appear quite unconscious of danger. Presently one of the animals is in imme 

 iliat. contact xvith the raft. Now in the critical moment. The foremost har|MNiner raises 

 himself to his full height, to give the greater force to the blow, and the next instant the fatal 

 iron descends with unerring accuracy in the body of the Hip|io])otanius. 



"The wounded animal plunges violently, and dives to the Uittom ; but all his efforts to 

 escape are unavailing. The line or the shaft of the har]>oon may break : hut the cruel barb 

 once imbedded in the flesh, the weapon (owing to the toughness and thickness of the beasf B 

 hide) cannot be withdrawn. 



"As soon as the llip]>opotamus is struck, one or more of the men launch a canoe from off 

 the raft, and hasten to the shore with the harpoon-line, and take a round turn xxith it alx>ut a 

 tree, or bunch of r*eds. - that the animal may either !* brought up' at once. or. should 

 there be too great a strain on the line, 'played' >'<> liken small thinir< to gr-at i in th>- same 

 manner as the salmon l.y the fishermen. Hut if time should not admit of the line U-ing passed 

 round a tree, or the like, both line and 'buoy ' an- thrown into the xxater. and the animal goes 

 x\ herever he chooses. 



"The rest of the canoes are now all launched from off the raft, and chaw is given t. the joor 

 brute, who, so soon as he comes to the surface to breathe, is saluted xxith a shoxx.-r of light 

 javelins. Again he descends, his track deeply crimson.-. 1 xxith gore. I'res.-inly and j--rhap- 

 at some little distance he once more appears on the surface, \\hen. as U-fon-. missiles of all 

 kinds are hurled at his devoted In -ad. 



When thus Ix-set. the infuriated U-a.st not unfre<|iiently turns ii|M>n his assailants, and 

 either xxith his formidable tusk<. or xxith a bloxx from his enormous head, staves in or lapsixes 

 the canoes. At times, indeed, not satisfied with wreaking his vengeance on the craft, he 



