156 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



back, and overset it with six men who were in it ; but, 

 fortunately, they received no hurt." 



" We dare not," says another traveller, " irritate the 

 Hippopotamus in the water, since an adventure happened, 

 which was near proving fatal to three men. They were 

 going in a small canoe, to kill one in a river where there 

 was about eight or ten feet water. After they had discov- 

 ered him walking at the bottom, according to his custom, 

 they wounded him with a long lance, which so greatly en- 

 raged him, that he rose immediately to the surface of the 

 water, regarded them with a terrible look, opened his 

 mouth, and at one bite took a great piece out of the side 

 of the canoe, and had very nearly overturned it ; but he 

 replunged, almost directly to the bottom of the water. 



These animals are only numerous in some parts of the 

 world : it even appears, that the species is confined to 

 particular climates, and seldom to be met with but in the 

 rivers of Africa. Dutch travellers say that they bear 

 three or four young ones ! but this appears very suspicious, 

 as the Hippopotamus is of an enormous bulk, he is in the 

 class of the elephant, the rhinoceros, the whale, and all 

 other great animals, who bring forth but one ; and this an- 

 alogy appears more certain than all the testimonials that 

 they have exhibited. The female brings forth her young 

 upon land ; and the calf, at the instant when it comes into 

 the world, will fly to the water for shelter if pursued ; a 

 circumstance which Thunburg notices as a remarkable in- 

 stance of pure instinct. 



