434 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



covering, excepting a few scattered hairs on the muzzle, the 

 edges of the ears and tail. Though generally mild and inoffen- 

 sive, it is not to be wondered at that a creature like this, which 

 when full grown attains a length of eleven or twelve feet, and 

 nearly the same colossal girth, affords a truly appalling spectacle 

 when enraged, and that a nervous person may well lose his 

 presence of mind when suddenly brought into contact with the 

 gaping monster. Even Andersson, a man accustomed to all sorts 

 of wild adventure, felt rather discomposed when one night a 

 hippopotamus, without the slightest warning, suddenly protruded 

 its enormous head into his bivouac, so that every man started to 

 his feet with the greatest precipitation, some of the party, in the 

 confusion, rushing into the fire and upsetting the pots containing 

 the evening meal. 



As among the sperm-whales, sea bears, elephants, and other 

 animals, elderly males are sometimes expelled the herd, and, 

 for want of company, become soured in their temper, and so 

 misanthropic as to attack every boat that comes near them. 

 The herd is never dangerous except when a canoe passes into 

 the midst of it when all are asleep, and some of them may 

 strike it in terror. To avoid this, it is generally recommended 

 to travel by day near the bank, and by night in the middle of 

 the stream. The "solitaires," or "rogue-hippopotami," fre- 

 quent certain localities well known to the inhabitants of the 

 banks, and, like the outcast elephants, are extremely dangerous. 

 Dr. Livingstone, passing a canoe which had been smashed to 

 pieces by a blow from the hind foot of one of them, was in- 

 formed by his men that, in case of a similar assault being made 

 on his boat, the proper way was to dive to the bottom of the 

 river, and hold on there for a few seconds, because the hippo- 

 potamus, after breaking a canoe, always looks for the people 

 on the surface, and if he sees none, soon moves off. He saw 

 some frightful gashes made on the legs of the people who, 

 having had the misfortune to be attacked, were unable to 

 dive. One of these " bachelors " one day actually came 

 out of his lair, and, putting his head down, ran with very 

 considerable speed after the missionary and his party; and 

 another time they were nearly overturned by a hippopota- 

 mus striking the canoe with its forehead. The butt was so 

 violent as to tilt one of the boatmen out into the river, while 



