THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 133 



VI. 



NOTWITHSTANDING the abundance of hippopotami in 

 certain water-courses, instances of aggression on their 

 part are very rare. 



Mr. Moffat, whilst crossing a river, was pursued by a 

 furious hippopotamus, snorting terribly. It may be 

 said, in passing, that the snorting of males can be 

 heard at a distance of a mile. Our traveller escaped 

 with very great difficulty, and if he had been an instant 

 longer in reaching the bank, he would have been a dead 

 man. 



Ordinarily canoes circulate in the midst of them 

 without being disturbed. A European was sailing on 

 a river, amongst a number of hippopotami. The 

 canoe passed over one of them. The animal moved 

 away, uttering a significant growl. 



A short time ago we read the following, in the 

 recent correspondence of a traveller in Egypt : 



"We remarked on the ground numerous traces of 

 the steps of hippopotami. It was evident that we 

 were in a part much frequented by them. We soon 

 noticed on the river a kind of black floating island ; 

 it was the back of an immense hippopotamus. We 

 afterwards saw a second and less voluminous one. 

 Our boats were now approaching, and when they 

 passed near the two backs, the sailors shouted in a 



