The Hippopotamus. 165 



not interfere much with rhino, and old iron bullets are not 

 so often found in their bodies as they are in those of 

 elephants and hippos. 



Very few of the two latter animals will be shot without 

 such projectiles being found, especially if they are old. 



It is a good plan to get pretty close to rhino (as it is with 

 elephants) so as to get in a good first shot, which is always 

 the most important one. 



Rhino and elephant when wounded badly do not stop 

 quickly, as do antelopes, and they have the habit of 

 walking on until they drop, so as long as the beast is 

 in sight keep on shooting carefully, if it has already 

 been hit. 



HIPPOPOTAMUS (Hippopotamus amphibius], 

 NATIVE NAMES. 



Chinyanja - - Mvuu. Chingoni - - Mvu. 



Approximate weight, $ 6ooolb. 



Good average tusk, <? 2oin. 



This animal is often described in old sporting books as 

 the " sea cow," but I never saw the least resemblance to a 

 cow in a hippo. Some years ago his ivory was much used 

 by dentists for making false teeth, but since other com- 

 positions have been introduced it is no longer used for this 

 purpose. In South Africa hippo hide is in great demand 

 for making whips, although it is not so strong as rhino 

 hide. However, hippos are much more easily found than 

 rhinos, and many of them have been slaughtered in the 

 rivers and lakes near civilisation. While going from Tete 

 to Chinde some years ago, in a houseboat, I saw about 150 

 of these animals, and shot several for my men ; and on 

 other occasions I have seen plenty of them in the Zambesi, 

 Luangwa, and Shire Rivers. In Central Angoniland there 

 are plenty of hippos in the Bua River, and in other small 

 rivers, and in Lake Nyasa they are abundant; so with all 



