176 PACHYDERMATOUS WATEE TRESPASSERS. 



tunity of judging of the animal's aquatic powers by 

 seeing it in the small ponds which can alone be given 

 for its use in this country, but in its native rivers its 

 speed is really wonderful. Sometimes,, when angry 

 and pursuing an enemy, it dashes along in a series of 

 bounds, springing half out of the water at every leap, 

 just like a terrified whale. Sometimes it keeps up a 

 steady rush like that of a locomotive on a railway, its 

 deafening snorts and yells increasing the resemblance. 

 Mr. Baines, the well-known African traveller, who had 

 the advantage of being an accomplished artist, made 

 several drawings which exhibit the aquatic powers of 

 the Hippopotamus. 



One of these shows the speed at which the creature 

 can rush through the water, even when hampered by 

 a heavy weight and weakened by a wound and loss of 

 blood. It represents a Hippopotamus which has been 

 struck by a native harpooner belonging- to the Makoba 

 tribe. The hunters have approached the animal in a 

 canoe which contains several assistants and a steers- 

 man. As soon as the creature is struck, it dashes off 

 down the stream at such a pace that the head of the 

 canoe is half buried in the water, and throws up 

 volumes of spray, like the bows of a swift yacht in a 

 smart breeze. 



The harpooner and his assistants all hold on to the 

 rope, lying almost on their backs in the boat, and 

 holding themselves with their feet against the sides. 

 Sometimes the pace is too much even for these expe- 

 rienced boatmen, and they are obliged to cast off the 

 rope and wait for a chance of putting in another 

 harpoon. 



