182 PACHYDERMATOUS WATER TRESPASSERS. 



the Hippopotamus always rushes to that element for 

 safety when alarmed. So strong is this instinct, that 

 even the newly- born cub does the same thing, and if 

 it be disturbed when sleeping, scuttles off at once for 

 the water. It was this instinct which made the task 

 of the keepers at the Zoological Gardens so heavy 

 when the young Hippopotamus had to be removed in 

 order to give it nourishment. 



The first time that they tried to get the mother 

 away from her offspring, the little creature plumped 

 after her into the water, and, as it swam as well as she 

 did, and evinced no likelihood of coming out again 

 without her, the attempt failed. When they did 

 succeed, it was by taking advantage of a time when 

 the young one was asleep. 



" Buckeet/ 5 part of whose history has already been 

 narrated, was captured in a similar manner. The 

 little creature was fast asleep on a bank of reeds during 

 its mother's temporary absence. Mr. Petherick was 

 sailing a boat on the lake, and the owner, who was 

 conning the vessel from the mast-head, saw the sleep- 

 ing cub. Some of the men got into the water, went 

 quietly up to the little Hippopotamus, and whipped 

 him into the boat before he was fairly awake. After 

 the manner of his kind, he screamed lustily, but, for- 

 tunately, his mother was too far away to come to his 

 assistance. He must at that time have weighed some- 

 where about one hundred pounds. 



Mr. Petherick caught no less than four animals in 

 the same way, of which *' Buckeet " was the only one 

 that reached England. One died on board, one was 

 thrown into the river when the boat struck on a rock, 



