THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 183 



and escaped ; and the other became entangled in the 

 boat, sank with it, and was drowned. 



Having these habits, the Hippopotamus is always 

 watchful to preserve its communication with the 

 river, and cannot endure that anything or anyone 

 should cut off its retreat. On one occasion, when a 

 native hunter had got between the Hippopotamus and 

 the river, the animal was too frightened to be angry. 

 It made headlong for the water, caught the man on its 

 enormous nose, jerked him high in the air, and rushed 

 into the water. Fortunately for the man, it was so 

 alarmed that it did not think of stopping and using its 

 teeth. Had it done so, there would have been no 

 chance for him, as Mr. Petherick once saw a Hippopo- 

 tamus seize a man and cut him in two with a single 

 bite. 



Aquatic as it is, the Hippopotamus does not affect 

 the rapid parts of the stream ; and seems to prefer 

 the lake to the river, because there is no stream. 

 It is rather a lazy animal, and likes to lie asleep in the 

 water, if possible, with its chin resting on a bank of 

 reeds, or some such support. Consequently, it pre- 

 fers, when it awakes, to find itself in the spot which it 

 occupied when it fell asleep ; an event which would 

 not take place in a stream, however sluggish. When 

 the animal inhabits a river, such as the Nile, it looks 

 out for quiet bays which are well flanked with reed- 

 beds. In these bays there is scarcely the slightest 

 current, and the animal can repose in perfect quietude. 



AVhen very young, the Hippopotamus is carefully 

 tended by its mother. After a while it becomes tired 

 of swimming, and needs rest. Now, the mother could 



