THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



paths trodden through the water-side jungles. One of 

 their favorite methods is to suspend a loaded javelin 

 with a poisoned head from a tree-branch, and to drop 

 it on the passing animals. Those hit and poisoned will 

 die in the water, where their floating bodies are secured 

 by the negroes. 



The "el makaunin" has the strange habit of brush- 

 ing its excrement high up on the bushes by means of 

 its short tail, which is naked except for a few bristles 

 at its extremity. Such bushes are probably "guiding- 

 posts." 



In 1896 river- hogs were still abundant in the Nsoia 

 River and the Athi River, in British East Africa. They 

 were also found in large numbers along the coast be- 

 tween Dar-es-Salaam and Pangani. I observed many 

 in the surf of the sea and on the sand of the beach. 

 They frequently travel along the sea-shore from river 

 to river, and they often go some distance out into the 

 sea in the estuaries of rivers. The salt-water seems to 

 have the effect of freeing the animals from certain 

 parasites. 



Still eight years ago a number of river-hogs could be 

 seen in the harbor of Dar-es-Salaam. They were pre- 

 served and protected by the government. One of my 

 first surprises after my first arrival in East Africa was 

 to see one of these animals suddenly rise out of the 

 water before me wdien I was hunting wild pigs. It was 

 my introduction to the gigantic beasts of East Africa. 

 II 161 



