400 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



this combined host beset the canoe more closely than before, 

 and pursued it so fast that it was with the greatest difficulty 

 the little party contrived to keep a-head of them. Dr. Riippell 

 says, that while he was in Dongola, an infuriated hippopotamus, 

 with one gripe of its mouth, crushed one of the huntsmen to 

 death before he could throw his harpoon. 



The female produces in November ; and a few hours after it 

 is born, the young one takes to the water, under the guidance 

 of its mother. The calf, as it is called, cannot suck under 

 water, and the mother therefore always comes ashore in order 

 to give her offspring nourishment, and if approached while thus 

 engaged, she is more ferocious than usual, and not unfrequently 

 commences the attack. 



The flesh of the hippopotamus when tolerably young is 

 excellent food, and the fat, salted and dried, is considered a 

 great luxury by the Cape colonists. In Purchas's Pilgrimage 

 (1614, part i. p. 85<2), which contains a correct account of the 

 animal, its flesh is said to taste like beef. The hide, which is 

 thicker than that of the rhinoceros, is manufactured into shields, 

 whips, &c. The tusks, or canine teeth, sometimes two feet long, 

 and six pounds in weight, are in great request among ivory 

 merchants, as they do not become yellow. 



THE HOG TRIBE. 



It is hardly necessary to mention the exterior appearance of 

 animals of this kind j which includes the wild boar (Sus scropha), 

 the masked wild boar (S. larvatus), and the babarussa (S. baba- 

 russa). They are gregarious and omnivorous animals j their 

 muzzles are terminated by a truncated process adapted for 

 digging ; their lower incisor teeth slant forwards ; the tusks, 

 or lower canine teeth, project from the mouth and curve 

 upwards ; and they have twenty-four or twenty-eight grinders j 

 all the feet have four toes, of which the central ones are the 

 largest, and possess strong hoofs ; and the outer toes are also 

 hoofed, but scarcely touch the ground. 



