296 MAMMALIA—HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
which exists in great numbers in the lake, on the border of which we were 
encamped; but a violent thunder storm, to our great disappointment, pre- 
vented our witnessing so novela species of sport. The flesh is considered 
agreat delicacy. On the morrow we had a full opportunity of convincing 
ourselves that these uncouth and stupendous animals are very sensibly 
attracted by musical sounds, even though they should not be of the softest 
kind; as we passed along the borders of Lake Muggaby at sunrise, they 
tollowed the drums of the different chiefs the whole length of the water, 
sometimes approaching so close to the shore, that the: water they spouted 
from their mouths reached the persons who were passing along the banks, 
I counted fifteen at one time sporting on’ the -surface; and my servant 
Columbus shot one of them in the head, when le gave so loud a roar, as he 
buried himself in the lake, that all the others disappeared in an instant.” 
The precedigg cut is copied from Thompson’s Travels in Southern Africa, 
from which we make the following extract. ‘‘ The hippopotami are nume- 
rous In many parts of this river, (the Gariep,) and are occasionally caught by 
the natives, by means of huge pitfalls dug in the paths frequented by tl.era 
when they issue from the floods, to browse on the wooded banks. The 
capture of one ef those enormous animals must be an event of rejoicing -¢ a 
whole horde of half starved Bushmen or Koranas, sufficient to banish hunger 
and heaviness for months tocome. The hippopotamus, thougl. timid on 
shore, is sometimes a dangerous antagonist in the water. Myr Moffat m- 
formed me, that once when he wag passing Read’s Drift, a Hottentot of his , 
party was bit in two by one of these monstrous animals.” 
It appears from the accounts of travellers, that the numbers of this animal 
are very great in nearly all the lakes and rivers of Africa, from the Cape of 
Good Hope to 15” north latitude. 
