163 



December 11, 18^. 

 R. C. Griffith, Esq., in the Chair. 



The Secretary stated that he had the pleasure of announcing the 

 probability of the Society's success iu an object to which he had de- 

 voted a considerable share of his attention, which the Council had 

 frequently considered, and towards which all previous efforts had 

 been rendered fruitless by the magnitude of the difficulties by which 

 it is surrounded. He then proceeded to read the following extracts 

 from a letter addressed to him by the Hon. C. A. Murray, dated 

 Cairo, Nov. 16, 1849:— 



" It is with the greatest satisfaction that I communicate to you 

 the intelligence that I have succeeded in obtaining for the Society a 

 live Hippopotamus ! It is now in a yard at the back of my house, 

 and apparentl)' in perfect health ; you cannot be more anxious than 

 I am that I may be able to keep it through the winter and send it to 

 you safe in spring. It is only five or six months old *, and still lives 

 entirely on milk ; I think a fresh importation of cows will be neces- 

 sary in Cairo, as our little monster takes about thirty quarts of milk 

 daily for his share already. H. H. Abbas Pasha has been most 

 liberal in having the animal brought here at his own expense from 

 the White Nile. A lieutenant and a party of ten Nubian soldiers 

 formed his escort ; a boat was built on purpose for him ; and the vice- 

 roy sent him to my house in charge of the chief officer of his palace. 

 I may also mention that by H. H. orders, another officer with a party 

 of soldiers is still out on the White Nile, charged with the duty of 

 securing a young female for us, so that I am not without hope of 

 sending you the pair together." 



Five days afterwards, on the 21st of November, Mr. Murray 

 writes : — 



" The Hippopotamus is quite well, and the delight of every one 

 who sees him. He is as tame and playful as a Newfoundland puppy ; 

 knows his keepers, and follows them all over the courtyard ; in short, 

 if he continues gentle and intelligent as he promises to be, he will be 

 the most attractive object ever seen in our Garden, and may be taught 

 all the tricks usually performed by the elephant." 



In addition to the preceding correspondence, the Secretary stated 

 that he had received a most interesting letter from Mr. Duncan, the 

 well-known African traveller, now bearing the appointment of H. M. 

 Vice-Consul at Whydah. The letter was dated from the British fort, 

 and dated Sept. 14, 1849:— 



" I have the honour to inform you that I started from Whydah on 

 the 24th of August, and arrived at Abamey, the capital of the king- 

 dom of Dahomey, on the 30th, when I and my friends met with a 

 very cordial reception. I was allo\yed two days to prepare the pre- 

 sents sent by the British government to the king of this country. 



* Mammalia, VI. XIV. 



