HIPPOPOTAMUS 1 1 1 



north ; in the swamps of Lake Nganii they are fairly common ; and they abound 

 in the Zambesi, particularly in its upper waters ; northwards to the Sahara they 

 are met with in every large river, including the upper Nile. Although in scantily 

 populated districts these animals, instead of doing harm, are said to be of consider- 

 able use by keeping down the luxuriant growth of aquatic plants which would 

 otherwise choke the rivers, in cultivated country they do a large amount of damage, 

 not only by trampling down with their feet more than they eat but by rolling on 

 the ground like gigantic swine. In spite of their clumsy build, hippopotamuses 

 swim and dive remarkably well, and have been known to swim some distance out 

 to sea from one river's mouth to another. They spend most of their time in the 

 water, coming to the surface only for a moment to breathe, often in spots so thickly 

 covered with large-leaved lilies and other aquatic plants that their muzzles hardly 

 project above the surface and are often quite concealed from view. As a rule, they 

 rise every minute and a half or so, and only when pursued do they hold their 

 breath for so long as four to five minutes at a time. Although remaining in the 

 water for the greater part of the day, they are fond of sunning themselves at noon 

 on the banks, where the clumsy gambols of the adults, the frolickings of the young, 

 and the affection displayed by the mother for her offspring are best observed. 

 After sunset, if tempted by good pasture, they often wander long distances from 

 the water, and, in spite of their clumsy appearance, will climb steep banks or 

 ravines with astonishing rapidity. In spring the old bulls fight for the possession 

 of the females, the conquerors going off with the objects of their choice. The 

 female produces only one calf at a time, which is born after a gestation of from 

 227 to 242 days. The mother is devotedly attached to her offspring, carrying it on 

 her back, concealing it in safe places on the bank, and defending it with the 

 greatest fierceness. 



Hippopotamuses have always been eagerly hunted, as their flesh is nourishing 

 and well-flavoured, especially when young, a full-grown animal yielding as much 

 meat as four or five oxen. The lard, or so-called " lake-cow fat," is considered 

 better than pig's lard, being devoid of unpleasant flavour, and is used both for 

 cooking and as an embrocation. The hide, which is fully an inch thick, is usually 

 cut into from four to five hundred strips, which are rubbed with fresh fat to make 

 it supple. From these strips are made the kurbashes and sjamboks, which since 

 the time of Menes have played a great part in the history of Africa. In Khartum 

 these whips are ornamented with silver or tin, and form a considerable article of 

 trade with Egypt, Tripoli, Tunis, and elsewhere. Shields are also fashioned from 

 the hide; and from the tusks, which retain their whiteness and are therefore 

 almost as good as ivory, were formerly manufactured artificial teeth. In the 

 abbey of La Certosa, near Pavia, is an altar-covering carved by Bernardo degli 

 Ubriachi out of hippopotamus teeth. 



The following account of hippopotamus-hunting is from the pen of an English 

 traveller. In the dry season of the year the river Setit forms a series of falls, shallows, 

 rock-bound bays, and quiet pools of unknown depth. Into these spots the river-horses 

 retire when they return from their nightly wanderings on land, and one may often 

 hear them snorting without being able to see them. One particular animal had 

 been ti - aeked by natives to a large pool, out of which rose banks of sand and rocky 



