HOW WILD ANIMALS ARE CAUGHT 73 
dog, the hippopotamus is an animal to be treated with caution, 
When the captive has been made fast the palisade is broken 
away, and a sloping path is dug out of the pit to the surface of 
the ground. A 
litter is made of 
stout poles and 
branches, the hip- 
popotamus is laid 
upon the litter and 
secured there with 
more _ branches 
twisted together ; 
and he is then 
hauled out. The 
most laborious 
part of the work 
now commences, 
namely, the trans- 
port through 
swamp or forest 
to the nearest 
river. A road 
has to be hewn 
the whole way 
through the bush. 
Arrived at the 
river, he is placed 
upon a native 
barge ; but before 
being embarked 
for Europe he is accustomed to captivity and to the food 
supplied him. The difficulty of carrying him may be inferred 
from the fact that the young animal may weigh as much as 
half a ton. 
Kalmuck priest. 
Some of the most arduous, as well as the most expensive, 
