THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 235 



brute was up and after him. In vain he rolled himself over to 

 conceal himself in the grass ; the beast seemed resolved to trample 

 him to pieces ; he held up his right hand as a protection, and it 

 was crushed by the monster's fangs ; he stretched out his left, and 

 it was amputated by a single bite. He was afterwards found by 

 some j&shermen in a most mutilated state, barely able to recount 

 his misfortune before he died." 



Sir Samuel Baker, in his book " Ismailia," relates the circum- 

 stances attending an unprovoked attack made on his boat by a 

 ferocious hippopotamus in the White Nile. Quoting his own 

 words : " The night was cold, and the moon clear and bright. 

 Every one was wrapped up in warm blankets, and I was so sound 

 asleep that I cannot describe more until I was suddenly awoke by 

 a tremendous splashing quite close to the diahbeeah, accompanied 

 by the hoarse, wild snorting of a furious hippopotamus. I jumped 

 up, and immediately perceived a hippo, which was apparently 

 about to attack the vessel. The main-deck being crowded with 

 people sleeping beneath their thick mosquito curtains, attached to 

 the stairs of the poop-deck and to the rigging in all directions, 

 rendered it impossible to descend. I at once tore away some of 

 the lines, and awakened the sleepy people. My servant, Suleiman, 

 was sleeping next to the cabin door. I called to him for a rifle. 

 Before the affrighted Suleiman could bring the rifle, the hippo- 

 potamus dashed at us with indescribable fury. With one blow he 

 capsized and sank the zinc boat with its cargo of flesh. In 

 another instant he seized the dingy in his immense jaws, and the 

 crash of splintered wood betokened the destruction of my favourite 

 boat. 



" By this time Suleiman appeared from the cabin with an 

 unloaded gun in his hand and without ammunition. This was 

 a very good man, but he was never overburdened with presence of 

 mind; he was shaking so fearfully with nervousness that his 

 senses had entirely abandoned him. All the people were shouting 

 and endeavouring to scare the hippo, which attacked us without 

 ceasing, with a blind fury that I have never witnessed in any 

 animal except a bull-dog. 



" By this time I had procured a rifle from the cabin, where they 



