248 WILD ANIMALS. 



witli a strong chain attached to his neck, he was allowed to enjoy 

 his pastimes, without being able to evade the watchfulness of the 

 keepei'. On this occasion, however, he succeeded by a vigorous 

 effort in breaking one of the rings of his chain, gained his 

 liberty, and started off to enjoy it. After frightening the bathers, 

 and sending them flying to the shore, the playful African paid a 

 visit to the passenger-steamer which was just starting ; the crew 

 received him with loud shouts, but he took very little notice of 

 them. Leaving the steamer he went to a smaU washing-barge, 

 where the women were washing clothes, and, to their great terror, he 

 lifted it up and shook it. He finished his " promenade " by an excur- 

 sion to the Etahlissement des Bains at the Pont d' Austerlitz, which 

 was deserted in the twinkling of an eye ; and it became evident 

 that, for once, the Parisian ladies that were therein paid but little 

 attention to the fashionable details of their appearance when 

 making their exit. Meanwhile about fifty boats had been sent in 

 pursuit of their disturber. Many of the keepers even took to the 

 water as he had done, but they could not get any hold on his 

 slippery hide ; and when one of them managed to climb upon him, 

 he disengaged himself by taking a dive. At last, after more than 

 an hour's labour, they succeeded in seizing the end of the chain, 

 which was made fast to a strong cord ; and the first hippopotamus 

 that had roamed free in Europe for a few thousand years beyond 

 even the far-back-reaching memory of the oldest inhabitant, was 

 again a captive, and restored to his usual domicile. 



In captivity a hippopotamus consumes daily about one hundred 

 pounds weight of hay, chaff, corn, roots, and green food. The 

 young animals are fed upon cows'-milk and Indian-corn meal 

 finely ground. They become very much attached to their keepers, 

 and are not nearly so stupid and sluggish as their appearance would 

 seem to indicate. 



