THE HIPPOPOTAME. 



frefh water from a well in the neighbourhood, till, at laft, it was killed by 

 .fome people who lay in ambudCh for it. 



The Hippopotamus is not fo quick in its pace as the generality of the 

 larger quadrupeds; it is, however, a dangerous animal to meet with out of 

 the water ; for, though its difpoiition is naturally mild, it becomes furious, 

 when provoked, and from the amazing width of its mouth, is capable of 

 biting a man in two in an inllant. 



Dr. Sparrman gives the following account of a rencounter he had with a 

 Hippopotamus one night, which we mall make no apology for tranfcribing : 

 <f We fet ourfelves down clofe by each other's tide, in a path made by the 

 Sea Cows ; making ourfelves pretty fure, as the place was flat, and 

 confequently it was light here, of being able, if any Hippopotamus mould 

 happen to come upon the fhallow, and look about it, to fee it plain enough 

 to kill it with a volley of three mot. But, to the great endangering of our 

 lives, we, on a fudden, found the animal much quicker in its motions, as 

 well as bolder, than we had thought it ; for, while I was fitting half afleep, 

 and meditating on the lubjedt, llruck with the confideration, that although 

 we, with our guns, had at that prefent moment the dominion over Job's 

 Behemoth ; yet, on the other hand, the flies, or fmall mufquitoes, had the 

 dominion over us ; fo much, indeed, that I was forced to wrap my face up 

 in a handkerchief ; a Sea Cow came out of the river, rufuing upon us, with 

 a hideous cry, as fwift as an arrow out of a bow ; at the fame time, I heard 

 the farmer call out, " Heer Jefus /" but luckily, at the very intrant, he 

 discharged his piece, which, flaming full in the animals face, contributed 

 perhaps more than the ball, to make it ftart back ; when fetting up another 

 cry, it threw itfelf into the water again with as great precipitation as it 

 came out." 



Lieutenant Paterfon, who travelled into the internal parts of Africa, 

 relates the method ufed by the natives to catch thefe animals, as follow : 

 " They dig large holes in the ground, along the banks of the river, about 

 ten feet diameter, and fome of them about ten feet deep : in the bottom 

 of thefe pits they place pieces of wood, marpened at the points, and then 



