726 



THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



when immersed in its favorite element, is able to draw breath, and to use three senses 

 at once for hours together, without exposing more than its snout. The hide, which is 

 upwards of an inch and a half in thickness, and of a pinkish brown color, clouded 

 and freckled with a darker tint, is destitute of covering, excepting a few scattered hairs 

 on the muzzle, the edges of the ears and tail. Though generally mild and inoffensive, 

 it is not to be wondered at that a creature like this, which when full grown attains a 

 length of eleven or twelve feet, and nearly the same colossal girth, affords a truly 

 appalling spectacle when enraged, and that a nervous person may well lose his presence 

 of mind when suddenly brought into contact with the gaping monster. 



As among the sperm-whales, sea-bears, elephants, and other animals, elderly males 

 are sometimes expelled from the herd, and, for want of company, become soured in their 

 temper, and so misanthropic as to attack every boat that comes near them. The herd 

 is never dangerous except when a canoe passes into the midst of it when all are asleep, 

 and some of them may strike it in terror. To avoid this, it is generally recommended 

 to travel by day near the bank, and by night in the middle of the stream. The 

 ** solitaires," or "rogue-hippopotami," frequent certain localities well known to the in- 

 habitants of the banks, and, like the outcast elephants, are extremely dangerous. Dr. 

 Livingstone, passing a canoe which had been smashed to pieces by a blow from the 

 hind foot of one of them, was informed by his men that, in case of a similar assault 

 being made on his boat, the proper way was to dive to the bottom of the river, and 

 hold on there for a few seconds, because the hippopotamus, after breaking a canoe, 

 always looks for the people on the surface, and if he sees none, soon moves off. He 

 saw some frightful gashes made on the legs of the people who, having had the misfor- 

 tune to be attacked, were unable to dive. One of these " bachelors " one day actually 

 came out of his lair, and, putting his head down, ran with very considerable speed 

 after the missionary and his party ; and another time they were nearly overturned by 

 a hippopotamus striking the canoe with its forehead. The butt was so violent as to tilt 

 one of the boatmen out into the river, while the rest sprang to the shore, which was 

 only about ten yards off ; the beast looking all the time at the canoe, as if to ascertain 

 what mischief it had done. ' 



In rivers where it is seldom disturbed, such as the Zambesi, the hippopotamus puts 

 up its head openly to blow, and follows the traveler with an inquisitive glance, as if 

 asking him, like the " moping owl " in Grey's Elegy, why he came to molest its ancient 

 solitary reign? " but in other rivers, such as those of Londa, where it is much in dan- 

 ger of being shot, the hippopotamus takes good care to conceal its nose among water- 

 plants, and breathe so quietly that one would not dream of its existence in the river, 

 except by footprints on the banks. Notwithstanding its stupid look — its prominent eyes 

 and naked snout giving it more the appearance of a gigantic boiled calf s head than 

 anything else — the huge creature is by no means deficient in intelligence, knows how 

 to avoid pitfalls, and has so good a memory that, when it has once heard a ball whiz 

 about its ears, it never after ceases to be cautious and " wide awake " at the approach 

 of danger. Being vulnerable only behind the ear, however, or in the eye, it requires 

 the perfection of rifle-practice to be hit ; and once in the water, is still more difficult to 

 kill. It dives and swims with all the ease of a walrus or a sea-elephant, its huge body 

 being rendered buoyant by an abundance of fat. > 



Its flesh is said to be delicious, resembling the finest young pork, and is considered 



