THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 
from a convenient tree above their paths, across which a line is stretched, 
which, when disturbed, causes the spear-head to drop and plunge into 
their backs. But the hippo is a more intelligent animal than his somewhat 
heavy countenance would lead one to suppose, and is possessed, moreover, 
of a wonderfully keen sense of scent, and he does not often fall a victim to 
the traps of the natives. He suffers, however, to a considerable extent, in 
some parts of Africa from the fire-arms which large numbers of them now 
possess. They cannot shoot accurately enough with large -bore muskets 
to hit a hippo through the brain as he lies basking in the water, and they 
never waste ammunition in trying to do so, but they lie in wait below the 
wind, close to where hippos are accustomed to leave the river on their 
nightly rambles after food, and fire leaden bullets, or, more often — on the 
Lower Zambesi — lengths of iron rods, point-blank into their great bodies. 
Sometimes these penetrate to the heart or lungs, and the wounded animal, 
after rushing back into the river, soon dies, and his swollen carcass is 
found floating on the surface the following morning. When a hippo is shot 
through the brain in a lake or river, he at once sinks to the bottom. In cold 
weather, and if the water is deep, the carcass will lie there for about six 
hours before rising to the surface, but in a hot climate, and if the water is 
shallow, it will come up in three hours, or even less. 
The meat of a young hippopotamus cow is really very well flavoured, 
though inclined to be tough. In South Africa these animals used to get into 
such high condition that their bodies were everywhere covered with a 
thick coating of fat. This fat is soft and white, and equal in quality to the 
very best lard. 
As the hippopotamus is nearly always shot through the brain when in 
the water by European sportsmen, no weapon is more suitable for the 
destruction of these animals than a small-bore cordite rifle with solid 
nickel -covered bullets. If a hippo rises to the surface with the back of his 
head towards one or partially towards one, a shot at the root of the ear is 
immediately fatal; but if one of these animals is hit in the face, the bullet 
is more likely to miss the brain than not. 
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