HIPPOPOTAMI. 
187 
dry the pulp before the fire, in order to b3 able toe more 
easily to get rid of the noxious seed. 
The rapids in the part of the river between Katimv 
molelo and Nameta are relieved by several reaches of still, 
deep water, fifteen or twenty miles long. In these very 
large herds of hippopotami aro seen ; and the deep furrows 
they make, in ascending the banks to graze during the 
nights, are everywhere apparent. They are guided back 
to the water by the scent; but a long-continued pouring rain 
makes it impossible to perceive by that means in which 
direction the river lies, and they aro found bewildered on 
the land. The hunters take advantage of their helplossness 
on these occasions to kill them. 
It is impossible to judge of the numbers in a herd, for 
they are almost always hidden beneath the waters ; but, as 
they requiro to come up every few minutes to breathe, 
when thore is a constant succession of heads thrown up, 
then the herd is supposed to be large. They love a still 
roach of the stream, as in the moro rapid parts of the 
channel they are floated down so quickly that much exer- 
tion is necessary to regain tho distance lost, by frequently 
swimming up again : such constant exertion disturbs them 
in their nap. They prefer to remain by day in a drowsy, 
yawning state, and, though their eyes are open, they take 
little notice of things at a distance. Tho males utter a 
loud succession of snorting grunts, which may bo heard 
a mile oil'. The canoe in which I was, in passing over a 
wounded one, elicited a distinct grunting, though the 
animal lay entirely undor tho water. 
The young, when very little, take their stand on the 
neck of tho dam, and tho small hoad, rising abovo the 
large, comes soonest to the surface. The dam, knowing 
the moro urgent need of her calf, comes more frequently to 
the surface when it is in her care. But in the rivers of 
Londa, where they are much in danger of being shot, evon 
tho hippopotamus gains wit by experience ; for, whilo those 
In tho Zambesi put up their heads openly to blow, those 
