HIPPOPOTAMUS TRAPa 
445 
are extensively used as food. At a village called Mboma 
(16°, 56', 30" S.), they obtained supplies of rice, very 
cheap, and a native serenaded them by singing wild, but 
not unmusical, songs, accompanying himself upon a native 
species of fiddle, with one string. At sunrise, the water 
of the river was 70°, or 23° warmer than the air, so that 
fogs rose from the stream like steam. Both banks of the 
•tream are dotted with hippopotamus traps, over every 
track these animals make in going up out of the water to 
graze. The hippopotamus feeds on grass alone, and when 
there is danger, only at night. Its enormous lips act like 
a mowing machine, and form a sort of path in the grass as 
it feeds. Its flesh is rather coarse, and among some of the 
tribes as much objection is made to eating it as there is to 
eating pork among Hebrews. The musquitoes were very 
bad, and the steamer being leaky, supplies of them were 
had on board, as well as from the outside. These insects are 
so numerous in malarious spots, that their presence is con- 
sidered an evidence that the place is unhealthy. There are 
said to be none of them on the uplands. 
A few miles above Mboma lies the village of the chief, 
Tingane (16°, 44', 3" S.), whose people were now friendly. 
The Ruo (16°, 31', 0" S.) is said to have its source in the 
Milanje Mountains, and joins the Shire some distance 
above Tingane’s. A short way beyond the Ruo lies the 
Elephant Marsh, or Nynnja Mukulu, frequented by vast 
herds of elephants. Eight hundred in sight at once were 
counted by the expedition. They showed their sagacity by 
choosing this stronghold, since the hunters cannot get at 
them in the marsh. When the steamer first appeared, they 
were not acquainted with it, and not afraid of it. Killing 
one or two, however, soon taught them to avoid it. 1 he 
African elephant differs from the Asiatic, especially in the 
eonvex shape of his forehead, and the enormous size of hia 
cars. In Asia many of the males and all the females have 
no tusks, while in Africa both sexes are provided with these 
Weapons. In the two species, the enamel of the teeth is 
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