188 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
Of twenty-five musket-balls aimed at the 
from a distance of about five feet, only on® 
pierced the skin and the bones of the nose ■ 
at each snort the animal spouted forth larg® 
streams of blood on the boat. The rest of th® 
balls stuck in the thick hide. At last n'® 
availed ourselves of a swivel ; but it was n®^ 
till we had discharged five balls from it 
the distance of a few feet, and had done s®' 
vere injury to the head and body, that th® 
monster was dispatched. The darkness 
the night increased the danger of the contest 
for the gigantic animal tossed our boat abo®*' 
in the stream at his pleasure ; and it was fot' 
tunate indeed for us that he gave up 
struggle at the moment he did, for he 
carried us into a complete labyrinth of rock^’ 
which, amidst the confusion, had not be®*’ 
observed by our crew.” 
For want of proper weapons the nati'^^^ 
cannot kill a hippopotamus of this size 
. ab 
