HIPPOPOTAMUS. 
97 
slowly, till he gets to the edge of the water ; when, 
if alarmed, he immediately plunges to the bottom, 
and may be seen walking there with great ease. 
The hippopotamus, however, cannot remain long 
without returning to the surface to breathe ; where, 
if undisturbed, he will continue for a considerable 
time with his monstrous head above the water. 
When Mr. Barrow, in his journey into the inte- 
rior of Southern Africa, reached the mouth of the 
Great Fish river, he saw, towards the evening, a vast 
number of hippopotami, or sea cows, as they are 
called by the Dutch, with their heads above the 
surface. Several of the paths of these animals lead 
from various parts of the river to a spring of fresh 
water about a mile distant. To this spring they go 
in the night-time to drink ; the water of the river, 
for a considerable distance from the mouth, being 
salt. 
The enormous head of this creature is sufficiently 
terrific, without considering his mouth, which, when 
extended, exposes a monstrous cavity furnished 
with about thirty-six large teeth. The tusks, of 
which there are two in each jaw, sometimes weigh 
six pounds nine ounces' apiece, and are twenty- 
seven inches long. The eyes of the hippopota- 
mus, like those of the elephant and rhinoceros, are 
small in proportion to his bulk. The skin is so 
hard, when dried, that the inhabitants of the in- 
terior of Africa are said to make shields of it that 
will repel a musket-ball ; even in its recent state it 
H 
VOL. i. 
