The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-12-02 00:00:00

ATHELHAMPTON.

A FIGHT WITH THE liIrrOPJTAIII.—We have
d the folboering I .oin %Ir. J A. Spientr, o,ea
scloioolmaster, of 1i.11.81. Tuouu 'l'... who Inft her.
some six 'soothe ago H 11.3. raretu iise
Zonsibm, October 25h, 1884.—We left ti • ship, •
party .1 six, full, prepared fir • bard w ork,
with rifles, ',loot, of ammunition, and last, hut not
less., • moli mookedl hamper. Maytag leaded the
captain, elt•plie,n, wet dootor, who were going to
stalk iht junde, we mat. for the bay, or rather arm
of 04110,, extending inland f or ab out Nimes.' miles,
and in ime places thrm or four mile, 'woad. After
leaving DAte4 zisl•em the memory is magnificent, the
trim growing in the water, many yerds I. m the
Aim, 5. thst at times the lower part of the trunk
was entirely mhotergesi, • id nothing to be ileNti hut
60 island of rich tropical f llam. It 'lna linre we
beheldoysteregrowingoo 'rms. Huttiobutionea. reboot
• Imodred yards from the shore the Steam cutlet.,
with 1.117 host in tow, slow I crept Ali g,A I hauile
on toe lookeiut, the enter still awl placid, ilietorhst
only by the gentls rumba' in, of the fia-o. • leatnlike
sneers prevailing. Presently the bowman will.p r.
exult...lll. 'Tilers'. one, lo ik out, .Ir I ' and wh
14• In• to be • large box or p 'run intnau shows off the
port how, but before this rifles can he brought to bear
it diesppeara 11..Werir. tnil is ea:our...mom and in
• few momeota we get • fair "hot, and who I fly the
bullets from four rill es, out had abootinw, but no hit
Al for se we could Jo lg.. Now there is • quiet half
boor pedillog gently Mooed, till rounding • point we
become painfully aware of • very strong odour, and
diet:aver it to proceed from the body of • hippo. abot
the dsy before by the doctor, lying stranded on the
beach mines head and feet (taken on board for carom
the eland in busy already on the huge amuse*. We
are glad to give this a wide berth, and steam &crow
to • small bay on the opp site shore. ' Look out, lads l'
we are in • shoal, bang I bang I independent firing.
Here Is one fellow, au .4 I oow by the look oi
making Mrsiebt for the b oats, infuriated by hi.
wounds. Now he rises, rimeives • volley, eel leotly
the cusp de race, se with • snort he throws his hoed
far out .1 the water aid sink. witio • heavy pining-
beimath the eurface. The sport now waxes feet and
(odium; they rise on all .ides, some within • few feet
of the boat, amid there, warm work 1., more than an
hour, till, tired out, we mike for the shadiest clomp
of trees, tie up the boat and prepare to enjoy cur
luncheon. This Is rudely interrupted by the app.'',
mos of • °couple .1 in our immeniiete
vicinity ; drop everythicit, op rile., sad blear awe,,
some front the host and other, from the +bore. All
Ii going agate, the repast resumed, and, after nothing,
we pulled gently down to reconnoitre, but no more
hippos bore In sight that day, ii we contented our-
eel.., with aiimio lug the scenery, belog mewl Impresend
ny tSegraodeur ant wino I, the ooly signior life being
a solitary hut in the midst of • grove of coma nut
tress. Now we allowei the boat to drift, en) ling
the 'deice far nisch. ' till the steam cotter took us
again in tow and picked up the captain, who gave
orders to the interpreter to toll the nig4.ru when the
bodies of the hippos rue. to talc. tie heads sod toet i
a dhow to Z widow. Fa I *peel Attest, mil in an
boar's time reached aboerd, tired out, but 'teeing
fully enjoyed our fret visit 10th. lan 1 where
stone and Mackenzie immortalised their names."