The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-01-16


the carcaes to the not fars distant shore
1t was luckily high tide and we got the
body up to the high-wSter marx, where the
speedily retiring tide lell it ashore. When
we had viewed lhs gisssa and thought ofsthe
singular agility he hadsdisplayediu the wa
ter. we could not help acknoSIedging to one
aaother that 70 get am qng a school Of such
fhiPPopOtani. would be ratsr a desperate
game ssms7iEgag salslzs ,a4sssia y.,-al
y On measuring we found our prise tosbe a
fhle less than fifteen feet long, from his
head TO the commencement Of his sbor. hair
less tail. We could not measure his girt;
bat lis bulks was enormous. His 'egs were
.disproportionately short. giving him CON
jointly with his short neck and very large
head, and awkward, strolil appearance,
which the agility in he d isplaged in the wa
s'erb no means justified. His skin was
very thick and very tough. and almost alto
gether devoid Of hair. His head was sha-
ped a little like that ofap OK but his mouth
was,very large, and furnished, aside from
"a set Of stout grinders, with four tusks. two
in each jaw, from ten to twelve inches long,
which together with a peculiarly savage look
ofthe eye, gave him most wliked appear
ance. -aas sl uas5issaas.eJ y1a9T
We had not been long on shore When
several natives made !. their appearance =
I they testified much joyrat sight Of cur
prize, and went through most lively pan.
tonine. from which we gathered that the
beasts we're a great plague to them; that
the meat was good to eat, and that they
would like q portion. Tie Lint was not
lost upon us, who had mot tasted fresh beef
for six months. q .a-t% $50 A@s..
t7 'What,say you boys; will you try piece
ofhippopotamus steak2' proposed the mate
and as no one dissented. we got tie axes,
and after considerable chopping and hack
ling. got,off The head. when we were ena-
bied 10 cut ourselves, about twenty five
pounds of what appeared Ito be tolerably
tender me {, off Of the fore e1uarler. With
7 This supply and some tushS which the Ia
lives gave US, we proceeded on board to
relate our adventure sOnr steaks, were
cooked for supper, and wh ether ii was that
we were blessed with an uausuaIly5 good
Eappetite, orthat the meat was actually Wen
favored certain it i that i taYsed deliri
cious. .bssssss
l We paid some farther visits TO tiie shore,
but at The captains orders kept .olt Of The
way Of 4he river horses, as he did moi
ehonse to risk a b boat and perhaps her crew
when no profit was to be gained We
gathered from the natives that the hippota,
mus infested the country about there. in
grpat herds, and often. in o:e night, de-
sHoyed all the rice fields in the neighbor.
hood. We were shown two large PITS on
! the bordsrs Of field. in Which already sev.
eral had been caught. These holes, were
dug by the natives with sticks andycrough
wooden spades. Sharp stakes are driven
Ein, The, Bottom, the whole trap is covered
With ,boughs u trees and old wood, that it
may qh'ok like part Of The path the beasts
asske9iu theirsdaily peyegrinations down to
the water side, and it is comp ilete. AS the
troops comes uptfrpm the water, after night
on an, ipcursion, the leader generally falls
asictlm to the,ingenultyo of The natives
Bnt they, not having any weapons where
with to dispatch their huge prize. are ooIi-
ged to let the poor beast starye 70 death
in his narrow pit, securing thus naught but
their revenge and tie tasks, which lastiare
Valuable as ivory. ''' &a'seg3e 70 s's4s
Our curiosity had been aroused to see an
entire herd coming up out Of thew ster, to
CORTLAND, and atsthe instance Of the catpain
II partyof US, including the captain armed
ourselves and took up a position, one even
Ling about sunset. just one iide Of what ap-
poarela to be their principal line, of srnarch
among b tbicketof large atrees.d .Wetors-
ihaife III H. q our station m the dark, 'tilf about
Epine O'clock. listening with asst9PREisshmeni stPE
10 the gambols of the nnwieldy monster siin
lhe waterclose atons.i IL hasebeep pFopo-
Hsed more comirg on sfore---te FIRE at ltht
Ihsrd .as They, came past our hiding place,
land our muskets were loaied with b, balls lcr
That purpose. But the FIRST signs Of then
Ecomingl putsahnthoughts ofs6ring ont ofsoul
Fbeads,, and each shrahE behind u tree. only
Zoe glad to cape Els notice. TIE noises
ElAey made a,comipg on was AS, lhoussshh though 4
tafnadel was sweeping through ahed woods
The roating was terrific, thepSery asanit
SEEMED 70 trembls5 al The sound. iaTlfeeE q
Us who had concealed ourselves Behind, ;at
EspormouA tree, and where We jhad, been
msrriysb sboasling how wOuldi pop dew
kthe Hippopotami'aDow shrankaclosslyl 70
getheF; each one lying down hisA musk u
Ersady FOR instantaheops flight: y s.sas AZ
EoiThe beasts were eridentiysaWaEs sef gu
presepce gOraas they passedaus aheysniaffe.
Ithe airIsuspicioasly, and bFsskiagx aihtoia
4 |waddlng trot. made the wslkln ring q with
sush deafepiag roarP that for while !
sae ned a L the heastaof Tho foreat ahal