The North-Carolinian., 1857-02-28
NORTH CAROLlNIAN
His,pfrOtamus Hnntinr
II I ELTETILLE, ~. r.

e weeks, and 1t had been determined that tn
; hrSt' and II need be the next day likewise
d shooid oe devoted to thorough inspection q
= the facilities of the place, in order that ".
t. mlghtzwork at as little disadvantage as noss
/ ble
Consequently we, the mates boats crew
had been ordered to prepare for a oerprs
cruise. We provided ourselves with a store .
bread and beef, filed the boats breaker will
water, spread our sail to the light breeze, ali,
pointed the boats bow toward The nearest is
land Landing here, we found nought but
5 wilderness of low Jungle; which was scarcel
p5netrablc, together with poor landing W.
examined three or four of the inlets and ha vim.
at last fixed upon suitable place where t.
commence operations, were bout to return OF
board, when the mate said,
! Trim aft, Tom, there's good breeze, fai
coming and going, and we'll take look at th
mainland" Accordingly, the boats head wa
laid shoreward, and we spread ourselves out a
full length upon the thwarts, enjoying an un
usual treat Of some cigars which our chief officer
had good-natnredly brought With him.
| When within about mile and half of the
mainland, we found the water shoalng, being
then not more than three fatlums-eighteen
feet deep.
II saw black skin glisten in the sun just then. -
SAID the boat steerer, WHO aft, the mate
having stretched himself upon the bow thwart
to take nap
1t was ncthing but putting pig" said he
drowsily.
''Thcrc it is again, and no putting pig either
ror pocpoise-no-no," said he with some de-
gree of animation--"nor anything else that
wears black skin that [ ever saw before"
This had the effect of rousing us up, every
one casting his eyes ahead to catch sight of
the questionable ''black skin"
"Ihere he blowsp'-"and there arain,"-
"and over here too," said several voices in sue
cession.
"It ain't a spout at all, boys; let's pull up
and see what it is!''
We took to our oars and the boat was soon
darting forward at good speed towards the
place where had last seen the object of our
curiosity
Stern all!' suddenly shouted the mate, as
the boat brought up 'al standing against some
object which we had net been able to see on |
account Of the murkiness of the water, the col
iIslou nearly throwing upon our backs into
the bottom of the boat. A we backed off. an
enormous beast slowly raised lis head above
the water, gave loud snort and incontinently
dove down again, almost before we could get a
fair look at it.
"What is itY" was now the ouestiun-which
10 one conld answer
"N hatever it isl said the mate whose whal-
ng blood was up, eff it comes within reach of
Ty iron, I'll make fast to it, lads--so pull
ahead" We were again under heatlway, Keep
ng bright look out for the temperance of
he stranger.
"There they are, whole school," said the
nate, eagerly pointing in shore, where the
slistening of white water showed that a number
# the nondescripts were evidently enjoying
themselves. NOV, boys, pull hard, ard well
Don try their mettle" I
''There's something broke water, just ahead t
aid the boat-s.eerer. c
f'Pul easy, lads---I see him-there-way t
his back !"- r
'Stern mp shouted he, as he darted his iron :
ato back as broad a small sperm whales. i
Stern all-back water-back water every 4
nanl" and the infuriated beast made desperate c
'lnges in every direction, making the white S
satcr fly almost equal to whale: e
We could now see the whole shape of the t
rea tnre, as in his agon3 and surprise, he raised h
mself high above the surface. We all recog- q
lied at once the Hippoptamus, as be is repre- 6
ented in books of natural history. i
Our subject soon got little cooler, and l
living savage roar, bent his head round until /
e grasped the shank of the iron between his E
eeth. With one jerk he drew it out of his
ieedng quarter, and shaking it savagely, dove {
own to the bottom. The water was here but /
bout two fathoms deep, and along the bottom
y line Of blood, as we'll as by the air bub- q
les which rose to the surface as he breatbed | a
Give me another iron, Charley, and we'll t
OF give him chance to pull it out next time''
The iron was handed up and We slowly ;.
lied in the direction which our prize was fol- :.
wing along the bottom. !,
Here's two or three of them astern of ds,"
id the boat-steerer.
just then two. mere rose, one on either side g