The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-07-09
Chasing a llippopotamus in Detroit River
..Full Particulars of his Capture.
From the Detroit Free Press.

From the Detroit Free Press.
A very exciting as well as novel affair
occurred about six miles down the river
on Monday afternoon, being no less than
veritablo chase of hippopotamrs. 1t
seems that in the transit of tho circus
now performing here from Buffalo to this
city it became necessary, en- account of
their excessive weight, to send the Gle
phant and the hippopotamus on prcpel,
Ter, and they we're accordingly shipped
on board the s. D. Caldwell. On Mon
day afternoon, as the steamer was near
ing this port, ascene of great excitement
occurred, which nearly resulted in the
escape of the huge behemoth, or hippo
potamus, belonging to G. c. Quick, Esq,
and at present forming one of the attrac
tions of G. f. Bailey's quadruple circus.
The huge beast was shipped from Buff
falo on board the steamer s. d. Caldwell
and as it was impossible to get the i'm
mcnse cage on board. that was sent by
land, while his Behcmothship, accompa-
MED by Ali, the Egyptian, his capturer
and keeper, proceeded by water to De-
troit. During the voyage it was noticed
that the animal continually looked long
ingly toward the water, as though be
would have given one of his eye teeth
Ono tritie by the way) for plunge into
the depths Of the lake and ramble about
its unexplored bottom. No one suppos,
ed, however, that lie would yield to his
amphibious tastes, and so no extra watch
was set upon him.
As tie steamer ncared the city, and
when about three miles below the fort,
and as Ali and everybody else were gaz
ing landward, crash and then a splash
were heard from the side of the bow to-
wards the American shore Everybody
rushed to the spot. The place where the
hippopotamus had been confined was
empty. The truth became instantly ap-
parent. The beast, no longer able to
resist the temptation, had burst his
bonds and plunged into the river, re-
solved on an aquatic excursion.
The owner, who was on board, looked
like a picture Of despair. Forty thou
sand dollars, to say nothing of large
amount of prospective profits. lad sud
denly vamosed AS fer Ali, the Egyp-
tian keeper, he was nearly frantic. He
tore his hair and prayed to his strange
gods. In few moments, however, the
monstrous head Of the huge beast appear.
ed above the surface of the water. A
general shnut avos-> -"ri Az. wee .~;.l
&c
beloved pet, while a boat was lowered,
into which he jumped and rowed towards
the beast, who swan about in an cstacy
of delight.
As the Egyptian commenced calling
him by familiar names, and at the sound
Of his voice, the monster stopped, looked
around, and seemed to wait for the boat
to near him, but just as it approached
within reaching distance, the hippopot
anus gave plunge, and once more dis
appeared, leaving whirlpool Of seethne
water to mark the spot where he had
gone down Nothing was seen of him
now for long time, and they were about
+ giving him up for lost, when he sudden
ly made his appearance about one hund
red yards off, but nearer the shore tina,
at first. Ali again rowed towards him
calling him, as before, but again th
beast lodged him, and dove to the bot
tom of the river. Ali now made q larg
circuit with his boat, in hopes Of takin
him by surprise, as he came up to breathe
but, as il aware of hts intentions, he ros
long distance off, and looked at hi
master cunnipgly, and with an expre'
sion which seemed to say, "No 20
lon't.'
For third time Ali started in pur
, suit, with a result similar to that whic
, had attended his other efforts to recal
ture his pet. When he went down Il
: third time Ali paused, evidently cor
e pletely nonplussed, and seemingly ovc
come by grief and despair. In a asecon
9 however, he seized the oars and rowe
: toward the steamer. "Try de tog,'
$ de t6g < large, Black mast,h, Will
y his been trained to sleep in the cage
the hippopotamus, and for whom he h
been keeping up continued ho"Ii'
.e from the time his companion had esca
y, ed, was now loosencd, and he instant
IS plunged into the river, and swan af'
!. Ali as he moved eff In about min,
e, the hippopotamus again stuck his hu
* head out Of the water, and, on scel
d. him, the dog gave a wild bark, and sw
tv in his direction very rapidly, Ali acco
ve panying him in the boat. At last
Of dog reached the monster, and, with
he series of baI ks, commenced swimm
of around the animal, and finally str'
out for the shore, the hippopotamus
lowind.
sE The interest excited by this scene
is intense, which continued to increase
IRE til the dog and hippopotamus reae'
,e- the American shore. Ali was not Il
&C. after and the animal was DO sooner
nix terra firma than the Egyptian, arr
~ ..,.u r,u,b;5 w inh he n al I