The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-26
Thrilling Adventure.
FIGHT wDH AN OLD HIPPoPoTAMUs-THE
HABITS OF THAT ANIMAL.
fFreu slr 9 ". B.ler,. r,r Boob on Aby..ini.


fFrom Sir q W. Bakers Few Book Abyssinis
After walking about two miles, we noticed
heard OF hipp0pCtami In pool below rapid;
this was surrounded by rocks, except upon one
eide where the rush Of water had thrown up a
bank Of pebbles and sand. Our old Neptune did
rot condesc end TO bestOw the slightest attention
when pointed out these animals; they were too
wide awake but he Immediately quit the rivers
bed, and we followed him quietly behind the
fringe of bushes upon the border. from which we
carefully examined tie water. About half q
nile below this spot, as we clambered over the
Intervening rocks through a gorge which formed
powerful rapid, observed IN small pool just
below the rapid, an immense head OF hippopo.
taIaus close 10 perpendicular rock that formed
a wall 10 the river, about six feet above the sur
face. / p inted out tie ppo to cid Abou Do,
who bad not seen it, At once the gravity of the
old Arab disappeared, and the energy of the
hunter was exhibited as he motioned US to re-
main, while be ran nmbly behind the thick
screen Of bushes for about a hundred aud fifty
yards below the spot where the hippo was I'M
consciously basking, with his ugly head above the
surface. PuDgIng into the rapid torrent the
veteran hunter was carried some distance down
the stream, but bressting the powerful current
he landed upon the rocks the opposite side,
and retiring TO some distance from the river he
quickly advanced towards the spot beneath which
tie hppopoiamus vas lying.
/ had fine view of the scene, as was lying
concealed exactly opposite the hippo, which had
now disappeared beneath the water. AbOu DO
siealtnlly appIOacneQ Tue eoBe OF rock Denedtu
y hch be had expected to see The head OF the aai'
NAL; his long snewy arm was raised, with the
haTpoon ready to strike as he carefully advanced.
At length he reached the edge of the perpendicu-
lar rock; the hippo had vanished, bat far from
exhibiting surprise, the old Arab remained stand
ing on the sharp ledge, unchanged 10 attitude.
No figure of bronze could have been more rigid
than that Of the old river king, as he stood erect
upon the rock with the left foot advanced, and
The harpoon poised in his ready right hand above
his head, while in the left he held the loose coils
Of rope attached the ambatch buoy. For about
three minutes he stood like statue, gazing IN
tently into the clear and deep water beneath his
feet | watched eagerly for the temperance Of
the hippo the surface Of the water was still bar
zen, when suddenly the right arm of the statue
defceuded like ligbt0ing. and the harp0on shot
per endicularly into the pool with the speed OF an
arrow. What river fend answered t. the sum
monsg In an instant an open pair OF jaws ap-
peaTed. followed ty the ungainly head and form
of the furious hippOpotamus, that, springng half
out OF the water, lsshed tbs river into foam, and
disdainng the conceslment OF the deep pool,
charged straight up the violent rapids. With ex-
traUrdipary power he breasted the descending
stream, plOwed his way against the broken waves
sending them In showers of spray uDon all sides,
and upon gaining broader shadows he tore along
through the water with the bnOyant Il ISt hopping
behind him slong the surface until be landed from
the river, started at full galOp along the deg,
sbinRly ted, and at length disappeared 10 the
thorDy nabbnk jungle.
never cOul1 nave imagined mat 50 unWleiuy
| an animal could have exhibited s1ch speed no
man would have had a chance OF escape, aud 1t
was fortunate for cur old Neptune that he was Sc
| cure upon the high ledge CT rock, for If be had
! been In the path Of the Infatuated beast, there
would have been an end of AbOu Do. The old
man plunged into the deep pool just qIitted by
Il hippo, and landed upon our side; waIle in the
enthusiasm CT the moment waved my cap above
! my head. and gave him a British cheer as he
reached the shore. His usually stern features re-
| la into rin mil Of "a
| of those moments when the gratiied pride Of the
hunter rewards him for any rsks. | cOngratu-
| lated him upon his dexterity; but much remained
| TO be done. proposed TO cross the river and 70
/ follow upon the tracks of the hippopotamus, az
| imagined that the buoy and rope would catch 10
the thick bush but the old hunter gently laid his
| haI d upon my arm and pointed up the bed OF the
| river, explsiniDg that the hippo would certainly
| return to the water after short interval.
In a few minutes later, at distance Of nearly
| half a mile, we observed the hippo emerge from
tire Jungle and ascend at full trOt 70 the bed OF
the river, making direct for the first rocky pool in
| which we had noticed the herd of hippopotami
| Accompanied by the old Howarti (hippo hunter, J
| we walked quickly toward the spot. He ex.
| planned 10 me that must shoot the harpooned
hippo 70 we should not be able to secure him Ii
the usual method by ropes, as nearly all our mel
we're absent from camp, disposIng OF the dead
elephants.
Upon reaching the pool, which was about
| hundred ard thirty yards in diameter. We were
Immediately greeted by the hippo, which snortet
| and roafed as we approached, but quickly diyed
and the buoyant float ran along the surface, di
rectiug his course in the same manner as the corl
OF trimmer with pike upon the hook. Severa
times he appeared, but as be invariably faced Us
| could not obtain favorable shot; therefJri
sent the old hunter round the pool, and he, swim
ming the river, advanced to the opposite side ant
attracted the attention of the hippo, causing bin
20 INN ediatey turn toward him. This afforded
me a good chance, and fred a steady shot be
-. = awNa NTH zru III
bsireled rife. As usual with hlppopotami
whether dead or alive, he disappeared beneat
the water at the shot. The crack of the bail an
the absence Of any splash from the bullet, toll
me that he was hit; the ambatch float rename
perfectly stationary upon the surface. watched
il for some minutes; it never moved. Seyera
heads Of bippOpotami appeared and vanished Il
different directions, but the float was still;
msrked the spot where the grand old bull lay dea
| beneath.
| shot another hippo that | thought must b
likewise dead and, taking the time by my watch
retired 20 the shade of a tree with Hassan, Will
Asdjii Ali and the old hunter returned TO camp 10
assistadce in men and knives, etc.
In little more than an hour and half, tw
objects like the backs of turtles appeared aboy
the surface these were the TANKS OF the tw
| hippos. A short time afterward the men arrived
and regardless of crocodiles they swan towsr
| the bodies. One was towed directly TO the shor
by the rope attached to the hsrpOOn the Othe
was secured by long line and dragged to th
hank of clean pebbles.
measured the bull that was hsrpooned il wa
fourteen feet two inches from the upper lip to I'll
extremity Of the tail the head was three feet on
inch from the front of the ear TO the edge of tn
lip in a straight line. The harpoon vas stickn
in the nape of the neck. having penetrated aooU
two and half inches beneath the hide this
about an inch and three-quarters thick upon th
, back OF the neck Of bull hppopotamus. II Wa
, | a magnificent specimen, with the largest tusks
have ever seen; the skull is now In my hall
| England.
Although the hippopotamus is generally harm
, lees, the solitary old bulls are sometimes o.
tremely vicious, especially when in the water.
| have frequently known them charge boat, an
. | have myself narrowly escaped being upset in
, canoe by the attack of one of these creature
, | without tie slightest provocation. The femal
are extremely shy and harmless, and they al
| most affectionate mothers; the only instances
, | have known of the female attacking q man ha'
been those in which her calf have been stole
To the Arabs they are extremely valuable, yiel
I ffer Of ia