New-York tribune., 1868-04-14

wary size according To the age Of tho repule
nut, wien dried. Two glands are situated in the
grOn, aud two the throat, little ~ adsahcc led vi
des throughout All the rivers of Abyssnia and IN the
White Nile One Of these is Of adaIk brown coior, ana
wc grows to an immense length, and i generally 81
pale greenish yellow throughout the hdIr"' & @
are extremely msehieyOus ana ~stsnt oot, n1esence
ageounte9 for By the wss6 SSsaq the tsSee eToeo
Sc have censed 70 fear as thy exact heavy tribute
In their frequent passages OF the river le AiDs assert
that the dak1oloTed hebOdied species Is more 10 be
The con1a"n belief that the scales Of crocodile will
stop bullet very erroneous ~ ai it9 draSs iSne9 & Tn M
throw ounce ball through inc heaes Oh @ .he
scelos struck obliquey, the bullet might possibly
glance ON the surface rs IN Ike manner would rico
chit 10 kin outright that people apt to imagine that
the scales have resisted their bullets. The only shots
bTon or the sIne through the neck shot through the
shoulder fatal but as the body Immediately sinks and
does not rcappcar upon the surface until the gases
distended the carcass the game generally carried
float The body Of a crocodile requires from twelve
10 eighteen hours before 1t will Use TO the surface while
that Of the hppOpatamus will never remain longer than
two hours beneath the water and will generally rise IN
an hour and half after death. This difference n time
depends upon the depth and temperature IN deep holes
of the river from thirty TO fifty feet deep the water Is
much cooler the bOtOm hence the gas is not gone
rated in tho body quickly as in shallow aud warmer
water The crocodile Is not grassferder; therefore the
stomach Is comparatively small and the contents do NOT
tc ao th S gS @ n e BODY Of the
former requires longer period before u Wh se " 'ne
surface.
We must make room for the authors account Of his
successful renconter with veteran hippopotamus'
with his excellent description of the habits OF that
strange aquatic monster:
After walking about two miles we noticed herd OF
nppOpO;ami pool below rapid this was surrounded
10y rocks except upon eide where the rush OF water
had thrown up bank Of pebbles and sand Our old Nep
tune did not condesccnd 10 besOw the slightest attention
when pointed out these animals they were roc VIDE
awake hut he Immediately quilted the rivers ped, ana
we followed him quietly behind the fringe OF bushes
upon the border, from which we carefully examined M
clanbered over The intervening rocks thiongn
a gorge which formed powerful rapid, observed In u
small pool Just below the rapid imiuense head OF
hppOpUanus close to perpendicular rock that formed
wall TO the river aboul six feet above the surface
pointed out the hippo TO old Abou DO, who had not
snpeaTcd. and the energy Of the hunter was ex-
hi6ited "a he mOtiouod us 10 remain, While lie
ran uinibly behind the thick screen of bushes
for about hundred and nifty yards below the spot where
the hippo was uncOnsiousy basking with his ugly head
above the surface Plunging into the rapid torrent the
strcnn but breasug powerful current, he landed
upon the rocks the opposite SIDE aud retiring 10 some
distance the river ne quickly advanced toward the
spot beneath which the hippopotamus was lying /
had fine view OF the scene, ms was
lying concealed exactly opposite the hippo which
had now disappeared beneath the water. AbOu
DO stealthy approached the edge Of rock beneath which
he had expected 10 see the head OF the ana bis long
newy Raised with the harpOon ready 10 strike,
he carefully advanced. AT length he reached the
hut far from exhibiting SURPRISE the old Arab remained
standing the sharp ledge, unchanged III attitude
No figure OF bronze could have been more rigd than
Chat OF the old river-king, as he stood erect upon
the rock with the left foot advanced and the hapo9n
poised in his ready right hand above s head while IN
the left he held the loose coils OF rope attached to the am
batch buoy For abOnt three mipues he stood like sta
tue. gazing nently into the clear aud deep water be-
meath his feet | watched eagerly for the reap
pcraneS Of the hippo The SURFACE ace Of the water
the statue descended like lightning. and the
harpOOn shot poIpcndculary into the pool with the speed
of What rivcriend answered TO the sumnonsi
In instant an enormous pair or open jaws appeared
followed by the upgainly head and form OF the furious
hppcpoamus that Sprngng ai out 0f the water ashed
the iyeT into foam and sdaning the conceaiment OF the
deep pool charged straight up the violent rapids With
extraordinary power he breasted the descending streams
gaming footing In the rapids about hyo feet deep, he
INC them in showers of spray upon ali sides and upon
gaining broader shaowshe tore along through the water
face until he landed the ver started at full gallop
along the dry shngly bed and at length disappeared IN
/ never could have imagined that so unwicidy
an animal could have exhibited such speed; no man
foTtnnate Tor our old Neptune that he was secure upon
the high ledge Of rock for he had been In the path OF
Abou Do The old man plunged into The deep pool Just
quilted by the hippo and landed upon our SIDE; while IN
head, and gave him British cboer as he reached the
shore His usually stern features relaxed into grim
smile Of delight this Of those moments when the
grthed pride Uf the hunter rewards him Tor any tsks
congratulated him upon his deXterity; but much re-
manned proposed Ia the river aud To
follow upon the tracks OF the hipPop0tanus as imag
Jungle. and that We sheuld find HIM entangled IN the
BUSH but the old hunter gently laid his hand upon my
aud pointed up the bed of the river explaining that
the hippo would certainly return TO the water after
In few minutes later st distance OF nearly half
me observed the hippo emerge FROM the jungle aud
ascend at full ot 10 the bed OF the river making direct
for the first rocky pool In which had noticed the herd
OF bppOpOtaDl Accompanied by the old Howaru tnppo
hnnterl. we walked quickly toward tho spot He sx-
pained 10 that Inst shoot the harpOoncd hippo for
sonld not be able to secure him In the usual method
E TopsS az a, nearly me-, all = our ms9 were absent 'ro camp
Upon reaching the pool which was about hundred
and thirty yards in diameter, we were immediately
greeted by the hippo which snorted and rOared as We
approached but quickly diyed aud the buoyan float ran
along the surface directing bis course In the same mah-
ner Is the cork Of trimmer wlth PIKE upon
the hook. Several times he appeared, bot ns
favorable shot therefore seut tie old hunter round
the pool and Le, swimming the river, advanced TO the
causing him u immediately turn toward him. This af
forded me good chance aud fired steady shot be-
relied rifle. As usnal with hippopoaIn whether dead or
alive he disappeared beneath the water at the shot The
crack OF tho ball and the absence OF splash from the
bullet told that he was hit the ambatch float remained
perfectly stationary upon the seryice watched 1t for
pOtam appeared and vanished IN different directions.
out the Gat & was was Stl it marked the spot where the
shot another hippo. that thought must be likewise
shade Of tree With Hasssn, while Hadi All and the Old
hunter returned TO camp Tor assistance III men and
knives. &c.
In little more than an hour and half, two objects
Like the backs OF turtles appeared above the surface:
these were the fanks OF the two hippos short time
aferward the men arrived and regardless of crocodies
they swan toward the bodies. One was tOwed directly
tuthe shore by the rope attached TO the harpoOn tho
other by long line and dragged o the bank
Of clean pebbles. y
measured the bull that was hsrpOoned IL four
teen inches from the upper lip 10 the extremity
Of the tall the head thTeo feet one inch from tho
front the the edge OF the lip In straight line.
arpoon sticking In the OF the neck having
penetrated about two aud ahaf inches beneath The hide
this about inch and threequarers thick upon the
back of the neck Of bull hDpopotamus IL was mag
ncen specimen with the largest tusks have seen
the skull Is In my hall In England.
Although the hppGpoanius is generally harmless, the
solitary old bulls are sometimes extremely vicious,
especially when in the water have frequently known
them charge boat and have myself narrowly escaped
being upset by the attack Of Of these
tures without the slightest provccaon The females
extremely shy and harmless and they most affection
ate mothers only instances have known OF the female
IL, lnrc lad