Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-12-22
NUMBER 40.
Fght mim a Hippopotamns.


There was an old blind sheik who lrc-
quenlly crossed the liver ioyi.ii the new
comers One dhyhe was returning with his
son, when the canoe was changed By an
angry hippopolamus. Selling the irail
bark at the end where the shc.s was sit
ting the monster crunchcd il 20 'rgmeni@
between hi, pondcrous jaws, and ~
crushed and laccratcd The poor o'i man
that although rescued oy hi. comrades,
who FASTENED To his assistance, ho died
during the night. The hipg polamii
were often the s9uIcc oil GREAT annoyance,
and sometimes ct danger, o. lle cNpeIi-
ton. One beautiful moon light night,
when the hoatila wa, quietly at anchor
in lake close to the white Nit, one OF
these monster made a mos, determined
attack upon the diahbccah belonging to
Sir samuel. The vessel was oiosc 10
mud bank covered with high grass. AMI
abou, thirty yards astcrl OF ben was
shallow pant OF the lake. aLou, iulco feet
deep. 4 light boat OF zine wl tail OF
strips OF hippopoamVs lc-h a.d lhe
dingy wa, fastened alongside. E,ery
one was ,)uudly sleeping, ua.u. says
Sir samuel, II vls suddenly awakened
by Tremendous >plashing close 10 the
diahbeeah, accompanied by The hoarse
wild snoriiug OF furious hippopoiamus.
/ jumped up, aud Immediately perceived
a hippo, which was apparently about to
attack the vessel . Ny servant, Sulei.
man, was sleeping next TO the cabin door.
| called to hini lor Tille. Before the A.
irighicd Sueiman could bring it, ihc hip.
popotamus dashed at rs with iadesct.Jle
| fury With one blow he capsized and
sank the zinc boat, with H. cargo OF
flesh. In another instant he seized the
dingy in his immense jaws, and the crash
OF splintercd wood betokcncd thc COM
pleie destruction of my layor.lc beat.
By this time had procured .ilc rom
the cabiu. whore they were always kept
fixed in a row. loaded and ready lor
action. with Lags OF brcech loading am
munilion ON the same shelf. To move.
ments OF the animal were So wpid ~ he
charged and plunged alternately beneath
the water in 4 cloud OF foam and wave,
that it was impossible 10 aim correctly at
the small but fatal spot upon the head.
The moon was extremely bright, and
presently. as lie charged straight at tie
diah5eeah. stopped him with q 30. :
Reilly shell. To my surprise. he soon
recovered, and again commenced Tic At.
tack. fired shot alter shot at him with.
out apparent effect. The diahJeOah rock
ed about upon the waves raised by tie
efforts Of so large an animal. This
movement rendered the aim uncertain.
AT length, apparently badly wounded, lie
retired to the high grass. There he lay
! by tue bank. at about twenty-five yards
distance. snortlng and blowing"
Thinking the creature mus. be dying.
Sir Samuel went TO bed, Ju, in about
hall an hour was awakened again by
another furious charge. y lllc-JaI in
The head rolled the monster over, and he
loatcd hclplessy down stream. This
Time he surely must be dead. To the
amazement OF all. he presently recovered.
and only gave up after receiving several
bullets in bis body. On the following
morning post moucm examination
showed that he had received three shots
in the flank md shoulder lour in The
head, one oil which had broken his lower
Jaw; another had passed Though hi,
nose, and passing downward, had cut of
oue oi his large tushs. Such determined
anG unprovoked fury rs was exhibited by
this animal had never been Witnessed
he appeared to be raVing mad. Iii, body
was mass OF lrighttnl scars, The result
OF continual conflicts with bulls Of hs
own species some OF these wounds
were still unhealed. There was CHe
scar about two feet IN Length, and about
two inches below the level OF the surface
SKIN, upon the flank. He was evidently
4 character OF the wors, description, but
whose madness rendered him callous 10
ali punishment. The attack upon the
vessels was probably induced by the smel!
of raw hippopotamus flesh, which was
hung in long STRIPS about the ,igging,
and with which the zinc boat was filed.
The dead hippopotamus that was float.
ing astern lashed TO the diahbeelh had
not been molested. -Hrpsrs Monthly.