Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-01-25
Hunting the Hippopoiamns.

Here, on my first day. lost nv way In
the Jungle, about four miles inland, and
for long time was in great fright. climb.
ing trees to try and get u view. | fOrtu
nately met some natives, who climbed II
cocoanut tree and got me some milk, and
on my trying 20 describe the sea, at once
made signs of intelligence. Thinking
wanted to get to a lake to shoot hippntamr
they took me two miles inland. and on
reaching some swampy ground made signs
of caution At last, parting the foliage,
they showed me small lagoon. and fur
the first time | beheld the mighty hippo
pOtamus in his native lair, never diSturbeh
by white man before. My disgust may
be imagined rs had only nv smOoth-bOrr,
and on The opposite side of the lake lay
some Is hippos masking in the SUI. and
now and then giving below thtt made
me laugh much. took accurate bearings
of the place by the wind and sun, and at
last succeeded( (after much fatigue. walking
through swamp and jungle) in reaching
the boat. The next morning at daybreak
| was under way, with our black interpre
Ter. and armed with my Martini riff. We
arrived at n village, and oUlne natives inn
mcdiately volunteered to guide me. aud
come and see the fun. They hate hipp,s.
which do great mischief 20 their little ctuls
sugar canes, ETC., besides frightening them
out of heir wits at nigh, and often knock.
my down their houses. When we reached
the lake there lay the uncon scious hipnn
AS before, in about Blk feet of water, their
heads just above the surface. The blacks
guided me round to the other sitte of the
mke, where, bv wading out through rhr
thick, bgh sedge, got within ab0ut 10
yards OF my arry, one of the hlacks act
ing as rest Tor my riff, and very raiv
he was, selected the biggest head ;,s my
Target, ard sent my title ,nesSrn ler on his
fatal journey l. p ssed through tue
ramus of the animals lower Nv. SIN ,shing
the atlas and axis, and the 'ieath str g.l,
that ensurd gave rue an idea of wiElr It
mighty brute the hippo Is. it, entire boiy
Was hurled out of the water Qret tirsI)
most fatal sign, and volum of bIool,
mud and water w,.re sent high in the AR,
obscuring everything About 20 seconds
afterward II large one rose to breathe 20 ne
80 ya' ds distant, aud sent No 2 sIr,ight
into his brain etween eye and ear Da h
was IN this ctsa so ilnmelItte that the
animal did not max" quite 80 much disturb
ance rs the first one. he natives were
astounded, and looked on the rifle and ME
as objects of the greatest interest. then
shot Two more. and by this time the bodies
of the two first were being dragged ashore
Next morning l was up early to cut off
their heads, ss knew they would be all
floating by that time, and about ten blacks
accompanied me, one Of them m ,kng IA
n rope to the leg On the first being land
ell the blacks gave a hearty cheer. some
thing like an Irish "Ullagone." and |,
jumping on the huge carcass. proceeded to
make speech duly rendered INTO Swahile
by my interpreter. That day spent five
hours up to my middle IN water getting the
heads off, the skin being about two and a
half inches thick, and like India rubber
The blacks cut off all the flesh, and bore
away the skulls to the boat. have now
got two heads on board, and the lower Iw
of another; my big head and tusks are the
largest ever seen 10y any one on board, the
tusks Of the lower NV beng about nine
inches long, The night beiore be left Del
gtdn | watched for the panlhers by moon.
light, and, on seeing three come out of the
Jungle, jumped, gun in hand, out of the
stern with bare feet, aigh,ing on some
coral which opened an old wound, and
cut my foot badly. so that have now a
nasty snppuratins hole in my foot.-London
Field.