Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-06-16
Hunting the Hippo.

Here. on my first day, lost my way
In the Jungle. about four miles inland.
and for a long time was in q great
fright climbing trees to try and get o
view. fortunately met some natives,
who climbed cocoanut tree and got
me some milk. and on my trying to de-
scribe the sea, at once made signs of
intelligence. Thinking l wanted to get
to lake to hippopotami. they took me
two more miles inland. and. on reach
ing some swampy ground. made signs
OF caution. At last, parting the foliage.
they showed ME small lagoon. and
for the first time beheld the mighty
hippOpOtamus in his native lair, never
disturbed by white man before. My
disgust may be imagined as had only
my smOothbore. and on the opposite
side of the lake lay some eighteen i.:p-
pos basking in the sun, and now and
then giving a below that 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 day break was under way. with our
black Interpreter, and armed with my
Martini rifle. We arrived at village,
and some natives Immediately roiun.
teered to guide me, and come and see
the fun. They hate hippos. which do
great mischief to their little crops.
sugar-canes. etc., besides frightening
them out Of their wits at night, and Of
ten knocking down their houses. When
we reached the lake, there lay tie un-
conscious hippos, as before. in about
six feet Of water. their heads just above
the surface. The blacks guided me
round to the other side of the lake.
where. by wading out through the thick.
high sedge. Igot within about seventy
yards OF my quarry, one Of the blacks
acting as rest for my rifle-and very
steady he was. selected the biggest
head as my target. and sent my little
messenger on his fatal journey. It pass
ed through the ramus Of the animals
lower jaw, smashing the atlas and axis.
aud the death struggle that ensued gave
me an idea of what a mighty brute the
hippo is. Its entire body was hurled
out Of the water Qeet tirsD, most
fatal sign. and volumes of blood, mud
and water were sent high in the air,
obscuring everything. About twenty
seconds afterward a large one rose to
breathe some eighty yards distant. and
l sent No. 2 straight into his brain be-
tween eye and ear. Death was in this case
so immediate that the animal did not
make quite so much disturbance as the
first one. The natives were astounded.
and looked on the rifle and me as OBJ
jects Of the greatest interest. l then
shot two more, and by this time the
bodies of the two first we're being drag
god ashore. Next morning was up
early to cut off their heads. as l knew
they would be all floating by that time.
and about ten blacks accompanied me.
one Of them making fast a rope to the
Leg o. the first being landed the
blacks gave hearty cheer. something
like an Irish ''Ullagone. and I. jump
ing on the huge carcass. proceeded to
make speech duly rendered into
Swahile by my interpreter. That day
l spent five hours up to my middle in
water getting the heads of. the skin
being about two and half inches thick
and like India-rubber. The blacks cut
of all the flesh. and bore away all the
skulls to the boat. have now got two
heads ON board. and the lower jaw Of
another; my big head and tusks are
the largest ever seen BY any one on
board. the tusks of the lower jaw being
about nine inches long. The night be-
fore we left Delgado watched for the
panthers by moonlight, and on seeing
three come out of the Jungle. jumped,
gun in hand. out Of the stern with bare
feet. alighting on some coral which
opened an old wound, and cut my foot
badly. so that have now q nasty sup.
purating hole in my feet.-Cor. London
Field