The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-05-22
MisteIlaneous.
%
HUNTING THE EIIPE.O2OTA.
MUS.

On Tue lftn OF June, says Mr..
Cumming, having found good drift
crossed the Limpopo with my
wagons, and drew them up in a
green and shady spot. then rode
4 long way down the eastern bank
in quest Of hippopotami, and late
in the evening l found one, which /
did not molest, trusting to find
him the next day.
On the 18th a dense mist hung
over the river all the morning. Or
dering the wagons to follow in an
hour, [ rode ahead to seek the sea-
cow of the previous night, but after
along search l gave it up as a bad
job, and kindling a fire to warm
! myself, awaited the wagons, which
presently came up. Here l halted
for two hours! and then once more
rode ahead to seek hippopotami.
The river became more promising
for sea COWS. At every turn there
occurred deep, still pools, with oc
casional sandy islands densely clad
with lofty reeds and with banks
covered with reeds to breadth of
thirty yards. Above and beyond
these reeds stood trees of immense
age and gigantic size, beneath which
grew long and very rank descrip-
tion of grass, onwhich the sea cow
delights to pasture.
soon found fresh spoor, and
after holding on for several miles
just as the sun was going down, and
as l entered a dense reed cover, I
came upon the fresh lairs of four
hippopotami. They had been lay
ing sleeping on the margin of the
river, and, on hearing me come
cracking through the reeds, had
plunged into the deep water. l at
once ascertained they were newly
started, for the froth and bubbles
were still on the spot where they
had plunged in. Next moment I
heard them blowing q little way
down the river. l then headed
them, and with considerable difficul-
ty, owing to the cover and the reeds,
at length came right down above
where they were standing. 1t was
a broad part Of the river, with a
sandy bottom, and the water came
half way up their sides. There
were four Of them, three COWS and
an old bull; they stood,in the middle
Of the river, and, though alarmed,
did not appear aware Of the extent
of the impending danger.
took the sea-cow next me, and
with my first ball l gave her NOR
tai wound, knocking loose a great
plate on the top of her skull. She
at once commenced plunging round
and round, and then occasionally
remained still, sitting for a few
minutes on the same spot. On
hearing the report of my rife two
Of the others took up stream, and
the fourth dashed down the river;
they trotted along, like oxen, at q
smart pace, as long as the water
was shallow. Twas now in a state
of very great anxiety about my
wounded sea cow, for I feared that
she would get into deep water, and
be lost like the last one; her strug
giles were carrying her down stream
aud the water was becoming deep
er. To settle the matter, l accord
ingly fred a second shot from the
bank, which entered the roof of her
skull passed out through her eyes
she kept continually splashing
round and round in q circle in the
middle Of the river. l had great
fears of the crocodiles, and did not
know that the sea-cow might
attack me. My anxiety to secure
her, however, oyercame all hesita,
ton; so, divesting myself of my
feathers, and armed with a sharp
knife, I dashed into the water,
which at first took me up to my
armpits, but in the middle was shall
lower.
AS 1 approached Behemoth, her
eyes looked very wicked. l waited
for moment ready to dive under
the water if she attacked me: but
she was stunned, and did not know
what she was doing; so, running
in upon her, and seizing her short
tail, l attempted to incline her
course to land. 1t was eXtraordina,
ry what enormous strength she still
had in the water. | could not
guide her in the slightest, and she
she continued to splash, and plunge
and blow,E and make her circular
course, carrying me along with her
as if I was fly on her tail. Find.
ing her tail gave me but a poor
hold, as the only means of securing
my prey, 1 took out my knife and
cut two deep parallel incisions
through the skin On her rump.
Lifting this skin from the flesh so
that I could get in my two hands, l
made use Of this as handle; and
after some desperate hard work,
sometimes pushing, sometimes
pulling, the sea-cow containing her
circular course all the time, and l
holding on at her rump like grim
death, eventually I succeeded in
bringing this gigantic and most
powerful animal to the bank. Here