Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-22
HUNTING AFRICA.
HlppopotamI In Their Native Wa
tiers.

/
eyes, ears, and nose could be seen.
These parts were OF a bright scarlet,
quite unlike the dull. leaden hue
which these parts assume In capacity.
AS we neared the swimming animal.
! Makata rose on one knee. When he
| gripped his harpoon he trembled with
excitement. L had been told to remain
perfectly still, and TO do only what my
native companion told me to do.
| When at last the brute was so near
that could almost have touched him
Makata, with one movement, rose to
his full height and hurled the harpoou.
With dull thud the heavy spear sank
into the neck of the brute and quivered
with the force that had driven him
home.
Stung by the strange and uneXpect-
ed pain the animal gave "A convulsive
spring, shook from the rude socket
the head of the harpoon, which still re-
manned attached to the shaft by its
many stranded rope, and dashed down
stream at full speed. Seguini paid
out the line rapidly, while Makata
and sprang into the canoe and con-
tinued TO pay ii out as he followed us.
Bot as he took his seat he held the line
taut and the hippopotamus drew the
canoe from off the raft of rushes
and towed it along as if it were a
cork.
1t was like whaling on a small scale.
A noise upstream attracted our at
tention, and We saw another hippopo.
tamus with canoe towing behind it.
Take care!m shouted our steersman,
"you will run foul of us. Steady,
Seguini, steady! wait till give the
word-now, then-cut,"
AS he spoke the Infatuated brute
made straight at us, open-mouthed.
Seguini severed the rope attached TO
our animal mt one cut, and. with a
def turn of his paddle, Makata shot
the light canoe sixty feet from the
threatening beast.
Clumsy as the hippopotami appear,
they swim with astonishing rapidity,
and ii was only after Il long chase that
our light boat caught up with it At
Makata's direction, | passed the har-
poon TO Seguini who stood up in the
bow with one foot slightly raised, and
the spear poised above his head.
"Sling your rifle on your back, boss"
said he; Ibis strength is failing and
|
the canoe"
As | secured my rifle we ran along
side the hippopotamus, and Seguini
deity placed the harpoon almost side
by side with the other one. The brute
turned round and came at the boat.
Makata seized spear and thrust it
deep into his throat Then in a flash
! the boat was overturned and We were
fouudering in the water.
olive, boss. divew said a voice, and
| obeyed as well as | was able.
When | came up found Makata by
my side, ready to help me if necessary.
Seguini was near the shore, carrying
the ropes end in his teeth, and the
hippopotamus was engaged in rending
the frail canoe. Had | not dived,
the beast might have wreaked his
vengeance on me instead OF Oh the
boat. But he does not follow his
enemies beneath the surface, and the
| natives, in case OF an upset, dive and
hang on to roots and grass TO keep
themselves under until he begins II
break up the boat.
1t was not easy TO swim with the
} heavy rifle on my back. | felt il
gradually drag me down, and in my
struggle TO get it clear unfortunately
attracted the brute's attention.
, Swim BOSS" shouted Makata, and
he also called to his brother 10 make
haste TO get on shore.
There was no chance 20 escape by
speed, but | swan steadily along anC
= had not gone score of yards before
, Makata slipped back behind me, and
taking the spear from his mouth, pre-.
D pared to meet the enraged giant in hi:
2 native element.
y ! must own that | had been badly
scared since the upset, but as soon as
saw the plucky black drop behind L
cover my retreat | lost my nervous
ness, and. turning round, began Il
tread water aud TO watch the strdng,
fight
. The beast swan rapidly on with his
= head level with the water until he wa
within ten feet of the black. Then h
y opened his terrible mouth and made
= straight for him. Carefully timing hi
Y movements Makata suddenly sank be
II low the surface, and in another secont
terrific plunge and an angry snor
u from the hippopotamus showed tina
:, the blacks spear had been driver
@ home. As soon as Makarat's head re
! appeared the brute made for him again
= and TO my horror, l saw that tn
u blacks spear was broken off at tn
}, head.
q My feet touched something in tn,
water, and the next moment | Wa
{ standing on the submerged trunk Of {
e tree that was slowly drifting down will
=. the current.
] saw Makata as he dived TO and fro
pursued by the frantic animal, but tn
brave blacks strength was giving out
Seguini had gained the shore, passe
the rope round tree, and was haulin!
n In the slack for dear life, but it wa
d evident that he would not get pur
chase in time to be of much use.
1t was then, as il by flash of mem
IS ory, that felt the rifle in my hands.
- knew my waterproof cartridges woulC
- explode, and held the rifle up by TIN
muzzle TO let water run out Then, a
the hippopotamus turned his head 10
n wprd me, | fired.
He was 200 feet away; the bulle
struck at the base OF the brute's skull
ND Il fva,..ad attontinp from NJ IL N