The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-03-14

the White Nile, from Abyssinia to
near the equator, is pronounced by
Sir Samuel Baker the most ferocious
of known animals. 1t will attack
either man or beast without the
slightest provocation. The longest
anterior horn belonging to any OF
the black rhinoceros shot by Sir
Samuel himself measured twenty
three inches. The speed and the
bottom exhibited by this animal
seem remarkable when its bulk is
considered The author of this
book has hunted in company with
Arabs, and although their horses
would go their best for at least two
miles, they would be unable TO
overtake the rhinoceros before
reaching an impenetra lie Jungle.
There is considerable danger in
shooting this animal, owing to the
difficulty of stopping his charge.
His forehead is impenetrable, SO
tough and thick is his skin tnat
specially hardened bullet is preferred
to one of pure lead. 1t is SAID that
rhinocerous can kill an elephant
and Sir Samuel deems this highly
probable ifsthe. former, got an oppor-
tunity of striking the latter in tn e
belly or the flank. Otherwise the
African bull elephant bull would
win in such an encounter by reason
OF its superior weight and strength,
and Of the length and power of its
tuskS
Next to the elephant, the hughest
beast in point OF bulk and weight is
the hlppopotamus. OF this animal
Sir Samuel Baker has seen hundreds
OF specimens of the White Nile One
that he. measured was fourteen feet
three inches long from snout to tip
OF tail The crocodile never ven
lures to attack the hippoptamus,
which for Its part, disdains to attack
the crocodile. Although, like the
rhlnoCerous, this monarch Of mid
African rivers is not carnivorous, it
is very formidable to man, being
easily provoked and assailing the
object OF its 1esentment with reckless
fury. 1t Can upset the largest boat,
and in one instance. perforated with
its tusks the iron bottom of Sir Sam
uei's steamer, causing a dangerous
leak. The flesh OF the hippopota-
mus is very pa!atable, and, when
the animal is young, it is delicious.
The skin max excellent turtle SOUP
The tusls were formerly more val
liable than those of the elephant, be
ing in request by dentists because
they dosnot turn yellow.
At the beginning OF this century,
the price of hippopotamus ivory was
six dollars and twenty five cents per
pound. Since tn American inven
ton of porcelain enamel tor artificial
teeth, it is no longer sought for, and
the value of the animal depends at
present on the hide and fat. The
latter resembles lard, and the former
is used for whips. A hippopots mus
differs. from most aquatic animals in
this particular, that, instead of div
ing. head first, it sinks backward and
disappears by throwing the nose
Upward. SThere is, also, marked
difference between this beast and the
crocodile as regards the po er of re
under water. The former,
notwithstanding its enormous lungs
must come up to breathe in ten min
utes at the longest, whereas the
crocodile can stay beneath the sur
face tor almost any length of time.
The crocodile has theIpower of llv
ing, through the hot season, in a
torpid state, buried in the mud,
which dries and hardens above him.
When the mud is softened in the
rainy season, the,animal resumes its
activity. 1t seems that crocodiles
measuring twenty two feet in length
have frequently been killed. There
is no doubt that one of these could
swallow an3ordinary human being.
A large specimen having been killed
and cut open in Ceylon, the body OF
a..native.was found in its stomach.
We may note, finally, that whatever
may have. been:true at the beginning
ofthis century, the tough scales of
the crocodile are no longer bullet
proof. A hardened, solid bullet,
propelled by six drains of powder,
will drive through a crocodile as
though its hide were made of paper.
~ !. Ledger.