Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-08-08
THE FIERCE HlPPoPoTAMUs.
Great Man killing Beasts at Home In
African Rtvera.

Considering the vast number of ami
mails aud their defensive and offensive
armamcnts, there are comparatively
few that are a menace 10 human life;
yet. in various parts of the world there
are found animals that seem to regard
man as their natural prey. This is no.
where better illustrated than on the
Upper Nile. where the great behemoth
OF Bible history, the hippopotamus
lives side by side with the largest OF
living reptiles, the crocodile.
The hippopotamus Is sometimes seen
in the menagerics Of tho circus. con-
sequently Is familiar in the flesh TO
many, aud it is sufficient to say that it
j. one OF the most dsagreenble and
ugly creatures. both In appearance
and disposition. we can conceive Of
1t resembles no other animal. and
with its enormous body. short, ponder
Gus legs, and huge mouth filled with a
formidable row of teeth it Is an object
TO be avoided. This, however. Is
not always possible as the animals,
especially old and miscbievous indi-
yiduals. seem to have declared war
against human beings or anything that
pertains to them. attack them when
ever the opportunity offers.
The hippopotamus. though the OBJ
ject OF attack for years by natives and
travellers. is still found in vast num-
bers In all the rivers OF Africa within
26 degrees Of latitude north or south
of the equator. 1t ranks second to the
elephant in weight. and is about four
teen feet long. iOcludipg the tail, in
large specimens. Its method OF de-
fense is its powerful jaws. which. be-
ing armed with teeth Of extraordinary
size make 1t an object to be dreaded.
The Nile Is famous for its man.kill-
ing hippopotami. On one occasion
some villagers were waiting the return
OF their sheik. who had been on visit
OF ceremony across the river. when. to
their horror, a large hippopotamus APP
peared, and. rushing upon the boat,
seized 1t aud the sheik. crushing both.
On one occasion man had entered
the water to battle, when hippopota-
mus, which had been in concealment
near by. rushed at him. biting him in
two as a shark might have doue. The
action Of the animal Is simply wild
rage, which causes them to attack any,
thing without regard TO the size. A
well-known ;oificial reported that all
his boats had been damaged by these
animals during three years expert
ence on the Nile.
One instance was somewhat singu-
lar. The diahbeeah was towing a
large boat containing load of live
sheep. For some reason q hippopota-
mus became enraged and rose beneath
it. smashing large hole In the bottom
and drowning every one Of the ami
mails. Another time the officer was
travelling in a large dug-out twenty
seven feet long and at least three or
four through. In passing through
some high grass a hippopotamus
charged the boat, actually lifting the
heavy craft bodily out of the water.
Several years ago British officer
was proceeding up the Nile In diah-
beeah, towed by steamer, when a
hippopotamus charged the latter in
broad daylight, evidently protesting
against its domain. 1t seized the pad
die wheels in its huge jaws. crushing
them, then sank to reappear at the
stern. where it seized the keel, aud
though it was iron-plated perforated
the bottom IN two places. The leaks
were so large that the steamer
threatened to sink. aud was only saved
after a vast amount of trouble aud
labor.
Probably the most ferocious hippo
tamus known was one killed by Sir
Samuel Baker at Bahr Giraffe. He
was engaged in cutting away the
leaves which had stopped the channel
and SO disturbed the animal. which
during the night cmarged tho diah-
beeah, destroying the small boat that
was towing astern. 1t then attacked q
seventeen-foot boat. biting the side
completely out Of II. after which it
charged the large vessel, and in the
opinion of Sir Samuel it would have
sunk it despite the iron sheathing. had
he not fortunately killed it.