The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-23
Hunting the Hippopotamus.


as the Africans call him, ls an amusing
sport as long as the hippo doesn't take
part in the hunting. If wounded, how
ever, he is the best beast in the world to
keep away from. An American sports
man recently returned from Africa tells
for the Sunday World his thrilling ex-
perience with great bull hippopotamus
which he had wounded:
"We had worked about ten miles I'D
the river, and I had two fair-sized COWS,
which the natives. following in their
long dugouts, had dragged ashore on the
rocky islets and were cutting up with
thanksgiving and song. One boat, how
ever, still foil owed, evidently In the
hope of getting an entire carcass Swing
ing round high point the eddy of
disappearing malice still troubled the sur
face.
1T was unlikely that he had heard our
approach, and the chances were that he
would come up to blow not far away. I
told my interpreter to order the oarsmen
to pull softly out into the middle of the
pool. The blacks needed no directions.
They understood the game better than ],
and their bottled-up excitement was lu-
dicrious.
ST had feeling that the beast would
come to the surface between the boat and
shore, and Was sitting ready to fire in
that direction. Suddenly there was q
great swash right behind me. The ma
90, "a monster bull, surged head and
shoulders out of the water, with the
harsh, grunt-liks snort peculiar to the
brute. I twisted hastily around, and as
thwarts, destro ying my aim. The ex-
plosive bullet plowed a glanoing wound
through the thiokfolds of the neck, in
stead Of piercing the brain. The malice
sank, leaving tinge OF red In the sddy.
can ejaculation of disappointment es-
capped me, for supposed the great beast
would hasten down the stream, and be
seen no more. The interpreter, however,
knew batter, and with eyes rolling with
terror exhortsd the oarsmen to make for
Shore They bent to the sweeps as men
who understood why ohere was need of
haste.
"The appre hension of my crew was
quickly explained. On the very spot
where our boat q moment before was
| floating tine hippopotamus rose In fright
| fully bad temper. He uttered a horrid.
| squealing sound, suggesting more of the
creaking Of a heavy door than anything
else. The great teeth, which will crunch
v>1a RI IN otoh
gether with a snap. His small, wicked
eyes. almost at the top of his head, were
red with fury.
| He Immediately caught sight of the
boat and made for 1T. Then began race
| for shore, which was the most exciting
trial OF speed I over participated in. In
| his first few plunges the malice cut down
nearly half the twenty yards lead we had.
| but the natives bent to the oars in such
agony, that, although the boat was olum-
sy and heavy, they fairly lifted it at eve
~ stroke, and we held our own. The
shore was still 100 yards distant. From
my place in the bow it was, of course.
nj possible to shoot without standing.
and very nearly went overheard in NV
efforts to Keep my feet. Every stroke
of the oars nearly jerked the craft to
pieces
'No men could stand the squirt which
the blacks had started, and the infuriated
hippopotamus, with mouth wide open.
began to gain. The horror of his rage.
the terrible strength which he must have
been exerting to drive his tons Of flesh
through the water at that high speed
were really appalling. Within a dozen
yards of shore, to my great surprise. /
saw bottom.
"The malee's jaws were not three feet
from our stern. The interpreter, who
was steering took wi Id header far ont
to the right, and the oarsmsn followed
his example on the instant
"Ths Same instant the stern oflthe boat
was reduced to toothpicks in the binno,s
mouth, but his race was ran. A steel.
pointed explosive bullet at range Of
eighteen feet went crashing through bis
heavy skull He stumbled and gave tho
boat twist which threw me into the
shadows. Then, with grunt and
great splash, he fell dead.
"The boat load Of natives, who had 70