The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-11-13

On one occasion, indeed, after some
three hours painful "squirming" on
his stomach, the narrator actually sue
ceeded in finding spot still warm
where one of these animals had re-
Gently been lying down; but even then
he must have been detected while still
a long way off. Usually these hippos
seem to commence their wanderings
about dusk, although notable excep-
ton to this was the behavior of large
specimen seen at Daru in broad day
night. This, however, appears to
have been very exceptional behavior,
since not one of the numerous native
hunters questioned on this subject by
Capt. Murray could recall similar
instance.
Whenever possible these hippos seem
to relish a mud-bath, and if there be
suitable spot in the neighborhood
it is generally safe to say that it will
have it's nightly visitants. The ami
mails plunge completely into such wal
lows, where they roll and splash for
quite an hour at time. On one OF
the few occasions on which the mar
rator was tolerated in the vicinity OF
pigmy hippo for any length of time.
he happened to be seated in tree,
almost directly above the spot where
the animal was enjoying its bath. The
night was inky black, and shot would
have been too cruel to think of.
The clear water of the rivers does
rot seem to offer much attraction to
the hippo, although Capt. Murray saw
one use a river as a means of escape.
This was at Daru, in Sierra Leone,
where full-grown individual was seen
in broad daylight feeding on the left
bank of the Moa river, although close
at hand natives were crossing the rail-
way bridge, chattering and shouting
as only negroes can, while directly OPP
posite on the right bank were the
West African Frontier Force barracks
and some men bathing in front OF
them. Altogether a deal Of noise was
being made on both sides, of which,
however, the pigmy took not the slight
est notice. A shot was fired, which
struck the water some three yards
short of the bank on which 1t was
quietly feeding, when, after hesitating
for second, it dived in head first and
was never seen again, although, both
up and down stream, long stretches OF
the river were in full view. From
this and other instances it may be in
ferred that these animals have the
power of remaining under water for a
long time, and, while doing so, of GOV.
ering a considerable distance.
The pigmy hippopotamus appears to
be gifted with wonderful power of
sight. On a certain occasion Capt.
Murray was seated on rough plat
form, or machan, about ten feet from
the ground, by the side of swamp,
the machan itself being well under
cover, but looking out on to moonlit
glade some Is yards long, while at the
end of the glade and on all sides was
dense bush. A pigmy hippo was heard
approaching the edge of the glade.
where it stayed without making a
sound, but all the time well under
cover, for, perhaps, about five minutes,
when a faint snort and the sound of
movement indicated its sudden depar-
ture.
Taking into consideration it's bulky
shape, and the very dense bush
through which it has to pass, the pig
my hippopotamus is wonderfully ghost.
like and quiet in its movements, unless
disturbed, it's presence being only de-
tected by the faintest rustic. These
notes give us a much better and more
authentic idea of the animal than we
ever had previously. 1t remains to
ascertain whether the pigmy hippo
potamus is confined to the West Coast,
or whether, like most great game ami
mails, it extends right across the equa-
torial belt.
r. LYDEKKER.