Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

dim light did they observe the eyes
and nose Of two hippos peeping above
the water edge three or four yards out
from the bank. Suddenly the croco-
ollie gave powerful sweep with his
formidable tail, as resistless as though
made of spring steel, and hurled both
men, screaming in pain and horror,
directly in front Of the lurking hippos.
Before aid could reach the unfortu-
mates from the camp the hippos drag
ged them, broken and torn, beneath
the rturbid waters, to stamp their
bodies deep into the slime and mud.
| Night, in fact. is invariably time of
action in the neighborhood OF hippo
wallowing place, and native hunters
effect many killings and captures after
dark by the crude means they employ,
though personal conflict with SO Inn
| posing a foe Is naturally avoided In
the blackness that obscures his body.
One Of these native hippo Staying
agencies consists of weighted spear,
often tipped with poison, which is sus-
pended over tree branch near the
animals tracks. The suspending cord
is attached to stakes fixed on either
side Of the tracks. The animal coming
along strikes the cord, and the stakes
nre uprooted, thus releasing the spear.
which strikes deeply into the body or
head Of the hippo. This method is also
used at times in the Staying Of ele-
plants. Pitfalls, after the fashion in
India, are also used to secure hippoa
and rhinoceroses.
Through long, dark tunnels forced
from the stream banks through reeds
and brush the hippos make their way
to the land vegetation, free from OBJ
servation, and in these grewsome look
ing passageways the females frequent-
! ly retreat with their young to escape
danger.
/ The female hippos utter loud snorta
and grunts when moving about, fear
some noises that can be heard a mile
off, though most Of the day they re-
main practically quiet sleeping and
yawning the time away on the waters
surface or standing stupidity In herds
on some sunny sand spit. with their
| heads resting on one another's backs
because of the excessive weight OF
these hideous frontal ''adornments.''
Thus the homily of bearing one an.
others burdens Is not unknown to
denizens Of jungle and morass.
i The Same caution necessary In ele.
plant hunting, as regards getting to-
windward of the animal, is required
in tracking hippos. While the elephant
can detect the presence of human
. 1,,1y,f Io 80 ovJ
merely by his scent It is doubtful lie
this scent is SO keenly developed in
the hippo. There Is one advantage
held by hippo pursuers which vet
Grams do not fail to put to good use
. when necessary. I refer to the low
ness of his eyes, which makes 1t diff
cult to see objects at any apprecinble
height. Consequently persons chased
by one Of them sometimes escape by
climbing tree and taking carefully
aimed shot at him as he goes " .lber-
ing by. Owing to this same peculiar
ity hippos will pass by man perched
on an ant hill or hummock but few
yards away without seeing him IL the
person keeps still.
Keen observers have noted various
peculiar rropensities Of hippos, among
them the tendency among males to
neglect their offspring. Bulls have
frequently been seen to attack and
maltreat their young. Then, boo, they
are habitual fighters among themselves
at night, and wounded hippo, wheth-
er injured by fellow snorter or q
bullet, is often attacked and abused by
the other members Of the herd.
Following is an extract from ia.
nous African hunters account of en-
East African native hippo chase, which
illustrates the favorite method adopt
ed by jungle inhabitants, whose I'M
genuity must remain urquestioned:
eve accompanied the natives on
board Of a huge raft made Of reeds
! and logs and fioated down the river on
moonlit night. The natives had
spears or harpoons attached to long
ropes, and at the rear of the raft ca
noes were kept in readiness.
: ''Soon a sound of waters cleaved by,
I heavy bodies mingled with deep snorts
: came to our ears. We swept around a.
bend and were In the midst of herd
Of Appropriateness. At least dozen OF
: them there seemed to be disporting In
the water, some spouting through their
: ,7nostrils and yet others rolling in the
. mud and ooze. Just then the raft ran
t sheer against huge beast, and ma
7 tive poised his huge harpoon in his
g hand and drove 1t with all his force
l into the monsters back.
3 'sThe stricken beast, with cry that
scattered the remainder Of the herd,
Q dived like stone for the bottom. In
$ moment he was going downstream
Q at rate that soon used up the line on
0 the harpoon, and it was jerked out of
: the huntsman's. hand, leaving the buoy
Q attached to tell the course Of his fight.
: Two Of the natives launched and
f jumped into the canoe, I with them,
: and few minutes Of vigorous pad.
s ding enabled US to recover the buoy,
The beast was still travelling too fast
4 for lls TO haul in much line brIt sonr,