KILLED BY GUNS.

425

up from the water, and, in a most ferocious and menacing attitude, rushed, open-mouthed, at the boat-and, with one grasp of its tremendous jaws, seized and tore seven planks from her side; the creature disappeared for a few seconds, and then rose again, apparently intending to renew the attack, but was fortunately deterred by the contents of a musket discharged in its face. The boat rapidly filled, but as she was not more than an oar's length from the shore, the crew succeeded in reaching it before she sank. The keel, in all probability, touched the back of the animal, which, irritating him, occasioned the furious attack; and, had he got his upper-jaw above the gunwale, the whole broadside must have been torn out. The force of the shock from beneath, previously to the attack, was so violent that her stern was almost lifted out of the water, when the midshipman steering was thown overboard, but, fortunately, rescued before the irritated animal could seize him."

In justice, however, to the poor hippopotamus, who, in these parts, has already earned for itself a sufficiently bad name for ferocity, one must not attribute the whole of the casualties that occur on the Teoge to willful attacks on the part of the animal; for, owing to the narrowness of the stream, it, doubtless, at times, happens that, on coming to the surface to breathe, it accidentally encounters a canoe, and, in its fright, or, it may be, in playful frolic, upsets it.

The colonists, and others, who are possessed of guns, most commonly shoot the animal from the shore; and this is not a matter of any great difficulty, for when it comes to the surface, either to breathe or for amusement, "a single shot through or under the ear," as Captain Harris truly says, "is fatal to the Behemoth." If there are several "gunners," and they station themselves on opposite sides of the pool where the hippopotami are congregated (in which case the animals, when rising to the surface, invariably come within range of one or other of the party), great slaughter may be committed.

Should the hippopotamus be killed outright, it usually sinks; but in about half a day reappears at the surface; and, in order eventually to secure the carcass, it is only necessary to keep a sharp look-out in the stream below.

Shooting the hippopotamus from the shore is attended with but little danger. Accidents, however, do at times occur.

"A native," says Mr. Moffat, "with his boy, went to the river to hunt sea-cows. Seeing one at a short distance below an island, the man passed through a narrow stream to get nearer to the object of his pursuit. He fired, but missed; when the ani

426

THE DOWNFALL.

mal immediately made for the island. The man, seeing his danger, ran to cross to the opposite bank of the river; but, before reaching it, the sea-cow seized him, and literally severed his body in two with its monstrous jaws."

Various devices are resorted to by the natives of Southern Africa to destroy the hippopotamus. At times, he is entrapped in pit-falls. But the most ingenious plan, and which will be readily understood by the accompanying wood-cut, is by means of the downfall, which the natives would seem to practice with considerable success.

A is Behemoth. B, a downfall, consisting of a log of wood. cc, stones attached to the downfall, to increase its weight. D, the harpoon affixed to the lower end of the downfall. E, a tree, ́or, in lieu of it, an artificial support of about twenty-five feet in height. FF, a line attached to the downfall, which, after having been passed over a branch of the tree or artificial support, crosses horizontally the path-way that the hippopotamus is in the habit of frequenting during his nocturnal rambles. When the animal (which, from the shortness of his legs, lifts his feet but little from the ground) comes in contact with the line, secured on either side of the path by a small peg, it at once snaps, or is disengaged by means of a trigger. The liberated downfall instantly descends, and the harpoon is driven deep into the back of the beast, who, wounded and bloody, rushes with pain and fury to the nearest water, where he shortly dies. His death is sometimes hastened by the iron being poisoned.

RETURN

CHAPTER XLII.

TO THE LAKE-THE AUTHOR STARTS FOR NAMAQUA-LAND TO PROCURE WAGONS-NIGHT ADVENTURE WITH A LION-DEATH OF THE BEAST-SUFFERINGS OF THE AUTHOR.

AFTER about a month's absence, I returned in safety to the Lake, and was delighted to find that affairs were going on prosperously at my camp. My men, however, complained much of the begging and pilfering of the natives. They had also been greatly annoyed by Lecholètébè, who was one of the first persons I encountered on my arrival. I had long been puzzling my brains how I could most effectually pay off the chief for his treachery, and had resolved to assume an angry and dissatisfied air; but a glance at his smooth, sly, smiling face was sufficient to mollify every feeling of resentment; and when, with the most innocent look, he inquired if I had seen Libèbé, and if I felt satisfied with the trip in general, my anger was turned into mirth, and I burst into a hearty laugh. This was all my cunning friend wanted: he seemed like one resting complacently on a profound sense of his own merits, and waiting to receive the thanks and praises which he felt to be his due.

When stopped so unexpectedly in my exploring career by the artifices of Lecholètébè, I made up my mind to return forthwith to the Cape, partly for the purpose of obtaining a fresh outfit, and partly to procure boats suitable to navigate the Ngami and its water-sheds, and then return to the Lake to follow up my discoveries But it was not to be.