[Illustration: HIPPOPOTAMUS.]
The Hippopotamus is an enormous animal. After the Elephant and the
Rhinoceros, it is the largest of terrestrial Mammalia. Its head is very
bulky and its mouth extends very nearly from eye to eye. All who have
seen in the menagaries this monstrous mouth opening for a little piece
of bread, have been surprised at the frightful appearance of this living
gulf, armed with enormous teeth. When it is shut, the upper lip descends
in front and on the sides, like an enormous blobber lip which covers the
extremity of the lower jaw, and partly hides the underlip; but on the
sides it is the lower lip which stands up. The nostrils, which are in
front of the muzzle, are surrounded by a muscular apparatus, which
closes them hermetically when the animal is under water.
The Hippopotamus inhabits Southern and Eastern Africa; but everything
announces that it will not be long in disappearing before civilization,
that is to say, the sportsman’s gun.
These animals live in troops on the banks of rivers and in their waters.
On land, their gait is clumsy and heavy, for their own enormous weight
tires them; but they are very quick and active in water, where they
lose, by the pressure of the water, a great portion of their weight. And
so they pass all day in the water, in which they swim and dive with
great facility. When swimming they only let the upper surface of their
heads be seen, from the ears to the surface of the nostrils, which
allows them to breathe, to see all round them, and to hear the slightest
noises. In breathing, they spout out noisily, in the form of irregular
jets, such water as has become introduced into their nostrils. This
spouting announces to the hunter the presence of the Hippopotamus.
The Hippopotamus feeds on young stalks of reeds, little boughs, small
shrubs and water plants, also on roots and succulent bulbs.
Its cry is hoarse, but of incredible depth, power and volume. The habits
of this animal are peaceable; its disposition is, in general, mild and
inoffensive; it only turns vicious when it is attacked.
Hippopotamus hunting is performed in different ways. Its enemies
surprise it at night, on its leaving the water, when it comes to browse
in the meadows and the neighboring plains; or attack it by day in the
river, either with harpoons or guns, assailing it when it comes to the
surface to breathe. The unfortunate animal tries to defend itself. In
its sudden action it sometimes overturns the boats containing its
enemies. Occasionally, desperate with rage at being wounded, it tries to
tear the boats to pieces with its formidable tusks. With one bite it
could cut through the middle of the body of a full-grown man.
The natives of Africa hunt the Hippopotamus, first to obtain the ivory
furnished by its tusks—an ivory which, without being so good as that of
the Elephant, is nevertheless very valuable. The skin, or hide, which is
very thick, is also employed in the manufacture of various instruments.
The flesh of the Hippopotamus is sought after in South Africa as a
delicate morsel.