The Bayeye harpoon the Hippopotamus.—The Harpoon described.—How
the Chase of the Hippopotamus is conducted by the Bayeye.—How
it was conducted by the ancient Egyptians.—The Spear used by
them.—Ferocity of the Hippopotamus.—Killed by Guns.—Frightful
Accident.—The Downfall.
On the Teoge, and other rivers to the northward of Ngami, the natives are
accustomed to harpoon the hippopotamus in a somewhat similar manner as
that practiced with the whale. I will endeavor to describe the process,
which, singularly enough, has never, to my knowledge, been done by any
traveler.
The harpoon (of iron), A, is, as seen in the following diagram, short and
strong, and provided with a single barb, B. The shaft, or handle, C C,
consists of a stout pole, from ten to twelve feet in length, by three or
four inches in thickness. At the inner end of the shaft, C C, is a socket
for the reception of the harpoon, A, which is farther secured to the
shaft (at about one third from the socket) by a number of small cords, E
E.[96] These cords, when the animal is struck, and a strain consequently
comes upon them, relax, so as to allow the harpoon to slip out of the
socket, though, of course, it still remains attached to the shaft. To
the other extremity of the handle is fixed the harpoon-line, F, which is
strong, and of considerable length, and to the end of this a “float” or
“buoy,” G.
[Illustration: HIPPOPOTAMUS HARPOON.]
From the weight of the shaft the harpoon is seldom or never hurled at
the hippopotamus, but is held by the harpooner, who drives it either
vertically or obliquely into the body of the animal.
Sometimes the chase is conducted with canoes alone; at others in
connection with a “reed-raft,” similarly constructed to that recently
described. We will suppose the latter plan is adopted. At the appointed
time the men assemble at the rendezvous, and after every thing has been
duly arranged, and the canoes needed for the prosecution of the hunt
drawn up on the raft, the latter is pushed from the shore, and afterward
abandoned entirely to the stream, which propels the unwieldy mass gently
and noiselessly forward.
Hippopotami are not found in all parts of the river, but only in certain
localities. On approaching their favorite haunts, the natives keep a very
sharp look-out for the animals, whose presence is often known by their
snorts and grunts, while splashing and blowing in the water, or (should
there be no interruption to the view) by the ripple on the surface, long
before they are actually seen.
[Illustration: THE REED-RAFT AND HARPOONERS.]
As soon as the position of the hippopotami is ascertained, one or more
of the most skillful and intrepid of the hunters stand prepared with
the harpoons, while the rest make ready to launch the canoes, should
the attack prove successful. The bustle and noise caused by these
preparations gradually subside. Conversation is carried on in a whisper,
and every one is on the _qui vive_. The snorting and plunging become
every moment more distinct; but a bend in the stream still hides the
animals from view. The angle being passed, several dark objects are
seen floating listlessly on the water, looking more like the crests of
sunken rocks than living creatures. Ever and anon, one or other of the
shapeless masses is submerged, but soon again makes its appearance on the
surface. On, on glides the raft with its sable crew, who are now worked
up to the highest state of excitement. At last the raft is in the midst
of the herd, who appear quite unconscious of danger. Presently one of
the animals is in immediate contact with the raft. Now is the critical
moment. The foremost harpooner raises himself to his full height to
give the greater force to the blow, and the next instant the fatal iron
descends with unerring accuracy in the body of the hippopotamus.
The wounded animal plunges violently and dives to the bottom, but all his
efforts to escape are unavailing. The line or the shaft of the harpoon
may break, but the cruel barb once imbedded in the flesh, the weapon
(owing to the thickness and toughness of the beast’s hide) can not be
withdrawn.
As soon as the hippopotamus is struck, one or more of the men launch a
canoe from off the raft, and hasten to the shore with the harpoon-line,
and take a “round turn” with it about a tree or bunch of reeds, so that
the animal may either be “brought up” at once, or, should there be too
great a strain on the line, “played” (to liken small things to great)
in the same manner as the salmon by the fisherman. But if time should
not admit of the line being passed around a tree, or the like, both line
and “buoy” are thrown into the water, and the animal goes wheresoever he
chooses.
The rest of the canoes are now all launched from off the raft, and chase
is given to the poor brute, who, so soon as he comes to the surface
to breathe, is saluted with a shower of light javelins, of which the
following wood-cut is a sample. Again he descends, his track deeply
crimsoned with gore. Presently, and perhaps at some little distance, he
once more appears on the surface, when, as before, missiles of all kinds
are hurled at his devoted head.
[Illustration: THE SPEAR.]
When thus beset, the infuriated beast not unfrequently turns upon his
assailants, and, either with his formidable tusks, or with a blow from
his enormous head, staves in or capsizes the canoes. At times, indeed,
not satisfied with wreaking his vengeance on the craft, he will attack
one or other of the crew, and, with a single grasp of his horrid jaws,
either terribly mutilates the poor fellow, or, it may be, cuts his body
fairly in two!
The chase often lasts a considerable time. So long as the line and the
harpoon hold, the animal can not escape, because the “buoy” always marks
his whereabout. At length, from loss of blood or exhaustion, Behemoth
succumbs to his pursuers.
It is a remarkable fact that almost the same method of securing
the hippopotamus as that just described was adopted by the ancient
Egyptians.[97]
“The hippopotamus,” says Diodorus, “is chased by many persons, each armed
with iron javelins. As soon as it makes its appearance at the surface of
the water, they surround it with boats, and, closing in on all sides,
they wound it with blades furnished with iron barbs, and having hempen
ropes fastened to them, in order that, when wounded, it may be let out
until its strength fails it from loss of blood.”
The many drawings relating to the chase, &c., of the hippopotamus to
be found on the sculptures and monuments of Thebes would seem to prove
that the ancient Egyptians greatly delighted in this kind of sport.
One of these representations is shown on the following page, and has
been borrowed from that valuable work, “The Manners and Customs of the
Ancient Egyptians,” by Sir Gardner Wilkinson, who thus explains the very
interesting illustration.
“The chasseur is here in the act of throwing the spear at the
hippopotamus, which he has already wounded with three other blades,
indicated by the ropes he holds in his left hand; and having pulled the
animal toward the surface of the water, an attendant endeavors to throw
a noose over its head as he strikes it for the fourth time. Behind him
is his son holding a fresh spear in readiness; and in order that there
should be no question about the ropes belonging to the blades, the fourth
is seen to extend from his hand to the shaft of the spear he is throwing.
The upupa, heron, and other birds are frightened from the rushes as the
boat approaches; and the fish, with a young hippopotamus, seen at the
bottom of the water, are intended to show the communication of the fenny
lake with the Nile.”
[Illustration]
“The spear they used on these occasions was evidently of a different
construction from that intended for ordinary purposes, and was
furnished, as Diodorus observes, with a rope for letting out the wounded
animal, in the same manner as practiced by the modern Ethiopians;[98]
there was sometimes another line fastened to the shaft, and passing over
a notch at its upper end, which was probably intended to give the weapon
a great impetus, as well as to retain the shaft when it left the blade.
The rope attached to the blade was wound upon a reel, generally carried
by some of the attendants. It was of very simple construction, consisting
of a half ring of metal, by which it was held, and a bar turning on it,
on which the line or string was wound.”
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Again: “This weapon,” alluding to the harpoon, “consisted of a broad,
flat blade, furnished with a deep tooth or barb at the side, having a
strong rope of considerable length attached to its upper end, and running
over the notched summit of a wooden shaft, which was inserted into the
head or blade like a common javelin. It was thrown in the same manner,
but, on striking, the shaft fell, and the iron head alone remained in the
body of the animal, which, on receiving a wound, plunged into deep water,
the rope having been immediately let out. When fatigued by exertion, the
hippopotamus was dragged to the boat, from which it again plunged, and
the same was repeated till it became perfectly exhausted, frequently
receiving additional wounds, and being entangled by other nooses, which
the attendants held in readiness as it was brought within their reach.”
To return: If the hippopotamus hunt, as just described by me, was
conducted altogether from the reed-raft, one’s personal safety would be
little, or not at all, endangered; for, on account of the great size,
buoyancy, and elasticity of the raft, the animal, however wickedly
inclined, could neither “board” nor capsize it. But when one pursues
him in a canoe—though far the most exciting way—the peril, as shown, is
considerable. One morning, when descending the Teoge, we met a party
of hippopotami hunters, one of whose canoes had been upset by one of
those animals, whereby the life of a man was sacrificed. Indeed, similar
mishaps are of constant occurrence on that river.
Our own safety, moreover, was considerably jeopardized by a hippopotamus.
One afternoon, about an hour before sunset, I sent a canoe, with several
men, in advance, to look out for a bivouac for the night, and to collect
fuel. They were scarcely out of sight when an immense hippopotamus, with
its calf, rushed out from among the reeds, where she had been concealed,
and, passing under our raft, almost immediately afterward made her
appearance on the surface of the water. Upon seeing this, I lost no time
in firing, but, though to all appearance mortally wounded, we lost sight
of her at the time. A few minutes afterward, however, on coming to a bend
of the river, we fell in with the canoe that had been sent on, bottom
uppermost, and found, to our great consternation, that the wounded beast,
in going down the stream, had caught sight of the canoe, and, instantly
attacking it, had, with one blow of her head, capsized it. The men saved
themselves by swimming, but all the loose articles were either lost or
spoiled by the water. Fortunately for me, however, I had taken the advice
of the Bayeye to remove the most valuable of my things, such as books,
instruments, &c., to the raft previous to the canoe leaving.
Innumerable instances, showing the ferocity of the hippopotamus, are
on record. “Lieutenant Vidal,” says Captain Owen, in his Narrative of
Voyages, and when speaking of the River Temby, “had just commenced
ascending this stream in his boat, when suddenly a violent shock was
felt from underneath, and in another moment a monstrous hippopotamus
reared itself 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 thrown 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 the 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 animal 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 his monstrous jaws.”
[Illustration: THE DOWNFALL.]
Various devices are resorted to by the natives of Southern Africa to
destroy the hippopotamus. At times he is entrapped in pitfalls; but
the most ingenious plan, and which will be readily understood by the
preceding 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; C C, 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; F F, a line
attached to the downfall, which, after having been passed over a branch
of the tree or artificial support, crosses horizontally the pathway 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.