HARPOONING A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 621, 19 May 1870, Page 3

HARPOONING A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

(From a Whaler's Note-Book). We had baen some nine months from home, and were nearly out of wood. Sailing lazily down the Mozambique Channel, but seeing no signs of sperm whales, we armed at the Bazaseta Islands, whither the captain had determined to go in a search of a stock of wood. These isles are situated in the Mozambique, at but short distances from the mainland of Africa. They are thickly wooded, and but sparsely inhabited, both which circumstances contributed, in the present instance, to making them a favourite place of resort for our captain. We sailed into the little bay formed by the islands and the neighbouring mainland about seren o'clock one morning ; and after coming to anchor, furling sails, and clearing a space in the hold for ths reception of the wood, took axes to the mate's boat, and proceeded to an inspection of the facilities for cutting and boating off firewood, afforded by the different little islets. ; It. must be premised here, that pur ship lay at the distance of about two and a half miles from the mainland, the different isles being from half a mile to three miles distant. To cut a supply of wood for a Whaling cruise is a work requiring Some days, and often weeks; and it had been determined that the first, and if need be, the next day likewise, should be devoted to & thorough inspection of the facilities of the place,, in order that we might work jat as little disadvantage as possible. Consequently we (the mate's boat's crew) had been ordered to prepare for a general cruise. We provided ourselves with a store of bread and beef, filled the beaker with water, spread our sail to the light breeze, and pointed our boat to 'the nearest island. , ! Landing her, we found nought but a wilderness' of low jungle, which was scarcely penetrable, together with a poor landing. We examined three or four of the islets, and 1 having at last fixed upon a suitable place where to commence operations, were about to return on board, when the mate said, " Trim aft, Tom— there's a good breeze, fair coming

and going, and we'll take a look at the mainland." Accordingly, the boat's head was laid shoreward, and we spread ourselves at full length upon the thwarts, enjoying an unusual treat of some cigars, which our chief officer had good-naturedly brought with him. When within about a mile and a half of the mainland, we found the water shoaling, being then not more than three fathoms — eighteen feet— deep. ; . "I saw a black skin glisten in the sun just then," said the boat steerer, who was aft, the mate having stretched himself upon the bow thwart to take a nap. "It was nothing but a puffing pig," said he, drowsily. "There it is again, and no puffing pig, either, nor porpoise, nor — no," said he, with some degree of animation ;" nor anything else that wears black skin, that I ever sawbefore." This had the effect of rousing us up, every one casting his eyes ahead to catch a sight of the questionable " black skin." " There he blows — and there again— and over here, too," Baid several voices in succession. "It ain't a spout at all, boys j let's pull and see what it is." We took to our oars, and the boat was soon darting forward at good speed, toward the place where we had last Been the object of our curiosity. " Stern all 1 " suddenly shouted the mate, as the boat brought up "all standing," against some object which we had not been able to see on account of the murkiness of the water, the collision nearly throwing us down into the bottom of the boat. As we backed off, an enormoug beast slowly raised his head above the water, gave a loud snort, and incontinently down again, almost before we could get a fair look at it." « What is it ? " was now the question, which no one could answer. " Whatever it is," said the mate, whose whaling blood was up, "if it conies within reach of myiron, I'll make fast to it j so pull ahead." We were again under headway, keeping a bright look-out for the re-appearance of the stranger. ' i "There they are, a whole shoal 1 "said the mate, eagerly, pointing in shore, where the glistening of the white water showed that a number of the nondescripts were evidently enjoying themselves. "Now, boy a, pull hard, and we'll soon try their mettle." - " There's something broke water just ahead," said tfe boat-steerer. " Pull easy, lads. I see him. There— way enough — there's his back." " Stern all ! " shouted he, as he darted his iron into a back as broad as a small sperm whale's. "Stern alii Back-water — back-water, every man!" And the infuriated beast made desperate lunges in every direction, making the white water fly almost equal to a whale. . We could now see the whole shape of the creature, as, in his agony and surprise, he raised himself high above the surface. We all recognised at once the hippopotamus, as he is represented in books of natural history. Our subject soon got a little cooler, and giving a savage roar, bent his head round as he seized the shank of the iron between his teeth. With one jerk he drew it out of his bleeding quarter, and shaking it savagely, sank down to the bottom. The water was here but about two fathoms deep, and we could see the direction in which he was travelling along by a line of blood, as well as by the aii- bubbles which rose to the surface as he breathed. "Give me another iron, Charley; and we'll not give him a chance to pull it out next time." The iron was handed up, and we slowly' sailed in the direction which our prize was following along the bottom. "Here's two or three of them astern of us," said the boat-steerer. Just then two more rose, one oh either side of the boat, and in rather u»plco»»nt proximity, and before we had begun to realise our situation, the wounded beast, unable anylonger to stay beneath the surface, came up to breathe just ahead of us. " Pull ahead a little— let us get out of this snarl. Lay tbe boat around, so— now, stern all," and the iron was planted deep in the neck of our victim. With a roar louder than a dozen of the wild bulls of Madagascar, the now maddened beast made for the boat. " Back water !— back water, I say I Take down this boat-sail, and stern . all— stern all, for your lives 1 " as two more appeared by the bows, evidently prepared to assist their comrade. . He was making the water fly in all directions, and having failed to reach the boat, was now vainly essaying to grasp the iron, which the mate had purposely put into his short neck, to close to his head that he could not get it into his mouth. " Stick out line till we get clear of the shoal, and then we'll pull up on the other Bide of this fellow, and I'll soon settle him with a lance I " This was done; and as we again hauled upon the still furious beast, the mate poised bis bright lance for a moment, then sent it deep into his heart. With a tremendous roar, and a desperate final struggle of scarcely a minute's duration, our prize gave up the ghost, and, after sinking momentarily, rose again to the surface, lying upon his side, just as the whale does when he dies. His companions had left us, and we now, giving three cheers for victory, towed the carcase to the not far-distant shore. It was luckily high tide, and we got the body up to high-water mark, where the speedily receding tide left it ashore. On measuring, we found our prize to be a few inches less than fifteen feet long, from his head to the commencement of his short, hairless tail. We could not measure his girth, but his bulk was enormous. His legs

were disproportionately short, giving him, conjointly with his short neck and very large head, an awkward, stolid appearance, which J the agility he displayed in the water by no means justified. . ■ We had . not been long on shore, when several natives made their appearance. They testified much joy at the sight of this prize, and went through a most lively pantomime, from which we gathered that the beasts were a great plague to them, that the meat was good to eat, and that they would like a portion. The hint was not lost upon us, who had not tasted fresh beef for six months. " What say you, boys: will you try a piece of hippopotamus steak ?" proposed the mate; and as no one dissented, we got the axes, and after considerable chopping and hacking, got off the head, when we were enabled to cut ourselves about jwenty-five .pounds of what appeared to be tolerably tender meat, off the fore-quarter of the animal. Our steaks were cooked for Bupper, and whether it was that we were blessed with an unusually good appetite, or that the meat was actually wellflavoured, certain it is that they tasted delicious, and that we ate heartily of them.