The life and labors of David Livingstone, LL. D., D.C.L., covering his entire career in Southern and Central Africa. Carefully prepared from the most authentic sources...The whole rendered clear and (14781729272)

Identifier: lifelaborsofdavi1875cham (find matches)
Title: internetarchivebookimages/tags/book...
Year: 1875 (1870s)
Authors: Chambliss, J. E
Subjects: Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
Publisher: Philadelphia, Hubbard bros. (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries



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nameless songsters of rare hueswere always present, while every now and then a monsteralligator came splashing from his sunny perch into the stream,or some unfortunate guana on a projecting bough fell a victimto the ready spear of a native, and dropping into the glidingboat was seized as choice provision for an evening meal. Thisanimal is of the lizard tribe, and grows sometimes to the lengthof four or five feet. Its strong coat resists blows, and even theforce of fire-arms, but it fills helpless if a straw is put in itsnostril. Vast herds of hippopotami were passed, and it was amusingto see the youthful members of the families perched on thebroad shoulders of their dams, while the tremendous puffingand snorting rumbled around like miniature thunder. Mr.Gumming once came on the lair of four of these singular crea-tures, a hazy morning on the banks of the Limpopo. Thenoise of his horse breaking through the wall of reeds alarmedthem, and all four rushed into the shallow stream, and went
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■■■bbP^ HIPPOPOTAMUS. 125 trotting toward deep water. The hunter, with quick aim,wounded a large cow, the ball striking the skull. The animalcommenced plunging furiously round and round in a frenzy ofagony; a second ball only increased her misery and fury.Anxious to bring his game nearer the land, Mr. Cumming thenthrew off his heavier clothing and plunged into the water, andarmed only with a long knife rushed upon the beast; seizingher short tail he vainly tried to steer her landward. The tailwas a poor rudder; cutting a slit in the strong hide, he found asecurer hold, and ultimately brought the huge behemoth to theshore, when it required the full strength of a brace of splendidoxen to land her. She measured, by his account, five full feetacross the body. Floating along this stream the interminableroar of the lion forces that animal on our thoughts continually,and not unfrequently his majestic form, passing through theneighboring brush and matted reeds, excites the deepest inter