The Hippopotamus At Home

Kingwcre, the canoe paddier (says Mr. Btauley), e-pying lis tVoni li is brake covert on the opposite side, cirilly respon ed to our hallóos, and broujilit bis huge hollowed tree skilfullyover the whirlinsj; eddies of tho rive'r to where we stood waitiug for lililí. While one party loadeu the canoe wil h otlier goous, otlinrs got ready .1 long ropo to fusten around the animáis' necks, whcrowith to I11111I them through the river to the other bank. Aftcrsceing llie Work propeily coniinenced, I sat duWli 011 a coudeumed ciinoe to amuse myfelf with the hippopotami by pepperiugtheir tliick BkulU wiLh niy No. 12 smooUhboro. The Winchester rille (calibre 44)did no more than slightly tap them, eausing about as much injury as a boy 's il ing; it was perfect in itsaicuracv of lire, tbr ten times in succession Istrnok the tops ot their licuds betwueu the ears. One old fellow, with tho look ot' a sae, was tapped close to the right ear with one of these ballets. Instead of subincrghij; himself, ai others had done, he coolly turned around as if to ask : "Why this waste of valuable cartride8 011 us?" The response to the iiiiita inqniry of hissageship was au ounce-uud-u-quRiter bnllct f rom the smoothbore, which inado hiin bellow itli pain, and in R few inoments hb rose up again tnmblingin hisdeath agonies. As li is yroans weie so pito om-, 1 refrained trom a useless sacrifico of lile, and lelt the anipliibious horde in peacc. Aliuleknowledgoconcenituii these uncoutli inmatesof the Africau waters was gaiued even during Uie few minutes we were at the ferry. When undistorbed by foreign souiuts, they congrégate in sliallow water on the saiul bars, with the fore half of their üodiesexposed to the warm sunshine, and are in appearanee, when thus soiiiuolcntiy repoaillg, very like a herd of cnormous swine. When startied by the jioise of an intnuler, they plunge hustily into the depths, lasliing tho waters into a yellowish foani, and scatter themgelvea beiow the suriace, when presently the he;uls of a few rc-appcar, snorliiiir the water trom their nostrils, to tuke a fresh breuth and a cautious orutiiry around them ; wlien thus, wc sue hut tlieir ears, forehead, eyes, and nostrils, and as they hastily BUümerge again it requirea 1 steady wrist anda quiek hand to shoot them. 1 have heard several comparisons made of their appearanee while flualtUK in thia innnner; souio Araba told me before 1 had seen tliem that tbey lookod like deal trees carried down tliG river; others, who in soine country had seeii hogs, thought they iHJseinbled them; bitL to my miiul they look mure like liurscs when BWilitining - iheii' curvad uecks and pointoU ears, tlieir wide eyes, and cxpauded nostrils, favor greatly this eonniarison. At a rece 111 trial in England a gas eompany was sued for daniages, the plaintilf having been rendered insensible by an escape of the company's gas from a defectivo maiu. The plaintfffalleged that the accident had readcicd biin unfit for business for a considerable period. As scicn tiiic evidence, Drs. 'i'kly aiul IlastiugS gave the opinión that the ellect of iuhaliug coal is very transitory, and that it must quickly pass from the systom, lenving 110 ill effects behind. Xho jury aecepted this view of tho case. An interesting colorad person, tvIio in hls early youth held Gen. Jackson's stirrup. Btill livea at Nashville. He was President Polk's coachmau, and his name is Elias LJolk.