worn by the keeper is saturated with a solution made from a
strong-smelling herb, to which the animals have great antipathy; and
even though they may approach and smell the skin, they soon turn away,
without hurting the watcher.

The beast's antipathy to this herb was discovered by accident. It
happened that a herd of hippopotami were driven on land where it grew
abundantly; they instantly rushed furiously into the water, and, in
spite of every effort and stratagem, could not be made to return to the
shore.

Suspecting that this herb was the cause of their contumacy, we took a
young hippopotamus, and kept him without food till he became quite
ravenous. Some of the tender herbs were then brought, but he would not
touch them, and evinced other symptoms of antipathy, while he showed his
ravenousness by trying to seize the keeper. He was still kept without
food, and the herbs were left within his reach, but he would not
approach them, though, as soon as some of his usual food was brought, he
greedily devoured it.

These beasts formerly infested the rivers which run through our cities;
and a very powerful solution from the herb, which they could scent at a
considerable distance, was prepared by our chemists. We have great locks
at the entrances of our rivers. In these are concave places in which the
preparation is deposited, and the dangerous beasts are thus kept at a
great distance.

In our world the hippopotami are very fond of freshwater rivers. There
is a large stream called the Aoe, the waters of which have a peculiar
attraction for these beasts, and I have seen it covered with them for
miles.

The waters of this river are very prejudicial to man; perhaps the
qualities which make them agreeable to the beast render them
antipathetic to man's constitution.

In their native state, the beasts like the land as much as the water,
preferring it indeed during the prevalence of certain winds. I could
tell, by the direction of these, whether few or many of the animals
would come ashore. From my observatory, I have seen thousands together a
long way off, looking like countless swarms of flies, and all moving in
a compact mass, as though they were gregarious to the highest degree.
When seen from a short distance, they look like a moving lead-colour
bog. I have sent to caution the hunters, for on occasion the large herds
are dangerous.

HABITS.

There are times when the hippopotami seek to be invisible; they then
bury