{"id":154,"date":"2025-06-14T09:39:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T08:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/word\/?p=154"},"modified":"2025-06-14T09:39:21","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T08:39:21","slug":"i-never-could-have-imagined-that-so-unwieldy-an-animal-could-have-exhibited-such-speed-no-man-would-have-had-a-chance-of-escape-and-it-was-fortunate-for-our-old-neptune-that-he-was-secure-upon-the-h","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-never-could-have-imagined-that-so-unwieldy-an-animal-could-have-exhibited-such-speed-no-man-would-have-had-a-chance-of-escape-and-it-was-fortunate-for-our-old-neptune-that-he-was-secure-upon-the-h\/","title":{"rendered":"I never could have imagined that so unwieldy an animal could have exhibited such speed; no man would have had a chance of escape, and it was fortunate for our old Neptune that he was secure upon the high ledge of rock; for if he had been in the path of the infuriated beast there would have been an end of Abou Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

I never could have imagined that so unwieldy an animal could have exhibited such speed; no man would have had a chance of escape, and it was fortunate for our old Neptune that he was secure upon the high ledge of rock; for if he had been in the path of the infuriated beast there would have been an end of Abou Do. The old man plunged into the deep pool just quitted by the hippo and landed upon our side, while in the enthusiasm of the moment I waved my cap above my head and gave him a British cheer as he reached the shore. His usually stern features relaxed into a grim smile of delight: this was one of those moments when the gratified pride of the hunter rewards him for any risks. I congratulated him upon his dexterity; but much remained to be done. I proposed to cross the river, and to follow upon the tracks of the hippopotamus, as I imagined that the buoy and rope would catch in the thick jungle, and that we should find him entangled in the bush; but the old hunter gently laid his hand upon my arm and pointed up the bed of the river, explaining that the hippo would certainly return to the water after a short interval.<\/p>\n

In a few minutes later, at a distance of nearly half a mile, we observed the hippo emerge from the jungle and descend at full trot to the bed of the river, making direct for the first rocky pool in which we had noticed the herd of hippopotami. Accompanied by the old howarti (hippo hunter), we walked quickly toward the spot. He explained to me that I must shoot the harpooned hippo, as we should not be able to secure him in the usual method by ropes, as nearly all our men were absent from camp, disposing of the dead elephants.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching the pool, which was about a hundred and thirty yards in diameter, we were immediately greeted by the hippo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I never could have imagined that so unwieldy an animal could have exhibited such speed; no man would have had a chance of escape, and it was fortunate for our old Neptune that he was secure upon the high ledge…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[4],"yoast_head":"\nI never could have imagined that so unwieldy an animal could have exhibited such speed; no man would have had a chance of escape, and it was fortunate for our old Neptune that he was secure upon the high ledge of rock; for if he had been in the path of the infuriated beast there would have been an end of Abou Do - Samuel White Baker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/i-never-could-have-imagined-that-so-unwieldy-an-animal-could-have-exhibited-such-speed-no-man-would-have-had-a-chance-of-escape-and-it-was-fortunate-for-our-old-neptune-that-he-was-secure-upon-the-h\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I never could have imagined that so unwieldy an animal could have exhibited such speed; 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While the party of camel, men and others were engaged in cutting up the dead elephants, the three aggageers had found the track of a bull that had escaped wounded. In that country, where there was no drop of water upon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nile"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":152,"url":"http:\/\/www.aberth.com\/samuelwhitebaker\/after-walking-about-two-miles-we-noticed-a-herd-of-hippopotami-in-a-pool-below-a-rapid\/","url_meta":{"origin":154,"position":3},"title":"After walking about two miles we noticed a herd of hippopotami in a pool below a rapid","date":"May 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"After walking about two miles we noticed a herd of hippopotami in a pool below a rapid. This was surrounded by rocks, except upon one side, where the rush of water had thrown up a bank of pebbles and sand. 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