ere he lives upon fish and water-roots. It is sometimes
a curious but a dreadful sight, when a boat is gliding over a smooth
part of the stream of unusual depth and clearness, to look down and
behold this monstrous creature travelling along the bottom several yards
below the surface. Whenever this happens, the boatman instantly paddles
another way; for such is the strength of the creature, that he is able
to overset a bark of moderate size by rising under it, or to tear out a
plank with his fangs, and expose those who are in it to the dangers of
an unexpected shipwreck. All the day he chiefly hides himself in the
water, and preys upon fish; but during the gloom of night he issues from
the river, and invades the fields of standing corn, which he would soon
lay desolate, were he not driven back by the shouts and cries of those
who are stationed to defend them.

"At this work I had assisted several successive nights, till we were
almost wearied with watching. At length one of the most enterprising of
our young men proposed that we should no longer content ourselves with
driving back the enemy, but boldly attack him, and punish him for his
temerity. With this purpose we concealed ourselves in a convenient
spot, till we had seen one of the river-horses issue from the water, and
advance a considerable way into our plantations; then we rushed from our
hiding-place with furious shouts and cries, and endeavoured to intercept
his return; but the beast, confiding in his superior strength, advanced
slowly on, snarling horribly, and gnashing his dreadful tusks; and in
this manner he opened his way through the thickest of our battalions. In
vain we poured upon him on every side our darts and arrows, and every
missive weapon; so well defended was he in an impenetrable hide, that
every weapon either rebounded as from a wall, or glanced aside without
in the least annoying. At length one of the boldest of our youth
advanced unguardedly upon him, and endeavoured to wound him from a
shorter distance; but the furious beast rushed upon him with an
unexpected degree of swiftness, ripped up his body with a single stroke
of his enormous tusk, and then, seizing him in his furious jaws, lifted
up his mangled body as if in triumph, and crushed him into a bleeding
and promiscuous mass.

"Fear instantly seized upon our company; all involuntarily retreated,
and seemed inclined to quit the unequal combat; all but myself, who,
inflamed with grief and