Identifier: explorationofnil01bake (find matches)
Title: Exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia : the sources, supply, and overflow of the Nile; the country, people, customs, etc. Interspersed with highly exciting adventures of the author among elephants, lions, buffaloes, hippopotami, rhinoceros, etc., accompanied by expert native sword hunters
Year: 1868 (1860s)
Authors: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893 Gage, William Leonard, 1832-1889
Subjects:
Publisher: Hartford : O. D. Case & co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ch the rope, but at the same instant two harpoonswere launched into his side. Disdaining retreat, andmaddened with rage, the furious animal charged fromthe depths of the river, and gaining a footing, hereared his bulky form from the surface, came boldlyupon the sandbank, and attacked the hunters open-mouthed. He little knew his enemy: they were notthe men to fear a pair of gaping jaws, armed with adeadly array of tusks, but half a dozen lances werehurled at him, some entering his mouth from adistance of five or six paces, at the same time severalmen threw handfuls of sand in his enormous eyes.This baffled him more than the lances; he crunchedthe shafts between his powerful jaws like straws, buthe was beaten by the sand, and shaking his hugehead, he retreated to the river. During his sallyupon the shore, two of the hunters had secured theropes of the harpoons that had been fastened in hisbody just before his charge; he was now fixed bythree of these deadly instruments, but suddenly one
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CHAP. XV.) THE LANCES ABE BLUNTED. 417 rope gave way, having been bitten through by theenraged beast, still beneath the water. Immediatelyafter this he appeared on the surface, and withouta moments hesitation he once more charged furiouslyfrom the water straight at the hunters, with his hugemouth open to such an extent that he could haveaccommodated two inside passengers. Sulieman waswild with delight, and springing forward, lance inhand, he drove it against the head of the formidableanimal, but without effect. At the same time, AbouDo met the hippo, sword in hand, reminding me ofPerseus slaying the sea-monster that would devourAndromeda, but the sword made a harmless gash,and the lance, already blunted against the rocks,refused to penetrate the tough hide; once more hand-fuls of sand were pelted upon his face, and againrepulsed by this blinding attack, he was forced toretire to his deep hole and wash it from his eyes. Sixtimes during the fight the valiant bull hippo quittedhis watery

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