Death Comes to the Arch-Hippo

Death Comes to the Arch Hippo

Ever since a huge hippopotamus waddled 500 miles from its natural habitat in Zululand and dropped amicably in upon a town-councillors' meeting at Port St. Johns, and into a hotel lobby at Durban. South Africa (TIME, May 5, 1930), that hippo has been an arch hippo, worshipped by the natives as a god, protected by local legislation throughout the Union. Somebody dubbed it "Hubert" and the name was accepted by all uninquisitive South African citizens.

Hubert the Arch Hippo usually dwelt in the Umzimvubu River, occasionally, however, foraging over the land. Last week Hubert was wading and snorting in the Keiskama River when some sacrilegious native, scofflaw Afrikander or bloodthirsty American crept up and slew the beast with a bullet over each eye.

Next day 18 oxen were hitched to the bloated, floating body and it was hauled ashore. Soon Hubert was posthumously rechristened "Huberta." Posses were formed to scour the veldt for her murderer.

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