Where all the beasts of the field play. In the covert of the reeds and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; The willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. His nose pierceth through snares" (xl. 15–24). The elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and the extinct mammoth (!) have been severally proposed as the Behemoth of Job. It would be very unprofitable to repeat the arguments which have been used in favour of each by their advocates. The now well known hippopotamus (H. amphibius, Plate XXVI., fig. 3) may be regarded as answering best to the highly poetical description of behemoth in this passage. Those who have appealed to the mention of Jordan (ver. 23) as opposed to the claims of the hippopotamus, cannot have been aware that the designation means any "rapid river." he Behemoth's place of feeding is said to be the mountains (ver. 20). This finds a striking corroboration in Dr. Livingstone's interesting notice of the hippopotamus observed on the Leeambye. "The rapids," says, "in the part of the river between Katimamolelo and Naméta are relieved by several reaches of still deep water, fifteen or twenty miles long. In these, very large herds of hippopotami are seen, and the deep furrows they make, in ascending the banks to graze during the night, are everywhere apparent. They are guided back to the water by the scent; but a long-continued pouring rain makes it impossible for them to perceive, by that means, in which direction the river lies, and they are found standing bewildered on the land. The hunters. take advantage of their helplessness on these occasions to kill them. It is impossible to judge of the numbers in a herd, for they are almost hidden beneath the waters; but as they require to come up every few minutes to breathe, when there is a constant succession of heads thrust up, then the herd is supposed to be large. They love a still reach of the stream, as in the more rapid parts of the channel they are floated down so quickly, that much exertion is necessary to regain the distance lost, by frequently swimming up again—such constant exertion disturbs them in their nap. They prefer to remain by day in a drowsy yawning state, and though their eyes are open, they take little notice of things at a distance. The males utter a loud succession of snorting grunts, which may be heard a mile off. The VOL. II. 3 в canoe in which I was, in passing over a wounded one, elicited a distinct grunting, though the animal lay entirely under water. The young, when very little, take their stand on the neck of the dam, and the small head, rising above the large, comes soonest to the surface. The dam, knowing the more urgent need of her calf, comes more frequently to the surface when it is in her care. But in the rivers of Sunda, where they are much in danger of being shot, even the hippopotamus gains wit by experience; for while those in the Zambesi put up their heads openly to blow, those referred to keep their noses among water plants and breathe so quietly that one would not dream of their existence in the river, except by footprints on the banks.” "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Lay thine hand upon him, Remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain : Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: Who then is able to stand before me? Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, Nor his comely proportion. Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, Shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, That no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, They stick together, that they cannot be sundered. canoe in which I was, in passing over a wounded one, elicited a distinct grunting, though the animal lay entirely under water. The young, when very little, take their stand on the neck of the dam, and the small head, rising above the large, comes soonest to the surface. The dam, knowing the more urgent need of her calf, comes more frequently to the surface when it is in her care. But in the rivers of Sunda, where they are much in danger of being shot, even the hippopotamus gains wit by experience; for while those in the Zambesi put up their heads openly to blow, those referred to keep their noses among water plants and breathe so quietly that one would not dream of their existence in the river, except by footprints on the banks." "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Lay thine hand upon him, Remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain : Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: Who then is able to stand before me? Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, Nor his comely proportion. Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, Shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, That no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, They stick together, that they cannot be sun |