406 AFRICAN RESEARCHES. 



coup-de-grace was certain to follow from the deadly grooves 

 of the Captain's rifle. 



" About sunset an unwieldy white rhinoceros approached the waggons, 

 evidently with hostile intentions. There being neither bush nor hollow to 

 conceal my advance, I crawled towards him amongst the grass, and within 

 forty yards fired two balls into him. He started, looked around for some 

 object on which to wreak his vengeance, and actually charged up, with his 

 eye flashing fire, to within an arm's length of me. Crouching low, howev- 

 er, I fortunately eluded his vengeance, and he soon afterwards dropped 

 down dead." 



From the abundance in which our author found examples 

 of the king of beasts, it is satisfactory to find that notwith- 

 standing the great rage for establishing zoological gardens, 

 this noble animal will afford sport to African hunters for some 

 time to come. 



" On the bank of the river I observed the perfect skeleton of an elephant. 

 Near to it 'Lingap suddenly stopped, and pointing with his assegai to a 

 bush a few yards off, whispered ' TaooJ and T immediately perceived three 

 lionesses asleep. Ensconcing himself behind his shield, he made signs to 

 me to fire, which I did into the middle of the party, at the same moment 

 springing behind a tree, which completely screened me. Thus unceremoni- 

 ously awakened, the three ladies broke covert, roaring in concert, and dash- 

 ed into the thick bushes, while we walked as fast as possible in an opposite 

 direction. In the course of a few minutes we heard several discharges of 

 musquetry, and an infuriated rhinoceros, streaming with blood, rushed over 

 the brow of the eminence that we were ascending, and was within pistol- 

 shot before we were aware of his approach. No bush presenting itself be- 

 hind which to hide, I threw my cap at him, and 'Lingap striking his shield 

 and shouting with stentorian lungs, the enraged beast turned off." 



On one occasion we find, however, that the Captain's head- 

 dress inspired a feeling of a very different nature, for whilst 

 on another giraffe crusade, he tells us, that — 



"A white turban, that I wore round my hunting-cap, being dragged off 

 by a projecting bough, was instantly charged by three rhinoceroses; and 

 looking over my shoulder, I could see them long afterwards, fagging them- 

 selves to overtake me." 



Had the three rhinoceroses taken into their heads to charge 

 whilst the turban occupied its legitimate position, our hero 

 would have stood the chance of a capsize, the unpleasant con- 

 sequences of which, even a friendly ostriches' nest might not 

 have averted. So improbable a contingency as this, however, 

 we will answer for it, never suggested itself to the mind of the 

 Captain : he had on a former occasion come off victorious, 

 when simultaneously attacked by three rhinoceroses ; but in 

 that one instance, he candidly admits that they were very 

 iron hie some. 



