86 RHINOCEKOS HUNT. 



mile in the background, standing motionless, and watching 

 my proceedings. On their rejoining me, and in the first 

 burst of indignation, I charged them with cowardice ; but 

 Hans immediately drew himself up to his full height, and 

 indignantly but respectfully replied as follows : 



" Sir ! when you have had my experience, you will never 

 call that man a coward who does not attack a wounded 

 black rhinoceros on an open and naked plain. I would rath- 

 er," he continued, " face fifty lions than one of these animals 

 in such an exposed situation, for not one in a hundred 

 would take it as quietly as this has done. A wounded black 

 rhinoceros seldom waits to be attacked, but charges instant- 

 ly ; and there would not have been the least chance of sav- 

 ing one's life in an open place like this. Had there been 

 but the smallest bush or stone, I shouldn't have hesitated a 

 moment, for the sight of the rhinoceros is bad, and if there 

 is the least cover it is easy to avoid him. Not many years 

 ago, a great Namaqua chief, who, contrary to the advice of 

 his friends, had fired at a rhinoceros under precisely similar 

 circumstances to yourself, lost his life by his rashness." 



I could not but be sensibly aware of the injustice of my 

 accusation and my own foolhardiness ; yet I then felt but 

 half convinced of the truth of what Hans had told me, and 

 should certainly have acted in the like imprudent manner 

 (as indeed I did on many subsequent occasions) had another 

 opportunity offered. But, after all, Hans was perfectly 

 right, as I am sure every one who has come much in con- 

 tact with the beast in question will readily admit. Indeed, 

 after the severe lesson which, at an after period, I received 

 from a black rhinoceros, I am free to confess that nothing in 

 the world would ever again induce me willfully to expose 

 myself in the way just mentioned. 



To proceed. After receiving my fire, both mother and 

 calf galloped off as fast as their legs would carry them ; but 

 gradually they slackened their pace to a canter, then to a 



