424 Mr. Bain's Visit to the Interior Tribes 



lost no time in spanning in, that we might reach Sibootzaanie 

 by an early hour, where we understood there was plenty of 

 water. On our road thither we started a large white rhino- 

 ceros, which our dogs kept at bay until we came up to it. I 

 gave it a shot behind the shoulder-blade, and had the plea- 

 sure of seeing the monster drop instantaneously upon its 

 knees, giving at the same time a most terrific grunt. We 

 were within a few yards of it, ere the huge animal was aware 

 of the presence of its murderers; at which moment the eaith 

 seemed to tremble under it, and, with an alacrity that 1 

 thought the clumsy brute at any time quite incapable ot, 

 sprung upon us through the brush-wood that in some mea- 

 sure hid us from its view, and so unexpected and sudden was 

 this interchange of civilities, that I am at a loss whether to 

 attribute our preservation to the misgivings of our courage, 

 or to our presence of mind in this critical moment. However, 

 it matters not which, it appears we hit upon the only way of 

 saving our lives on such an occasion, viz. by dropping down 

 behind a bush, so that the infuriated monster, whose vision is 

 extremely bad, galloped almost over us without seeing us. 

 On getting up, I perceived my trusty and well-beloved Hot- 

 tentot squire Africander, (a most excellent shot, and frequent- 

 ly my companion on such occasions,) still prostrate on the 

 earth, grumbling out some comical imprecations on the assu- 

 canthichied (impudence) of the rhinoceros for taking him so 

 a-back, that he had not even time to level his piece at it 

 The furious brute, in the agonies of death, happening to take 

 the track that our wagons had just passed, came in contact 

 with the Bichuana who drove our loose oxen, and aiming a 

 deadly blow at the poor fellow's seat of honor, most fortu- 

 nately thrust his long horn right between his legs, and the 

 astonished herdsman found himself, as if by supernatural 

 means, perched on the top of a hook-thorn-tree, having re- 

 ceived no other damage from his unexpected exaltation, than 

 a few scratches from the thorns, and two of his assagais bro- 

 ken. After this adventure, our people always called the 

 fellow Chicooroo, being the Sichuana name for rhinoceros 

 The savage beast ran about two miles further before it died ; 

 but having plenty of provisions, we allowed the natives to 

 feast upon it. 



Shortly after our sport was over, we passed the ruins of an 

 extensive Bawanketzie town, and a mile farther travelling 

 brought us to the long-looked-for Sibootzaanie, two very 

 fine little lakes, or, more properly speaking, ponds of excel- 

 lent water, abounding with wild ducks, geese, &e. We hat. 

 scarcely unyoked our oxen here, when we shot an animal, 

 called by the Griquas "Bastard Hartebeest," which cam< 

 down to drink, whose carcase we gave to our new Bawankt (.- 



