426 Mr. Bain's Visit to the Interior Tribes ' 



followed by a loud groan, proclaimed their success. One of 

 the gigantic animals fell, but ere the people reached it, it 

 managed to scramble into the adjoining wood, grunting all 

 the way most frightfully, so that they did not pursue it far, 

 but returned to the wagons and went to bed. 



August 20. — The pleasing metamorphosis which the limpid 

 treasures of the Sibootzaanie had produced on the bodies of 

 our Hottentots, could not but afford us great satisfaction, 

 every one appearing this morning in a clean shirt, and dressed 

 out in the best of their "homely weeds;" doubtless with the 

 intention of making some conquests among the ladies of the 

 Bawanketzie court, at which place it was our intention to 

 present ourselves this evening. Having made an early din- 

 ner on a rhinoceros tongue, and the marrow-bones of a 

 cameleopard, (dishes which I'll defy the greatest king in 

 Christendom to produce,) we proceeded on our journey, accom- 

 panied hy a vast number of natives who had joined us in the 

 course of the day. The country became more pleasant as we 

 advanced to the northward, rising into gentle undulations, 

 and vegetation is every where more luxuriant than we had 

 hitherto found it. The picturesque clumps of trees that 

 studded the extensive lawn over which we travelled, were 

 composed of various kinds of mimosas, besides many other 

 species, to us entirely unknown. Behind one of those 

 clumps, at a short distance from our track, stood a large rhi- 

 noceros, apparently asleep, and being now pretty well accus- 

 tomed to the shooting of these animals, Mr. Biddulph proposed 

 trying the effect of a small ball upon this one, as all that we 

 had hitherto killed were shot with large guns. I argued on 

 the danger of the experiment, but at length agreed to let Mr. 

 B. have the first shot with his double-barrel, of 22 to the 

 pound, while I should stand in reserve with my large gun. 

 Having crept up close to the bush where the creature stood, 

 he deposited his ball near its heart, which made it rebound 

 from the earth, and nearly stunned it; but recovering itself 

 directly, the infuriated brute flew full at my companion, who 

 had scarcely time to evade its long horn, by falling down be- 

 hind a bush in the usual way, at which moment I pulled my 

 trigger, but my piece unfortunately flashed in the pan. Our 

 dogs coming up very opportunely to our assistance, kept the 

 fierce monster at bay, which gave me an opportunity of re- 

 priming ; and in the performance of that work, happening to 

 look over my shoulder, I saw Poloholo at a short distance 

 behind me, with his gun pointed at the rhinoceros, it is true, 

 but this simple creature not considering that the ball would 

 first require to find its way through the carcase of his master, 

 ere it reached that of the rhinoceros, it was a fortunate cir- 

 cumstance for me that his gun was only on half cock when I 



