160 NEIGHBORS WITH CLA WS AND HOOFS. 



a rhinoceros on horseback, which led me a chase of many 

 miles, and required a number of shots before he fell, 

 during which chase several of these birds remained with 

 their ugly friend to the last. 



7. " ' They reminded me of mariners on the deck of 

 some bark, sailing on the ocean, for they perched along 

 his back and sides, and, as each of my bullets told on the 

 shoulder of the rhinoceros, they ascended about six feet 

 into the air, uttering their harsh cry of alarm, and then 

 resumed their position. It sometimes happened that the 

 lower branches of trees under which the rhinoceros passed 

 swept them from their living deck, but they always recov- 

 ered their former station ; they also adhere to the rhi- 

 noceros during the night. I have often shot these animals 

 at midnight, when drinking at the fountains, and the 

 birds, imagining they were asleep, remained with them 

 till morning, and on my approaching, before taking flight, 

 they exerted themselves to their utmost to awaken the 

 rhinoceros from his deep sleep.' 



8. " The black rhinoceroses are of a gloomy, melan- 

 choly temper, and not seldom fall into paroxysms of rage 

 without any evident cause, often plowing up the ground 

 for several yards with their horns, and assaulting large 

 bushes in the most violent manner. Seeing the creatures 

 in their wild haunts cropping the bushes, or quietly mov- 

 ing through the plains, you might take them for the most 

 inoifensive animals in all Africa ; but, when roused to 

 passion, there is nothing more terrific on earth. All the 

 beasts of the wilderness are afraid of him. The lion 

 silently retires from his path, and even the elephant is 

 glad to get out of his way. Yet this brutal and stupidly 

 hoggish animal is distinguished by its parental love, and 

 the tenderness which it bestows on its young is returned 

 with equal affection. 



