HU^'TING THE RHINOCEROS. 215 



presently, the ground improving, I got alongside, and, 

 firing at the gallop, sent a bullet through her shoulder. 

 She continued her pace with blood streaming from the 

 wound, and very soon reached an impracticable thorny 

 jungle, where I could not follow, and instantly lost her. 

 In half an hour I fell in with a second rhinoceros, be- 

 ing an old bull of the white variety. Dismounting, I 

 crept within twenty yards, ^id saluted him with both 

 barrels in the shoulder, upon which he made off, utter- 

 ing a loud blowing noise, and upsetting every thing 

 that obstructed his progress. 



Shortly after this I found myself on the banks of the 

 stream beside which my wagons were outspanned. 

 Following along its margin, I presently beheld a bull 

 of the borele, or black rhinoceros, standing within a 

 hundred yards of me. Dismounting from my horse, I 

 secured him to a tree, and then stalked within twenty 

 yards of the huge beast, under cover of a large, strong 

 bush. Borele, hearing me advance, came on to see 

 what it was, and suddenly protruded his horny nose 

 within twenty yards of me. Knowing well that a front 

 shot would not prove deadly, I sprang to my feet and 

 ran behind the bush. Upon this the villain charged, 

 blowing loudly, and chased me round the bush. Had 

 his activity been equal to his ugliness, my wanderings 

 would have terminated here, but by my superior agili- 

 ty I had the advantage in the turn. After standing a 

 short time eyeing me through the bush, he got a whifF 

 of my wind, which at once alarmed him. Uttering a 

 blowing noise, and erecting his insignificant yet saucy- 

 looking tail, he wheeled about, leaving me master of 

 the field, when I sent a bullet through his ribs to teach 

 him manners.* 



• Of the rhinoceros there are four varieties in South Africa, distin 



