A JOURNEY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 373 



an inaccessible place of refuge. An old experienced hunter said 

 that he would rather face fifty lions than one wounded borele; but 

 Mr. Oswell, the well-known African hunter, always preferred to 

 shoot the rhinoceros on foot, but always takes the precaution to 

 look for a safe and ready place of refuge if it becomes necessary. 

 The best place to aim is just behind the shoulder, as if the 

 lungs are wounded the animal very soon dies. There is but little 

 blood externally, as the thick, loose skin covers the bullet-hole, and 

 prevents any outward effusion. When mortally wounded the rhino- 

 ceros generally drops on its knees. 



A BLOODY BATTLE. 



It is at all times a rather savage beast, and is apt to quarrel 

 with its own kind. A story is told of a curious battle, narrated by 

 Mr. Andersson, an eye-witness, where four of these animals engaged 

 furiously with each other. Two of them were shot when it was 

 found that one was absolutely unlit for food, being covered with 

 festering wounds which had been received in former encounters. 

 The flesh of this animal is tolerably good, but that of the black 

 species is rather tough, and possesses a bitter and unpleasant flavor, 

 in consequence of the food on which the animal lives. 



The borele is a nocturnal animal, rousing himself from sleep at 

 dark, and proceeding straightway to the nearest pool. Having 

 refreshed himself, he takes long journeys in search of food, and 

 returns to his temporary home soon after sunrise. When sleeping 

 he lies so still, that he may easily be mistaken for a fragment of 

 dark rock. 



The keitloa can readily be recognized by the horns which are 

 of considerable length, and nearly equal to each other in measure- 

 ment. This is always a morose and ill-tempered animal, and is even 

 more to be dreaded than the borele, on account of its greater size, 

 strength, and length of horn. The upper lip of the keitloa over- 

 laps the lower even more than that of the borele ; the neck is longer 

 in proportion, and the head is not so thickly covered with wrinkles. 



At its birth the horns of this animal are only indicated by a 

 prominence on the nose, and at the age of two years the horn is 



