xvi THE RHINOCEROS 297 



completely, leaving only the thick skin of the throat, to which the 

 head was still attached. 



This was a magnificent stroke, which delighted the sword- 

 hunters, and I should much like to hear the story as it is now 

 told by them, if alive, or by their descendants. They will 

 assuredly have converted the calf into a full-grown rhinoceros, as 

 the length of time now elapsed will have accounted for the change ; 

 but the incident will certainly be remembered, and narrated by 

 the owner of the sword, and will be handed down to posterity with 

 some few exaggerations. 



We opened and cleaned the calf, and the united efforts of six 

 men secured it across a camel ; we then cut the shields off the 

 large rhinoceros, and took the calf to camp, as Taher Noor wished 

 particularly to exhibit the trophy of his sword to the Sit (Lady 

 Baker). 



As we arrived, we found a large body of Abyssinian hunters, 

 who asked us for meat. " Meat 1 " exclaimed my men. " We've 

 left an entire rhinoceros only just skinned, about twenty minutes' 

 walk from this. Look, you can see the vultures gathering in 

 the air." 



" Vultures 1 Yes, there are plenty of them ; but if you took the 

 skin off, there'll be no meat by the time we get there." 



"Not if you stop here talking," my men replied. "Run, and 

 you will be in time to get something." 



About twenty fellows started off in the direction pointed out 

 by the hovering birds. In less than an hour the Abyssinians 

 returned with a report "that only the skeleton remained upon 

 their arrival." 



There is no animal which parts with its hide so easily as the 

 rhinoceros. Directly that the fatal shot has been fired, the Arab 

 hunters measure the body by so many spans, the thumb stretched 

 from the little finger. The rhinoceros should yield eight large 

 squares of hide, each of which will produce a circular shield about 

 2 feet in diameter, or rather larger. When the operation of 

 skinning is commenced, it is curious to see the want of attachment 

 between the hide and the flesh ; it detaches immediately, simply 

 upon a few digs with the fist, and it flakes away like the bark of 

 an oak when felled in May. Each square is worth 2 dollars, there- 

 fore a rhinoceros is a valuable prize to the Arab hunters. 



It is difficult to believe the rapidity with which vultures will 

 consume a large animal when it has been divested of the skin 

 Should a buffalo die, these birds are helpless, as they can only 

 work at the eyes, and beneath the tail, the hide resisting their 



