xvr THE RHINOCEROS 303 



with measured pace, advanced directly towards the rider. Like 

 an object in a disturbed dream, this huge creature came on, step 

 by step, leisurely but surely, never hesitating or halting, but with 

 eyes fixed upon the attacking party. Firing at the forehead 

 being useless, Oswell endeavoured to move either to the left or 

 right, to obtain a shoulder shot ; but the horse, that was accustomed 

 to a hundred contests with wild animals, was suddenly mesmerised, 

 and petrified with horror. The quiet and spectre-like advance of 

 the rhinoceros had paralysed and rooted it to the ground ; trembling 

 all over, its limbs refused to move; the spur and whip were 

 unavailing ; the horse felt that it was doomed. 



This horrible position endured until the rhinoceros was within 

 only a few paces distant ; it then made a dash forward. 



Oswell describes his first sensations, upon returning conscious- 

 ness, nearly as follows. He found himself upon a horse. The reins 

 were not in his hands. A man was walking in front, leading the 

 animal by the reins, which had been pulled over its head. There 

 were natives upon either side, apparently holding him upon the 

 saddle ; a dreamy feeling, and a misty and indistinct view of the 

 situation, was sufficient to assure him that something must have 

 happened. He felt certain that he must be hurt, but he had no 

 pain. He began to feel himself with his hands, and he felt some- 

 thing wet and soft upon one thigh. 



The fact was, that the long horn of the rhinoceros had passed 

 through his thigh. It not only passed through his thigh, but 

 through the saddle flap, then completely through the horse, and 

 was stopped by the flap upon the other side. The horse and 

 rider together were thrown into the air, and the inversion was so 

 complete, that one of OswelPs wounds, a cut upon the head, was 

 occasioned by the stirrup-iron, which proved the inverted position. 



The horse was of course killed upon the spot, and the Caffres 

 came to their master's assistance, and placed him on his spare 

 horse, upon Avhich they held him until they reached the camp. 

 This wound kept the great hunter prostrate for several months. 

 It is many years since Oswell told me this story, but I think I 

 have narrated it exactly. 



It must be remembered that this rhinoceros belonged to the 

 so-called harmless species. This incident is sufficient to exhibit 

 the utter fallacy of a belief " that any kind of animal is invariably 

 harmless." We find that many beasts which are accredited with 

 bad characters conduct themselves occasionally as though abject 

 cowards; in the same manner, those which are considered timid 

 may, when least expected, exhibit great ferocity. 



