CHAP. ii. RHINOCEROS. 131 



truly, and the brute fell on its knees, where, by dint of 

 repeated, if not very well-aimed shots, I succeeded in 

 keeping it until he had re-loaded, when we finished it oft 

 together. 



Other instances of the same sort are not wanting, but 

 that was the only one that ever occurred within my per- 

 sonal knowledge, though, during the time I was hunting, 

 two of my men were killed by rhinoceroses one by an 

 upetyane, the other by a kulumane and from what I 

 heard of the details, they must have been very similar. I 

 only know of a single instance of a person escaping with 

 life. A lot of Kaffirs were crossing the Bombo flats, and 

 a woman, carrying her baby on her back in the native 

 fashion, joined the party for protection. During the 

 journey they were charged by an upetyane. Everybody 

 threw down their bundles, regardless of breaking cala- 

 bashes and pots of fat, and climbed up trees, all except this 

 woman, who, impeded by her burden, and terrified out 

 of her wits, was overtaken and tossed. When she fell 

 again, the rhinoceros came up, sniffed at her and the baby, 

 and walked away, not attempting to do any further harm, 

 and luckily she was only bruised. What had caused it to 

 do this no one knew, and therefore ascribed it to witch- 

 craft. Perhaps the resemblance of the baby's squalling 

 to its own made it so unusually merciful. 



One killed in Zululand, in 1871, destroyed no less 

 than seven people before its death. It had been well 

 known for some years as infesting a certain district, and 

 had succeeded at different times in catching three native 

 women while drawing water. Possibly its presence in 

 the thicket adjoining the stream might have been acci- 



