chap. ii. RHINOCEROS. 97 



saw by their small size and diminutive horns that they 

 were both upetyane (R. bicornis), a species against which, 

 ever since I had been so roughly handled by one of 

 them, I had always borne malice for their evil disposition 

 and vicious propensities, and therefore, though their horns 

 were utterly worthless, I was glad to get the opportunity. 

 I could not at first decide which to fire at ; for though 

 the one in the pool was not ten yards off, yet it was lying 

 in such a position that I doubted my being able to mortally 

 wound it, while the other, unless it charged, would be out 

 of sight the moment I fired and startled it ; I therefore 

 thought I would try a shot at the latter, which, though it 

 was fully forty yards off, I could, from its prominent posi- 

 tion, see almost more plainly than the other, and, resting 

 the gun on a branch, I did so. The bullet told loudly, 

 and the animal, puffing and snorting, disappeared, while 

 the one in the water, springing to its feet, and sending the 

 mud pattering among the surrounding leaves, trotted out, 

 and then, wheeling half round, stood, evidently listening 

 for some indication of my whereabouts. This I soon gave 

 it, aiming as before at the shoulder, and bringing it to the 

 ground on the spot, though, instantly recovering itself, it 

 charged straight for the place where it had seen the flash. 

 Short as the delay had been, it had enabled me to load 

 one barrel, and when it was within a yard of the tree I again 

 fired down into its hump, making it swerve with the pain, 

 and, losing its balance, fall bodily into the pond below. 

 The water was deep, and it floundered about for some 

 seconds before it found its feet, enabling me to reload, and 

 to again plant my balls, right and left, in its shoulder, 

 upon which it rushed off, scattering the water as it did so, 



G 



