428 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



head, and with a thrust upwards, struck his horn into the ribs 

 of the horse with such force as to penetrate to the very saddle 

 on the opposite side, where the rider felt its sharp point against 

 his leg. The violence of the blow was so tremendous as to 

 cause the horse to make a complete somersault in the air, 

 coming heavily down on his back. The rider was, of course, 

 violently precipitated to the ground. While thus prostrated, 

 he saw the horn of the monster alongside of him ; but without 

 attempting to do any further mischief, the brute started off at 

 a canter from the scene of action. If the rhinoceros imagined 

 it had come off as victor, it was, however, soon undeceived ; 

 for Mr. Oswell, rushing upon one of his companions, who by 

 this time had come up, and unceremoniously pulling him off 

 his horse, leapt into the saddle, and without a hat, and his face 

 streaming with blood, was quickly in pursuit of the beast, which 

 he soon had the satisfaction to see stretched lifeless at his feet. 

 Mr. Andersson, another well-known African Nimrod, having 

 one day wounded a black rhinoceros, and being in an unfavour- 

 able situation for renewing his shot with deadly effect, the 

 monster, snorting horribly, erecting its tail, keeping its head 

 close to the ground, and raising clouds of dust by its feet, rushed 

 at him furiously. ' I had only just time to level my rifle 

 and fire,' says this adventurous traveller, 'before it was upon 

 me, and the next instant knocked me to the ground. The 

 shock was so violent as to send my rifle, powder-flask, and ball- 

 pouch spinning ten feet high in the air. On the beast charging 

 me, it crossed my mind that, unless gored at once by its horn, 

 its impetus would be such as to carry it beyond me, and I might 

 thus be afforded a chance of escape, and so, indeed, it happened, 

 for, having been tumbled over and trampled on with great 

 violence, the fore-quarter of the enraged brute passed over my 

 body. Struggling for life, I seized my opportunity, and as the 

 animal was recovering itself for a renewal of the charge, 

 scrambled out from between its hind legs. But the infuriated 

 rhinoceros had not yet done with me, for scarcely had I regained 

 my feet, before he struck me down a second time, and with his 

 horn ripped up my right thigh (though not very deeply) from 

 near the knee to the hip : wdth his fore-feet, moreover, he hit 

 me a terrific blow on the left shoulder, near the back of the 

 neck. My ribs bent under the enormous weight and pressure, 



