444 THE KHINOCEROS 



beast within easy range, when, if the ball be well directed, it is 

 killed on the spot. But by far the most convenient way of 

 destroying the animal is to shoot it from a cover or a screen, when 

 it comes to the pool to slake its thirst. Occasionally it is also 

 taken in pitfalls. Contrary to common belief, a leaden ball 

 (though spelter is preferable) will easily find its way through 

 the hide of the African rhinoceros, but it is necessary to Ije 

 within thirty or forty paces of the brute, and desirable to have 

 a double charge of powder. The most deadly part to aim at is 

 just behind the shoulder ; a ball through the centre of the 

 lobes of the lungs is certain to cause almost instantaneous death. 

 A shot in the head never or rarely proves fatal, as the brain, 

 which, in proportion to the bulk of the animal, does not attain 

 the three hundredth part of the size of the human cerebrum, is 

 protected, besides its smallness, by a prodigious case of bone, 

 hide, and horn. However severely wounded the rhinoceros may 

 be, he seldom bleeds externally. This is attributable in part, no 

 doubt, to the great thickness of the hide and its elasticity, which 

 occasions the hole caused by the bullet nearly to close up, as 

 also from the hide not being firmly attached to the body, but 

 constantly moving. If the animal bleed at all, it is from the 

 mouth and nostrils, which is a pretty sure sign that it is mortally 

 hurt, and will soon drop down dead. It is remarkable that the 

 rhinoceros, when hit by a fatal bullet, does not fall upon one side, 

 but generally sinks on its knees, and thus breathes its last. 



From what has been related of the fury of the rhinoceros, 

 its pursuit must evidently be attended with considerable 

 danger, and thus the annals of the wild sports of Southern 

 Africa are full of hair-breadth escapes from its terrific charge. 

 Once Mr. Oswell, having lodged a ball in the body of a huge 

 white rhinoceros, though not with mortal effect, was surprised 

 to see the beast, instead of seeking safety in flight, as is gene- 

 rally the case with this inoffensive species, suddenly stop short, 

 and having eyed him most curiously for a second or two, walk 

 slowly towards him. Though never dreaming of danger, he in- 

 stinctively turned his horse's head away ; but strange to say, this 

 creature, usually so docile and gentle, now absolutely refused to 

 give him his head. When at last he did so, it was too late, for 

 although the rhinoceros had only been walking, the distance 

 was now so small that contact was unavoidable. In another 



