150 THE RHINOCEROS. 



waiting for one of the rhinoceroses to turn, that he 

 might aim at his head. 



" At last, the largest of the two having turned 

 his head in our direction, he fired. 



"Wounded with the shot, he uttered a frightful 

 cry, and, followed by the female, ran with fury 

 towards the place whence the noise had come. A 

 cold perspiration came over me, for I expected to 

 see the two monsters break through the bush, crush 

 under their feet the unhappy Jonker, and tear him 

 in pieces ; but he had thrown himself flat on the 

 ground, and the ruse succeeded perfectly. They 

 passed near him without seeing him, and came 

 straight towards me. 



"Then my agony was turned into joy, and I 

 prepared to receive them. But the dogs, already 

 excited by the gun-shot which they had heard, 

 became so maddened at their approach, that being un- 

 able to hold them, I unloosed them and let them 

 on them. 



" At this sight they took a turn, and made off in 

 the direction of one of the ambuscades, where they 

 underwent another firing; then in a third direction, 

 where again they were met with another shot. My 

 dogs harassed them beyond measure, which still in- 

 creased their rage. They kicked at them furiously, 

 they tore up the plain with their horns, and ploughed 



