THE WORLD S WONDERS. 



65 



ing, fighting and tearing, tumbling and wrestling up to their 

 knees in filth and blood in the middle of the carcass. "When 

 a tempting morsel fell to the possession of any one, a stronger 

 neighbor would seize and bear off the prize in triumph. All 

 right was now a matter of pure might, and lucky it was that it 

 did not end in a fight between the opposing parties. The natives 

 might be afterward seen, one by one, covered with blood, scam- 

 pering home each with his spoil a piece of tripe, or liver, 

 or lights, or whatever else it might have been his fortune to get 

 off with. 



CLOSE QUARTERS. 



On the 7th of November, through sickness and desertion, 

 Speke's followers were so much reduced that it became necessary 

 for him to secure more recruits, for which purpose he halted 

 three days and sent to Sheikh Said for several men. That the 

 time of waiting might not hang heavily on his hands, he went 

 upon another hunt. Shortly after starting out he came suddenly 

 upon a two-horned rhinoceros which stood quietly feeding off a 

 bush. He shot the beast at a distance not exceeding five paces. 

 Proceeding farther, he soon came upon a herd of buffalos and 

 secured four shots before the animals discovered him or from 

 whence the shots had come. They then galloped off with Speke 



