ATTACK A WHITE RHINOCEROS. 167 



But our rifles scared them away to an agreeable distance, 

 for, be it known, that the perfume of a Bechuana female 

 sometimes causes one to hold the organ of smell. These 

 people were extremely anxious to obtain snuff from us 

 that being esteemed by them an earthly heaven of luxury ; 

 but we concluded to reserve our stock for a propitiatory 

 offering, if we should encounter natives whose friendship 

 was uncertain or whose enmity was to be feared. A few 

 miles further on, among some extensive forests of mimosa 

 and acacia, I shot an eland, and, after a severe conflict 

 with a whole herd of buffaloes, I aided Mr. Barrill in kill- 

 ing a savage cow. We had a narrow escape from a white 

 rhinoceros, which charged at the moment our attention 

 was absorbed by the buffaloes, and but for a quick dodge, 

 both of us would have been tumbled beneath the feet of 

 the herd. A shot in the shoulder, sent the rhinoceros 

 limping away, and we concluded the battle with a victory. 

 The next day, having seen fresh traces of herds of ele- 

 phants, Mr. Barrill and I, with Carollus as after rider pro- 

 ceeded ahead of the wagons, through a country presenting 

 every variety of feature. At one time, we crossed bare 

 stony ridges, at another threaded the mazes of shady, but 

 scattered forests; now struggled through fields of high 

 grass, which the wind moved to a sea of green waves, and 

 again emerged into open lawns. At length we arrived 

 among groups of grassy hills, covered with loose stones, 



