208 HUNTING THE RHINOCEROS. 



and went crashing through the thick underwood. The 

 rhinoceros did not turn, but pushed forward in determined 

 pursuit of the Parsees. Of course, we quickly returned 

 upon his rear, and gave him the full benefit of two more 

 balls. This checked the monster, and as we again dodged 

 aside from the path, he came charging back. This time, 

 he discovered my whereabouts, and turned off after me. 

 I led him circuitously back to the path, feeling certain that 

 my friend would reload and hit him again in the rear. I 

 was not disappointed in my calculation. As the rhinoceros, 

 with that mad-dog obstinacy for which it is so famous, 

 rushed after my flying steed, a ball from Mr. Ban-ill's rifle 

 brought him to a seat on his haunches. Seeing this, one 

 of the Parsees came back, and gave me his gun, with which 

 I gave the grunting monster a ball in the throat, and he 

 tumbled over on his side. Yet we did not venture to ap- 

 proach, till another shot had been fired by Mr. Barrill. 



On seeing the rhinoceros fall, the Bheel who had been 

 so extremely ready to remove all obstructions from the path 

 of the charging animal, gave a yell of delight, jumped 

 from the horse on which he had perched himself, and ran 

 before us to our prostrate foe. In spite of all our balls, 

 we found that the monster still breathed. A thrust from 

 the Bheel's spear, however, completely extinguished the 

 spark of life, which was a new subject for clamorous rejoicing 

 on the part of our half-savage friend. We dismounted, 



