Il6 THE TWO-HORNED RHINOCEROS. 



destined for the principal food of this animal. For the 

 purpose of gaining the highest branches of these, his 

 upper lip is capable of being lengthened out so as to 

 increase his power of la}'ing hold with it, in the same 

 manner as the Elephant does with his trimk. With 

 this lip, and the assistance of his tongue, he pulls 

 down the upper branches, which have most leaves, 

 and these he devours first. Having stripped the 

 tree of its branches, lie does not immediately abandon 

 it ; but, placing his snout as low in the trunk as he 

 finds his horns will enter, he rips up the body of 

 the tree, and reduces it to thin pieces like so many 

 laths ; and when he has thus prepared it, he em- 

 braces as much of it as he can in his monstrous jaws, 

 and twists it round with as much ease as an ox would 

 do a root of celery, or any small plant. 



"^ When pursued, and in fear, he possesses an 

 astonishing degree of swiftness, considering his size, 

 the apparent unwieldiness of his body, his great 

 weight before, and the shortness of his legs. He 

 has a kind of trot, which, after a few minutes, in- 

 creases in a great proportion, and takes in a great 

 distance ; but this is to be understood with a degree 

 of moderation. It is not true that in a plain he beats 

 the Horse in swiftness. I have passed him with 

 ease, and seen many, worse mounted, do the same ; 

 and though it is certainly true that a horse can yery 

 seldom come up with him, this is owing to his cun- 

 ning, and not to his swiftness. He mnkes constant- 

 ly from wood to wood, and forces himself into the 

 thickest parts of them. The trees that are dead or 

 dry, are broken down^ as with a cannon shot, and 



