72 THE RHINOCEROS 



past. This brought him down squeahng lustily, 

 as they appear always to do. However, he 

 speedily recovered himself, and made off at a great 

 rate. Having only a single-barrelled rifle of 

 somewhat antiquated type, 1 was unable to get a 

 second shot in until he was well under way, when 

 I fired again for the root of his tail, but ap- 

 parently without result. Loading the rifle again, 

 I dashed after him, and soon came upon a thick 

 blood-spoor which showed that the wound was a 

 mortal one, its frothy appearance indicating that 

 the animal's lungs had been pierced. After a 

 short interval of sprinting and fast walking I came 

 up with him going very groggily through open 

 forest. I reached him just as he began to stumble, 

 and as he was in the act of lying down I gave him 

 a bullet in the neck which broke the spinal 

 column. He was in very fine condition, and his 

 horns, 25j inches and 12f inches, are the finest I 

 possess. 



Before leaving the subject of these interesting 

 animals I should like to remind those who may 

 one day go in pursuit of them that various portions 

 of their anatomy can be made into most fas- 

 cinating trophies, of which, as a rule, the hunter 

 does not make half enough. I have in my pos- 

 session, fashioned from the feet of the black 

 rhinoceros, cigar and cigarette boxes, match 

 stands and a jewel case; whilst the hide of 

 another furnished me with a most uncommon 

 and really beautiful polished table, which would 

 rather resemble old, semi-transparent amber if 

 it were not for the surrounding edging of natural 



