166 BEASTS AND MEN 
side of the van as soon as that vehicle was reached, and to 
fasten the end to the axle, thus preventing the possibility of 
the rhinoceros beating a sudden retreat. I myself took the 
other rope, that attached to the foreleg, and straightway com- 
menced the march through the docks, the rhinoceros following 
quite quietly. The whole affair appeared to be child's play. 
All went well until our strange company had nearly 
reached the van. Then a most untoward event occurred. To 
my horror I noticed that a locomotive with a goods train was 
approaching, and it immediately occurred to me that now, at 
the very last moment, the rhinoceros might take fright at a 
spectacle no less novel than terrifying. With a speed which 
only the fear of danger can explain, I sprang to the van, 
drew the rhinoceros after me, and, the keepers becoming in- 
fected with my energy, we had the animal firmly fastened up 
before the locomotive reached us. The sequel soon showed 
how fortunate this was. The engine-driver, who had noticed 
the uncommon rapidity with which we had completed the last 
part of our journey, played an idiotic practical joke by blowing 
his steam-whistle to frighten the rhinoceros. This threw the 
animal into a terrible state of agitation and she commenced 
to snort with terror. I had just time to secure her other fore- 
leg with the reserve cords, when her excitement at the con- 
tinuance of the shrill whistle and at the uproar around us upon 
the quay turned into furious rage, accompanied by desperate 
attempts to break away out of the van. The first obstacle 
she encountered was the coachman’s box, which was situated 
high up in front of the van. In a second the brute had her 
head under this box and sent it flying into the air. It fell with 
a crash into the road—luckily missing the horses, or the re- 
sults would have been disastrous. The infuriated rhinoceros 
next tried to charge through the front of the van. I was now, 
however, prepared for the emergency, and swinging myself 
on to the pole of the cart I seized a thick rope and began to 
thrash the beast between the ears with all my might and main. 
Surely even a rhinoceros must feel this, I thought! Eventu- 
