252 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



utter amazement. At length I fired my second barrel, 

 but my horse was fidgety, and I missed. I continued 

 riding alongside of him, expecting in my ignorance that 

 at length he would come to bay, which rhinoceroses 

 never do ; when suddenly he fell flat on his broadside 

 on the ground, but, recovering his feet, resumed his 

 course as if nothing had happened. Becoming at last 

 annoyed at the length of the chase, as I wished to keep 

 my horses fresh for the elephants, and being indifferent 

 whether I got the rhinoceros or not, as I observed that 

 his horn was completely worn down with age and the 

 violence of his disposition, I determined touring mat- 

 ters to a crisis ; so, spurring my horse, I dashed ahead, 

 and rode right in his path. Upon this the hideous mon- 

 ster instantly charged me in the most resolute manner, 

 blowing loudly through his nostrils; and although I 

 quickly wheeled about to my left, he followed me at 

 such a furious pace for several hundred yards, with his 

 horrid horny snout within a few yards of my horse's 

 tail, that my little Bushman, who was looking on in 

 great alarm, thought, his master's destruction inevita- 

 ble. It was certainly.a very near thing; my horse was 

 extremely afraid, and exerted his utmost energies on 

 the occasion. The, rhinoceros, however, wheeled about, 

 and continued his former course ; and I, being perfect- 

 ly satisfied. with the interview which I had already en- 

 joyed with him, had no desire to cultivate his acquaint- 

 ance any further, and accordingly made for camp. We 

 left the fountain of Bootlonamy the same day, and 

 marched about six miles through an old gray forest of 

 mimosas, when we halted for the night. Large flocks 

 of Guinea-fowls roosted in the trees around our en- 

 campment,: several of which I shot for my supper. 

 On the 23d we inspanned by moonlight, and oontin- 



