BEHEMOTH AND THE UNICORN. 597 



length. Th.e kobaoba is the rarer of the two, and it is found 

 very far in the interior, chiefly to the eastward of the 

 Limpopo. Its horns are very valuable for loading rods, 

 supplying a substance at once suitable for a sporting imple- 

 ment and excellent for the purpose. Both these varieties of 

 rhinoceros attain an enormous size, being the animals next 

 in magnitude to the elephant. They feed solely on grass, 

 carry much fat, and their flesh is excellent, being preferable 

 to beef. They are of a much milder and more inoffensive 

 disposition than the black rhinoceros, rarely charging their 

 pursuer. Their speed is very inferior to that of the other 

 varieties, and a person well mounted can overtake and shoot 

 them. The head of these is a foot longer than that of the 

 borfel^. They generally carry their heads low, whereas the 

 borMd, when disturbed, carries his very high, which imparts 

 to him a saucy and independent air. Unlike the elephants, 

 they never associate in herds, but are met with singly or in 

 pairs. In districts where they are abundant, from three to 

 six may be found in company, and I once saw upward of a 

 dozen congregated together on some young grass, but such 

 an occurrence is rare. 



Here, too, is his first introduction to the unicorn. 



Shortly after this I found myself on the banks of the 

 stream beside which my wagons were outspanned. Follow- 

 ing along its margin, I presently beheld a bull of the bor^ld, 

 or black rhinoceros, standing within a hundred yards of me. 

 Dismounting from my horse, I secured him to a tree, and 

 then stalked within twenty yards of the huge beast, under 

 cover of a large, strong bush. Borfeld, hearing me advance, 

 came on to see what it was, and suddenly protruded his 

 horny nose within twenty yards of me. Knowing well that 

 a front shot would not prove deadly, I sprang to my feet 

 and ran behind the bush. Upon this the villain charged, 

 blowing loudly, and chased me round the bush. Had his 

 activity been equal to his ugliness, my wanderings would 



