382 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT 



CHAP. 



from the coigne of vantage where he was safely 

 ensconced, "Dereb! Dereb!" (Shoot! Shoot!); but the 

 man to whom he shouted was apparently unwilling to 

 divert the attention of the rhinoceros to himself, and 

 so neglected to take advantage of the opportunity. 



Almost as soon as Lieutenant von Hohnel was 

 knocked down, Felix and the two other fox terriers 

 ferociously attacked the rhinoceros, and by their barks 

 and the vigour of their attack finally succeeded in 

 diverting the attention of the animal toward them- 

 selves ; thereby, without doubt, saving Lieutenant von 

 Hohnel's life. The rhinoceros, by that time thor- 

 oughly aroused, having left Lieutenant von Hohnel, 

 charged the men behind the trees ; and catching 

 sight of poor Sururu, who had had a prior and pain- 

 ful experience with these animals, thundered in his 

 direction, but he managed to elude it. Fortunately 

 the beast did not succeed in doing further damage ; 

 but it is a matter of the deepest regret to me that it 

 escaped with its life, and is now doubtless lying in 

 wait for some other unfortunate traveller. 



Upon reaching Lieutenant von Hohnel, I found 

 him still conscious ; in fact, he assured me that he 

 was able to walk. In that he was mistaken. We 

 carried him to a soft spot under a tree, stripped him 

 of his clothing, and attended to his wounds as well as 

 our slight means and skill would permit. I told my 

 men to take their cloths and make a hammock. This, 

 for a moment, they actually refused to do. Probably 

 they were yet dazed by the recent occurrence, and 

 thereby deprived of that mite of reason which in their 

 calm moments they possess. 



