1812. MODE OF HUNTING THEM: — NATURE OF THEIR HIDE. 73 
enemy ; and then, if they once get sight of the hunter, it is impos- 
sible for him to escape, unless he possess a degree of coolness and 
presence of mind, which, in such a case, is not always to be found. 
Yet if he will quietly wait till the enraged animal make a run at him, 
and will then spring suddenly on one side to let it pass, he may gain 
time enough for re-loading his gun, before the rhinoceros get sight 
of him again ; which, fortunately, it does slowly and with difficulty. 
The knowledge of this imperfection of sights which is occasioned 
perhaps by the excessive smallness of the aperture of the eye (its 
greatest length being only one inch) in proportion to the bulk of the 
animal, encourages the hunter to advance without taking much pains 
to conceal himself; and, by attending to the usual precautions just 
mentioned, he may safely approach within musket-shot. This crea- 
ture seems to take as much pleasure in wallowing in the mud, as the 
hog. As far as my own experience enables me to speak, I can attest 
the correctness of Speelman's remarks. 
The present animal was a male of large size, but being nearly 
cut up when I arrived, I was unable to ascertain its particular dimen- 
sions. No hair whatever was to be seen upon it, excepting at the 
edge of the ears, and on the extremity of the tail. Our bullets, though 
cast with an admixture of tin to render them harder, were flattened, 
or beat out of shape, by striking against the bones ; but those which 
were found lodged in the fleshy part, had preserved their proper 
form ; a fact which shows how little the hardness of this creature's 
hide corresponds with the vulgar opinion, of its being impenetrable 
to a musket-ball. It is however, to be admitted that bullets of pure 
lead, fired from too great a distance, or with too weak a charge of 
powder, will sometimes fail to penetrate the skin, and fall flattened 
from the animal's side, should they happen to strike one of the 
thicker parts of the hide, or where a coating of mud has dried fast 
upon it. This skin when dry and formed into shields, may possibly 
turn a ball; as it is then become so much harder than when alive. 
In cutting up this Rhinoceros, my people found one bullet more than 
they had fired : it appeared to have lain in the flesh a considerable 
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