46 TRAVELS IN 
whether his comrades had arrived at tlieif 
pofts, he made preparations for firing. 
During the time he was creeping along, I 
had followed him with my eye j and, in pro- 
portion as he advanced, I felt my heart beat 
with involuntary palpitation. This palpita-* 
tion, however, increafed, when I faw him fd 
near the animals, and juft upon the point of 
firing at one of them. What would I not 
have given at that moment to have been in the 
place of Jonker, or at lead by his fide, that I 
might have brought down alfo one of thefe 
favage monfters ? I waited with the utmoft 
impatience for the report of tlse gun, arid I 
could not conceive what prevented him from 
firing ; but the Hottentot who flood near me, 
and who was able by the bare fight to diftin- 
gui(h him as perfedly as I could with my glafs, 
informed me of his defign. He told me, that 
Jonker did not fire, becaufe he was waiting till 
one of the rhinocerofes fhould turn rojjnd, that 
he might, if poiTible, take aim at its head ; and 
that, on the firft motion they made, I fhould 
hear the report. 
Prefently the largeft of the two, having 
looked 
