April.] 
A RHINOCEROS. 
199 
in thickness, and smooth without hair. It had 
two horns, the one immediately behind the other, 
the front horn was about fourteen inches long, 
the other considerably shorter, but those of the 
male are much larger. The sight of so huge a 
carcase to eat delighted the natives who were 
with us. Four different parties, who travelled 
with us, began instantly to cut it up, each party 
carrying portions to their own heap as fast as 
they could. Some being more expeditious than 
others, excited jealousy, and soon caused a 
frightful uproar. Perhaps twenty tongues were 
bawling out at one time, one of which by itself 
seemed sufficient to deafen an ox. Not a word 
was spoken in jest, all were deeply serious. 
Some severe strokes with sticks were dealt 
among them by the leaders of the parties, but in 
the midst of all this hideous confusion, a circum- 
stance occurred which instantly produced uni- 
versal silence and amazement. A Mashow hap- 
pening to pierce through the animal's side with 
his knife, the fixed air from the swollen carcase 
rushed out with noise and violence, which spread 
terror, and commanded silence for perhaps a 
minute ; they then resumed the same bustle and 
uproar. In less than an hour every inch of 
that monstrous creature was carried off, and 
nothing but a pool of blood left behind. Their 
rage and fury, during the struggle for flesh, 
gave them such a ferocity of countenance that I 
