THE WHITE RHINOCEROS. 
621 
more easily approached and killed on foot. On this occasion, however, it seemed as if fate 
had interfered. 
“ Turning to my after-rider, I called out : ‘ By heaven ! that fellow has got a fine horn ! 
I will have a shot at him.’ With that, I clapped spurs to my horse, who soon brought me 
alongside the huge beast, and the next instant I lodged a ball in his body, but, as it turned 
out, not with deadly effect. On receiving my shot, the Rhinoceros, to my great surprise, instead 
of seeking safety in flight, as is the habit of this generally inoffensive animal, suddenly stopped 
short, then turned sharply round, and having eyed me most curiously for a second or two, 
walked slowly towards me. I never dreamt of danger. Nevertheless, I instinctively turned 
my horse’s head away: but, strange to say, this creature, ususally so docile and gentle — 
which the slightest touch of the reins would be sufficient to guide — now absolutely refused 
to give me his head. When at last he did so, it was too late ; for, notwithstanding the 
Rhinoceros had only been walking, the distance between us was so inconsiderable, that by this 
time I clearly saw contact was unavoidable. Indeed, in another moment I observed the brute 
bend low his head, and, with a thrust upwards, strike his horn into the ribs of the horse with 
such force as to penetrate to the very saddle on the opposite side, where I felt its sharp point 
against my leg. 
“The violence of the blow was so tremendous as to cause the horse to make a complete 
somersault in the air, coming heavily down on its back. With regard to myself, I was, as a 
matter of course, violently precipitated to the ground. Whilst thus prostrated, I actually saw 
the horn of the infuriated beast alongside of me ; but, seemingly satisfied with his revenge, 
without attempting to do farther mischief, he started off at a canter from the scene of action. 
My after-rider having by this time come up, I rushed upon him, and almost pulling him off 
his horse, leapt into the saddle ; and, without a hat, and my face streaming with blood, was 
quickly in pursuit of the retreating beast, which I soon had the satisfaction to see stretched 
lifeless at my feet.” 
The flesh of the Mijciittco, or Moxooiioo, as the White Rhinoceros is called by the 
natives, is apt to be rather tough, but is of good flavor. The best portions are those which are 
cut from the upper part of the shoulder and from the ribs, where the fat and the lean parts are 
regularly striped to the depth of two inches. If a large portion of the meat is to be cooked at 
one time, the flesh is generally baked in the cavity of a forsaken ant-hill, which is converted 
into an extempore oven for the occasion ; but if a single hunter should need only to assuage 
his own hunger, he cuts a series of slices from the ribs, and dresses them at his fire. The 
hide of the Monoohoo is enormously thick, and gives a novice no little trouble to get it from 
the body, as it is as hard as a board, and nearly as stiff. An adept, however, will skin the 
animal as quickly and easily as if it were a sheep. 
The Kobaoba, or Long-horned White Rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros oswellii) is much rarer than 
either of the preceding species, and is found far in the interior, mostly to the east of the 
Limpopo River. The peculiar manner in which this species carries its horns, 'makes it a very 
conspicuous animal. In all the other species, the horns are curved, and incline rather back- 
ward ; but in the Kobaoba, the foremost horn is nearly straight, and projects forward, so that 
when the animal is running, the tip of the horn nearly touches the ground. Indeed, the 
extremity of an adult Kobaoba’ s horn is generally rubbed down on one side, owing to the 
frequency with which it has come in contact with the earth. The head of this and the preced- 
ing species is always carried very low, forming a singular contrast to the saucy and inde- 
pendent manner in which the borele carries his head. 
The long horn of the Kobaoba sometimes exceeds four feet in length, and as it is almost 
straight, is most valuable for many purposes. The best, toughest, and straightest ramrods are 
manufactured from this horn, and I have seen one of these ramrods that was almost four feet 
long, even after being shaped and trimmed, so that the horn from which it was cut must have 
been still longer. The mother Kobaoba employs this horn for a very curious purpose, as was 
seen by Cumming. Whenever the mother and her young are abroad, the calf always takes 
the lead, and in this instance she guided her little one by pressing it against the calf’ s side, 
