RHINOCEROS, 4 It 
I 
mate, standing quietly, close to each other, in the 
middle of the plain ; and that I had it in my power 
to enjoy the pleasure of the finest hunt I had ever 
yet experienced. 
The hunt indeed promised to be amusing ; hut, 
independently of danger, I foresaw that it was likely 
to be attended with difficulties. To attack two such 
formidable enemies, it was necessary to use great 
precautions, and that we should approach them in 
such a manner, as that they might neither see nor 
smell us, which is always very difficult. I at first 
proposed to form a ring, which should surround 
them on all sides; and to advance upon them, 
gradually contracting a circle so as to unite the mo- 
ment we were about to commence our attack ; but 
the savages assured me that, with these animals, this 
plan was impracticable. I gave myself up, there- 
fore, entirely to their directions ; and we set out 
armed alike, with a good fusee, and with the neces* 
sary courage. All my hunters wished to be of the 
party, and each proposed to display the greatest 
prowess. I caused two of my strongest dogs to be 
led in a leash, in order that they might be let loose 
on the rhinoceroses in case it would be found neces- 
sary. We were obliged to make a long circuit to 
gam the lee side of them, lest they should smell us, 
aiong a river, the course of which we followed un- 
der cover of the large trees that grew on its banks, 
when Klaas soon made us observe the two animals, 
at about the distance of a quarter of a league in the 
plain. 
As one of them was much larger than the other, 
I supposed them to be a male and a female. Motion- 
less by the side of each other, they were still in the 
same posture in which Klaas had first seen them, 
but they stood with their noses to the wind, and 
consequently presented to us their rumps. It is the 
custom of these animals, when thus at rest, to place 
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