88 
RHINOCEROS. 
from which our plate was taken, has not hitherto been 
published. There is a circumstance worthy of re- 
mark respecting these horns. When the animal is 
browsing and undisturbed, the horns remain loose 
upon the nose ; but the moment he is alarmed they 
become perfectly stiff, and ready to act in the 
most offensive manner. Sparrman, when in Africa, 
watched the arrival of those and other animals at a 
muddy water, whither the wild beasts resort to 
quench their thirst, and some to indulge, in that 
hot climate, in rolling in the mud. In that spot 
he shot two rhinoceroses ; one was so large that the 
united force of five men could not turn it. The 
lesser he measured : its length was eleven feet and 
a half ; the girth twelve ; and the height between 
six and seven. 
Mr. Bruce informs us, “ that when pursued, and 
in fear, the rhinoceros possesses an astonishing de- 
gree of swiftness, considering his size, the apparent 
unwieldiness of his body, his great weight before, 
and the shortness of his legs. He is long, and has 
a kind of trot, which after a few minutes increases 
in a great proportion, and takes in a great distance. 
It is not true, that on a plain he beats the horse in 
swiftness. I have passed him with ease, and seen 
many worse mounted do the same ; and though it 
is certainly true, that a horse can very seldom come 
up with him, this is owing to his cunning, but not 
his swiftness. He passes constantly from wood to 
wood, and forces himself into the thickest part of 
them. The dry trees are broken down as with a 
