REVENGE OF A RHINOCEROS. 
353 
from near the knee to the hip, with her fore-feet; 
moreover, she hit me a terrific blow on the left 
shoulder, near the back of the neck. My ribs bent 
under the enormous weight and pressure, and for a 
moment I must, as I believe, have lost conscious¬ 
ness. I have, at least, very indistinct notions of 
what afterwards took place. All I remember is 
that, when I raised my head, I heard a furious snort¬ 
ing and plunging amongst the neighbouring bushes. 
I now arose, though with great difficulty, and 
made my vray, in the best manner I was able, to¬ 
wards a large tree near at hand, for shelter; but 
this precaution was needless; the beast, for the 
time at least, showing uo inclination further to mo¬ 
lest me. Either in the melee , or owing to the con¬ 
fusion caused by her wounds, she had lost sight of 
me, or she felt satisfied with the revenge she had 
taken. Be that as it may, I escaped with life, 
though sadly wounded and severely bruised, in 
which disabled state I had great difficulty in getting 
back to my screen. 35 
During the greater part of the recent conflict, I 
had preserved my presence of mind; but after the 
danger was over, and wffien I had leisure to collect 
my scattered and confused senses, I was seized 
with a nervous affection, causing a violent tremb¬ 
ling. I have since killed many rhinoceroses, but 
several weeks elapsed before I could again attack 
those animals with any coolness. 
About sunrise, Kamoja, my half-caste boy, whom 
I had left on the preceding evening about half a 
mile away, came to the “ screen 33 to convey my 
A A . 
