I IO 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
within about ioo yards. The Rhinoceros simus 
(white species) is not considered dangerous, there¬ 
fore he had approached without the slightest 
caution or hesitation. I forget whether he fired; 
but I well remember that the beast calmly con¬ 
fronted the horse, and slowly, but determinedly, 
with measured pace, advanced directly towards the 
rider. Like an object in a disturbed dream, this 
huge creature came on, step by step, leisurely but 
surely, never hesitating or halting, but with eyes 
fixed upon the attacking party. Firing at the 
forehead being useless, Oswell endeavoured to 
move either to the left or right, to obtain a shoulder 
shot ; but the horse, that was accustomed to a 
hundred contests with wild animals, was suddenly 
mesmerised, and petrified with horror. The quiet 
and spectre-like advance of the rhinoceros had 
paralysed and rooted it to the ground ; trembling 
all over, its limbs refused to move ; the spur and 
whip were unavailing; the horse felt that it was 
doomed. 
This horrible position endured until the rhin¬ 
oceros was within only a few paces distant; it then 
made a dash forward. 
Oswell describes his first sensations, upon return¬ 
ing consciousness, nearly as follows. He found 
himself upon a horse. The reins were not in his 
hands. A man was walking in front, leading the 
animal by the reins, which had been pulled over 
its head. There were natives upon either side, 
apparently holding him upon the saddle ; a dreamy 
