CHAPTER XIII. 
ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE SKILL AS A HUNTER. 
Exciting Encounters with a Bull Rhinoceros—The First Elephant Falls for His Never Failing 
Bullet—Giraffes, Leopards and Other Beasts Bagged—Cubs Captured Alive. 
R OOSEVELT’S success as a hunter in Africa during the first four 
months has already proved to be a record-breaking chain of sur¬ 
prising achievements. The first three months’ hunting yielded 
42 head of big game and among whom were seven lions, ten rhinoceros, 
4 hippopotami, 4 giraffes, 3 wildebeests, 5 buffalos and one elephant. 
During this brilliant career as a beast killer Roosevelt has time and 
again risked his life, and his success has been due to his undaunted cour¬ 
age, unerring aim and exceptional presence of mind. 
All of these qualities of his combined brought death to a large bull 
rhinoceros near Machabos. 
The long, low, uncouth-looking beast, of some five feet in height at 
the shoulder, and shaped much like an immense hog, came running full 
tilt at our nimrod. 
The short, upright horn on the snout, the contour of the animal, and 
the loose folds of skin that covered his ribs, the maddened squeal that was 
heard above the snapping of the bush, proclaimed the arrival of the most 
dangerous of all wild animals, the African rhinoceros. 
Roosevelt’s resolution was taken in an instant. He must either kill 
the bull, or be killed himself almost inevitably. He was not ten feet from 
him when— 
One flash! It was enough! Struck through the brain the old bull 
dropped instantaneously, and the ex-President was safe. 
The rhinoceros is a favorite game in Africa. It has a ferocious dis¬ 
position and is hard to kill. The easiest and least dangerous method is 
for the hunter to conceal himself and shoot it when it comes to drink at 
the pool. The true sportsman prefers to hunt it on horseback with dogs. 
