An Etching by Mr. Howit. [From Vaillant's Second Journey, Vol. 111. page 40. 'N the midft of this immense IN menagerie, the variety of which kept me in a continual fate of enchantment, I was furprifed not to find that prodigious number of rhinocerofes which had been mentioned to me by the people of Harpia's Horde. One day, however, Klaas, who was always concerned in every matter of importance, and the first to communicate agreeable intelligence, came in great hafte to my tent to inform me, that he had obferved, at fome distance from my camp, two of thefe animals, ftanding quietly, clofe to each other, in the middle of the plain; and that I had it in my power to enjoy the pleafure of the finest hunt I had ever yet experienced. The hunt, indeed, promifed to be amufing; but, independently of danger, I forefaw that it was likely to be attended with difficulties. To attack two fuch formidable enemies, it was neceffary to ufe great precaution, and that we fhould approach them in fuch a manner as that they might neither fee nor fmell us, which is always very difficult. I at first proposed to form a ring, which fhould furround them on all fides, and to advance upon them, gradually contracting the circle, fo as to unite the moment we were about to commence our attack; but the favages affured me, that with these animals, this plan was impracticable. I gave myfelf up, therefore, entirely to their direction; and we fet out, armed alike, with a good fufee, and with the neceffary courage. hunters wifhed to be of the party, and each propofed to difplay the greatest prowess. All my I caufed two of my strongest dogs to be led in a leafh, in order that they might be let loofe on the rhinocerofes, in cafe it should be found ncceflary. We were obliged to make a long circuit to gain the lee fide of them, left they thould smell, us; and we reached the river, the courfe of which we followed under cover of the large trees that grew on its banks, when Klaas foon made us obferve the 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 fuppofed them to be male and female. Motionlefs by the fide of each other, they were still in the fame pofture in which Klaas had firft feen them; but they ftood with their nofes to the wind, and confequently prefented to us their rumps. It is the custom of thefe animals, when thus at reft, to place themfelves in the direction of the wind, in order that they may difcover by their fmell what enemies they were to dread. From time to time, however, they move their heads round, to take a look behind them, and to be affured that they are fafe on all fides; but it is only a look, and they foon return to their former pofition. We were already deliberating on the difpofitions to be made for commencing the attack, and I was giving orders to my company, when Jonker, one of my Hottentots, requested that I would permit him to attack the two animals alone, as a bekruyper. My readers will here recollect, that when I foolishly attempted to crois the Elephant's River, near its mouth, on the trunk of a tree, Jonker was one of the fwimmers who faved my life, and that in return, at the defire of his companions, I raifed him to the rank of hunter. At that time he was entirely a novice in this exercife; but I have already remarked that animals. If he faw them turn their heads, he stopped and remained motionlefs. One would have taken him for a large ftone; and indeed, in this respect I myself was mistaken. He continued creeping, with various interruptions, for more than an hour. At length I faw him proceed towards a large buf of Eupphorbia, which was only two hundred paces from the animals. Being certain, when he reached it, that he could conceal himself there without being feen, he rose up, and cafting his eyes every where around, to fee whether his comrades had anrived at their pofts, he made preparations for firing. that he afterwards became a mofting, but with his eyes fixed on the excellent fhot, and furpaffed all the reft of my hunters, particularly in the art of creeping. I have before obferved, that hunting in Africa has no refemblance to that in Europe; that to get within reach of certain wild animals, we must approach them without being perceived; and that it is impoffible to get near them but by creeping on the belly. Those who have acquired this art, are called bekruypers; and it was in this quality that Jonker afked leave to attack alone the two rhinocerofes, affaring me that he would acquit himfelf to my fatisfaction. As his defign would not prevent the execution of our plan, and as, in cafe his particular attack fhould not fucceed, it would not impede our general one, I granted his request. He then ftripped himself naked, and, taking his fufee, proceeded towards the animals, creeping on his belly like a ferpent. In the mean time, I pointed out to my hunters the different posts they were to Occupy. They repaired to them by circuitous ways, each accompanied by two men. As for me, I reinained on the spot where I was, with two Hottentots, one of whom heid my horfe, and the other my dogs; but, to avoid being feen, we pofted ourfelves behind a bush. In my hand I held a glafs, which had often enabled me to fee the operation of ftage machinery, and the effect of our theatrical decorations. How changed the fcene! At this moment it brought before me two hideous monfters, which at times turned towards me their frightful heads. Their movements, which indicated fear and obfervation, foon became more frequent; and I was apprehenfive they had heard the agitation of my dogs, who, having difcovered them, made efforts to escape from the keeper, and rush upon them. Jonker ftill kept flowly advanc During the time he was creeping along, I had followed him with my eye; and in proportion as he advanced, I felt my heart beat with involuntary palpitation.However, when I faw him fo near the animals, and juft upon the point of firing at one of them, whiat would I not have given at that mdment to have been in the place of Jonker, or at least by his fide, that I might have brought down alfo one of thefe favage monfters. I waited with the utmost impatience for the report of the gun, and I could not conceive what prevented him from firing; but the Hottentot who stood near me, and who was able by the bare fight to distinguish him as perfectly as I could with my glafs, informed me of his defign. told me that Jonker did not fire, because he was waiting till the rhinoceros fhould turn round, that he might, if poffible, take aim at his head; and that on the first motion they made, I fhould hear the re port. He Prefently the largest of the two having looked behind, was immediately fired at. Being wounded, he fent forth a horrid cry, and, followed by the female, ran furiously towards the place from which the noife Y A which I confidered as a fortunate circumftance; for it is certain that notwithstanding our number and our arms, we should have been much embarraffed by two fo formidable adverfaries. I must even confefs, that, without the affiftance of my dogs we should not have been able to combat, but with great hazard and danger, the one that remained. noife bad proceeded. I found my heart now agitated by the most violent emotion, and my fear was carried to its utmoft extent. `could sweat diffused itself over my whole body, and my heart beat with fuch force as to prevent me from breathing. I expected to fee the two monsters tear up the bush, tread the unfortunate Jonker under their feet, and rend him to pieces; but he had thrown himself down with his belly on the ground, and this ftratagem fucceeded. They paffed clofe by his fide without perceiving him, and came ftraight towards me. My fear now gave place to joy, and I prepared to receive them; but my dogs, animated by the report of the gun, became fo reftlefs on their approach, that, being unable to check them, I ordered them to be let loofe, and encouraged them to the attack.When the animals faw this, they inftantly turned afide, and proceed-point him, I rushed towards the 1 ed towards another of the hunters *placed in ambush, from whom they received a fecond fire; and then to another, from whom they received a third fire. My dogs, on the other hand, harraffed prodigioufly, which ftill increased their rage. They kicked at them in a moft terrible manner, ploughed up the plain with their horns, and, digging furrows in it feven or eight inches in depth, threw around them a fhower of pebbles and ftones. During this time, we all kept approaching, in order to furround them more clofely, and to unite against them our forces. The multitude of enemies by which they found themselves inclosed, rendered them completely furious. The male, however, fuddenly stopped; and, turning round to attack the dogs, endeavoured to rip up their bellies with his horn; and, while he was engaged in purfuing them, the female quitted him, and made her efcape. Iwas highly pleafed at her flight The bloody traces which he left wherever he went, announced that he had received more than one wound; but, reduced to defpair, he only defended himself with greater obftinacy. After a fruitless attack, which continued for fome time, he began tó retreat, and feemed as if defirous of gaining fome bushes, apparently with a view of finding hel ter, and to prevent his being harraffed but in front. I gueffed his ftratagem; and, in order to difap bushes, and made a fign to the two hunters who were nearest me, to advance thither alfo. He was thirty paces from us when we took poffef fion of the poft, accordingly we all at the fame time prefented our pieces, and difcharged our three fhots: he inftantly fell, and was never after able to rife. |