Page 193 - Adventures in Africa

W e were standing talking, when suddenly the horses

began to prance and kick up their heels,
“ Hallo ! what arc those ?” exclaimed Harry* turning
round.

W e then saw, emerging from the marsh, where they
had been wallowing, a couple of huge rhinoceroses,
wIiq seemed to look upon the horses and us as intruders

they had a right to drive off their domains.
It was not without some difficulty that we got out
of their way. Clumsy as the animal looks* and short

as are its legs* it can move with wonderful rapidity
over the hard ground.

As our guns wrere only loaded with small shot, it
would have been useless to fire at them. The horses
could take pretty good care of themselves, though

they exhibited their fear of the savage-looking crea­
tures by scampering off in all directions.
Meantime, having withdrawn our small shotj we

were ramming down bullets as fast as we could*
Although the horses could escape, the poor quagga,
with its legs hobbled and its e}'es covered, had but a

poor chance. The leading rhinoceros had singled it
out as the object of attack; and, before Harry and I
could fire* rushing furiously forward* it pierced the

poor animal through with its formidable horns* pinning
it to the earth. When too late to save the quagga*
we both pulled our triggers* wThen the animal, still

dragging the body of its victim on, rushed forward
several paces before it dropped.

We* of course, reloaded, but before we could iire*
the other rhinoceros might be in the midst of the
camp and commit all sorts of damage. Fortunately,