which would be useless; therefore I was compelled
to advance with the wind direct from me to them.
The aggageers remained about a hundred yards distant,
while I told Suleiman to return, and hold my
horse in readiness with his own. I then walked
quietly to within about thirty yards of the rhinoceros,
hut so curiously were they lying that it was useless
to attempt a shot. In their happy dreams they must
have been suddenly disturbed by the scent of an
enemy, for, without the least warning, they suddenly
sprang to their feet with astonishing quickness, and
with a loud and sharp whiff, whiff, whiff! one of
them charged straight at me. I fired my right-hand
barrel in his throat, as it was useless to aim at the
head protected by two horns at the nose. This turned
him, but had no other effect, and the two animals
thundered off together at a tremendous pace.
Now for a “ tally, h o !” Our stock of gum was
scattered on the ground, and away went the aggageers
in full speed after the two rhinoceros. Without
waiting to reload, I quickly remounted my horse
Tetel, and, with Sulieman in company, I spurred hard
to overtake the flying Arabs. Tetel was a good
strong cob, but not very fast; however, I believe he
never went so well as upon that day, for, although
an Abyssinian horse, I had a pair of English spurs,
which worked like missionaries, but with a more
decided result. The ground was awkward for riding
at full speed, as it was an. open forest of mimosas,
which, although wide apart, were very difficult to
avoid, owing to the low crowns of spreading branches ;
these, being armed with fish-hook thorns, would have
been serious on a collision. I kept the party in view,
until in about a mile we arrived upon open ground.
Here I again applied the spurs, and by degrees I
crept up, always gaining, until I at length joined the
aggageers.
Here was a sight to drive a hunter wild! The two
rhinoceros were running neck and neck, like a pair of
horses in harness, but bounding along at tremendous
speed within ten yards of the leading Hamran. This
was Taher Sheriff, who, with his sword drawn, and his
long hair flying wildly behind him, urged his horse
forward, in the race, amidst a cloud of dust raised by
the two huge but active beasts, that tried every sinew
of the horses. Rodur Sheriff, with the withered arm,
,was second; with the reins hung upon the hawk-like
claw that was all that remained of a hand, but,
with his naked sword grasped in his right, he kept
close to his brother, ready to second his blow.
Abou Do was third ; his hair flying in the wind—his
heels dashing against the flanks of his horse, to
which he shouted in his excitement to urge him to
the front, while he leant forward with his long sword,
in the wild energy of the moment, as though hoping
to reach the game against all possibility. Now
for the spurs ! and as these, vigorously applied,
screwed an extra stride out of Tdtel, I soon found
myself in the ruck of men, horses, and drawn
swords. There were seven of us,—and passing Abou