m n
m i
46 A RHINOCEROS BAYED BY ELEPHANTS.
becomes desperate; roaring, snorling, stamping, and tearing np ihe ground
belli witli his liorn and liis feet, as hulls are wont lo du. l)ut t ing al trees, and at
every ohjeet that may he wilhiii his reach. The cautions shecanie awaiu with
pal.ience ibr Ids lasl gas]); sensible that, while a spark of life remains, il woalcl
b e highly iinpriulent to venture from his state of safely, or lo approach the
ferocious prny. Oxen are ordinarily used to ilrag the carease away, which is tlie
mode nf conveyance, horses not being employed in India, except for
common
riding, among
ihe natives, and because elephants and horses arc so afraid of even
(lead rhinoceros, as to render it peculiarly dillicult to induce their approach
wilhin either sighl or smell of one. Elephants that have heen long taken, and
which in all prohahilify may have in some measure forgotten their old enemy,
tlo not ill general evince such extreme ilread ; lliough when they do venture,
i l is always with very evident distrust, and after much evasion.
One very striking ])eculiarily attends this animal; viz. that it invariably goes
to the same spol lo dmig, until the hea]i hecomes so high as to render further
increase inconvenient; when a fresh spot ¡s chosen, usually on a small opening
in Ihe midst oP a heavy jungle. These heaps, while they serve as bcacons to
w a r n other aninuds. which no doubt are also guided by the scent, and other
instinclive circumstances, lo a knowledge of their dangerous vicinity, afford lo
ihe shccurrie an opportunity of making certain of his object. Much caution
is necessary in approaching the purlieus of these extraordinary piles. The
rhinoceros is endued with a rejnarkahly cpiick sense of smelling, and is said lo
he extremely crafty in slealing through the cover to surprise whatever may unfortuuiitcly
come near his haunt. We have the more reason to \vonder at such
conduct, when we considei- that the rhinoceros is not carnivorous, and lhat
n a l u r e has enveloped him with such a complete armour against the attacks of
the ^vlu>le brute crealion : probably, were \ve able to analyze the subject completely,
we should liiid that such destructive sallies are only made by females
having young, and resulting from a jealousy of which many other animals participate
considerably.
The shccarric may, however, unless he examine the dung, be under a mistake,
though he will not bo very grievously disappointed ; for ihe sauboor, or elk, has
the same habit of dunging in piles. These animals grow to an immense size,
and iheir skijis are very valuable, being, when ])ropcrly prepared, at least as
soft as shoep-skins, and very strong. The jnales are nearly black, having
tanned points, antl carrying broad, heavy horns; the does are more of a mouse
or roan colour, and of an inferior size lo ihe buck. Elks are not very common
in India, as they keep mostly on the frontiers, in tlie heavy jungles already
desci'ibed ; they are also to be seen occasionally to the westward, in the hills
s t r e t c h i n g from Midnaporc lo Chuñar. Though the elk cannot be com])ured
w i t h the rhinoceros for mischief, and will, on the contrary, like all the deer
species, rather retire from, than meet approach, except in the rutting season,
when bucks aix' generally very vicious, y d he is not always passive, being
soiuetimes knowji lo attack without the least provocation.
As an instance of the extremel y savage disposition of the rhinoceros, I shall adduce
a memorable circumstance which occurred about the close of the year 1788.
Two officers belonging lo the troops cantoned at Diiiaporc, near Patna, went
down the river towards Mo>isr/ii/r lo shoot and hunt. They ha<l encamped in
ihe vicinity of Derriapore, and hud heard some reports of a gliouhilt, or rhinoceros,
having attacked some travellers many miles ofl'. One morning ju.st as
lliey were rising, about day break, to quest for game, tiiey heard a violent
u p r o a r , and on looking out, found that a rhinoceros was goring their horses,
b o t h of which, being fastened by their head and heel ropes, were consequently
e i t h e r unable to escape or to resist. The servants took to their heels, and concealed
themselves iu the neighbouring/o® jungles, and the gentlemen had just
lime lo climb up into a small tree, not far distant, before the furious beast,
h a v i n g cojiipleted the destruction of the horses, turned his attention to their
m a s t e r s ! They were barely out of his reach, and by no means exenipt from
d a n g e r ; especially as he assumed a threatening appearance, and seemed intent
on their downfall. After keeping them in dreadful suspense for some lime, and
using some ellbrts to dislodge them, seeing the sun-rise, he retreated lo his
h a u n l ; not, however, without occasionally casting an eye back, as wi t h regret
a t leaving wha t he wanted the power to destroy.
T h i s well known instance is more illustrative than a myriad of delails from
t h e natives, to establish the cruel disposition of the rhinoceros : it is, I believe,
the only fact which has been completely ascertained wilhin many years, if
ever before, in proof of the wanton attacks in which the rhinoceros indulges.
In this, its natural antipathy to the elephant is not considered ; possibly there
may be some motive for its conduct towards that animal. The incident just
described may be deemed the more curious, as it has been scarcely ever known
t h a i a rhinoceros has appeared on the western bank of the Ganges ; to which
it was probably carried by some inundation, pei-liaps of an island in ihe
Gogrn, and landed promiscuously, wherever il found means to escape from the
violence of the current.
I n the former part of this Number , when adverting to the horn of the rhinoceros
as a powerful weapon, I mentioned, lhat an instance Avould be furnished
of its powers. In explanation, I have to inform the reader, that one of the
horses destroyed on the above occasion was saddled, and was killed by a stroke
of the horn; wbiclh not only penetrated completely through the saddle-flap,
and padding, but fractured two ribs, leaving a wound through whieli a small
hand might pass into the horse's lujigs. Tlie rhinoceros in ([uestion continued
for some time to infest the country, rendering ihe roads impassible; but, a
handsome reward being offered, he was shot by an adventurous shccarric, with
a. jinjal, or wall piece, that carried a large iron bull ; not, however, before
many travellers and villagers had fallen victims lo his ferocity. I was informed
lhat he was upwards of six feet high at the shoulder.
I t does appe ,• t h a t the rhi does leh damage lo the cultivalion
A RHINOCEROS BAYED BY ELEPHANTS.
n e a r the conlines of those large jungles in which he is usually found ; nor di<l I
ever hear of their being seen in herds: pairs have fi-equenlly been observed.
N o r have we any document whereby lo guide our opinion regarding the
n o d of gestalion, or the number of the young; which, from the various
pei
pom
3 b e considered, we may perhaps be right in fixing at unity. Were il
otherwise, we should see the species over-running every part of the country,
a n d occupying every sullicienl cover; for we have no evidence, nor in truth
a n y reasonable conjecturc, a§ to any natural enemy existjug, sufficiently povyer:
ful to ihin their innnbers. it has already been shewn that the elephant, which
is the only animal that could l)e placed on a par with ihe rhinoceros, so far
f r om being its superior, is ralher compelled to resort to defensive measures.
M a n y assert that herds of elephants, in which there are females having young
calves, will not hesitate to stand bravely against the rhinoceros; and this is so
conformable lo the ordinary course of nature, which dictates to each mother to
d e f e n d its progeny, that we may assent ihereto without any violence lo our
u n d e r s t a n d i n g ; bul there our coincidence should slop, aud by no means join
w i t h such as do not hesitate lo assure us, tbat such herds rather seek than avoid
t h e i r enemy. This is carrying the mutter loo far ; it is subverting the wisest
of nulure's laws, which prompts lo self-preservation. It could hardly be
supposed lhat a mother, with a babe at the breast, would seek that danger
w h i c h if single, and bereft of the object of her aileclion, she would use every
means to avoid. We should as soon expect to see an ewe seeking for a wolf,
because she had a lamb.
Allhou<>-ii the rhinoceros appears to subsist in hi s wild stale on grass, leaves, and
occasionally on corn, yet when domesticated he will not thrive unless in a good
paddock, and well fed once or twice daily wi t h rice or cakes ; and it is peculiar
t h a t , under such circumstances, he loses the habi t of dunging in a pile. I should
b e inclined lo suspect tliat this anomaly originated from the want of a mute.
Both the rhinoceros and theclepliunt at certain seasons becomc extremel y lustful;
or, in the language of Hindostán, they arc must. This applies only to the
males ; whicli, however lame at other limes, during a week or ten days, or
o f t e n for a longer period, discharge an offensive mailer from ihe apertures ut
ihe temples, and arc extremely unruly. While in this slate, a mule elephant is
g e n e r a l l y quite unlit for every capacity in which he is ordinarily employed,
an<l should be approached with extreme caution, even by bis own mohoal. It
sometimes happens that after being mounted, be cannot for fear of his life descerní
again ; and many a mohout has been obliged lo sit for several days and
nights together on his elephant,
t r u n k ; but thai member is so e
cution of the point of the hankus,
such allempls. The very look of
t h i n k a rencontre betw
b e highly interesting.
Al
Sonui have been taken off by llie el<;i»harit'H
tremely tender, lhat a smart stroke or applig
u i d i n g iron, seldom fails lo ],ut u stop lo
mufH. e lephant chills the blood, 1 should
.•en an elephant and a rhi in that stale.
I t appear s Ip me that ihc catching of a young rhinoceros must be a very arduous
business; and that il would, indeed, be loo hiizardous an enlerprize, unless the
juolher were previously killed. 1 do not see how it could be managed hut by
shooting her when she might be ut the pile, attended by her calf, which might
p e r h a p s then be easily secured. Never having .seen any person who had been
present on such an occasion, it would be presumption to oiler any information
oji the subject. The natives seem to know as little as myself regarding it,
though some prelenders lo universal knowledge, a class abounding in Iiulia,
offer many speculations, all of them e([ually absurd. Some even preleiul that
the molher never notices her young after delivery; a
. if it •
sufficiently condemned as unnatural, and consequently
•asonuhle, would
stand conlratlicled in the most forcible manner hy the tc
amply furnished. I should ol)serve
t r e a t e d of in another place, lhat ihe a
in the sands, disappears for u while, I;
t h e time of their being liulched, which
u]) her lillle offspring as fast as they
worthy of remark that the Egyptian;
: teats with which she is
lere, although it is more particularly
igator, after having deposited her eggs
It invariably returns to the spot about
is effected by the solar heat, and snaps
irrive at the water's edge, it may be
among whom the alligator is well known,
c a r r y on the process of incubulion by means of ovens, in which eggs being laid
in sand, and kept to a certain degree of heat, arc hatched as well, or perhaps
better, than they would be under a hen.
J l a v i n g said thus much regarding the rhinoceros, I trust the reader will join
me in opinion, lhal such an animal is by no means fit to be made a ]»et, or lo be
allowed his liberty. Few have been kept by gentlemen, but none without some
accidents, more or less serious. As a matter of curiosity, and to gratify such
as have a relish for natural history, one in a kingdom may be useful ; but 1
must confess it is wi t h some surprise lhat I observe our Royal Moiugi-ric is, in
lhat point, as well as in many others, defective: and I really cannot form to
myself any fair apology, why our artists should have lo number the rhinoceros
among the too long catalogue of desiderala !