Forest and Frontiers | Page 4

at the end of a severe chase, owing to his plethoric
habit. The skin of the eland I had just shot emitted, like most other
antelopes, the most delicious perfume of trees and grass.
Having eaten my steak, I rode to my wagon, where I partook of coffee,

and having mounted a fresh horse, I again set forth accompanied by
Carollus leading a packhorse, to bring home the head of the eland and a
supply of the flesh; I took all my dogs along with me to share in the
banquet. We had not proceeded far when the dogs went ahead on some
scent. Spurring my horse, I followed through some thorny bushes as
best I might, and emerging on an open glade, I beheld two huge white
rhinoceroses trotting along before me. The dogs attacked them with
fury, and a scene of intense excitement ensued. The Old Gray, on
observing them, pricked up his ears, and seemed only half inclined to
follow, but a sharp application of the spur reminded him of his duty,
and I was presently riding within ten yards of the stem of the largest,
and sent a bullet through her back. The Old Grey shied considerably
and became very unmanageable, and on one occasion, in consequence,
the rhinoceros, finding herself hemmed in by a bend in a watercourse,
turned round to charge, I had a very narrow escape.
Presently, galloping up on one side, I gave her a bad wound in the
shoulder, soon after which she came to bay in the dry bed of a river.
Dismounting from my horse, I commenced loading, but before this was
accomplished she was off once more. I followed her, putting on my
caps as I rode, and coming up alongside, I made a fine shot from the
saddle, firing at the gallop. The ball entered somewhere near her heart.
On receiving this shot she reeled about, while torrents of blood flowed
from her mouth and wounds, and presently she rolled over and expired,
uttering a shrill screaming sound as she died, which rhinoceroses
invariably do while in the agonies of death.
The chase had led me close in along the northern base of a lofty
detached mountain, the highest in all that country. The mountain is
called, by the Bechuanas, the Mountain of the Eagles. The eland which
I had shot in the morning lay somewhere to the southward of this
mountain, but far in the level forest. Having rounded the mountain, I
began to recognise the ground.
I had the satisfaction to behold a few vultures soaring over the forest in
advance, and, on proceeding a short distance farther, large groups of
these birds were seated on the grey and weather-beaten branches of the

loftiest old trees of the forest. This was a certain sign that the eland was
not far distant; and on raising my voice and loudly calling on the name
of Carollus, I was instantly answered by that individual, who, heedless
of his master's fate, was actively employed in cooking for himself a
choice steak from the dainty rump of the eland. That night I slept
beneath the blue and starry canopy of heaven. My sleep was light and
sweet, and no rude dreams or hankering cares disturbed the equanimity
of my repose.
One of Mr. Cumming's most perilous adventures was with a black
Rhinoceros, which gave chase to him, and nearly run turn down. He
thus describes this affair.
On the 22d, ordering my men to move on to the fountain of
Bootlonamy, I rode forth with Ruyter, [Footnote: This is the name of a
favorite servant of Mr. Cumming.] and held east through a grove of
lofty and wide-spreading mimosas, most of which were more or less
damaged by the gigantic strength of a troop of elephants, which had
passed there about twelve months before.
Having proceeded about two miles with large herds of game on every
side, I observed a crusty looking old bull borele, or black rhinoceros,
cocking his ears one hundred yards in advance. He had not observed us;
and soon after he walked slowly toward us, and stood broadside to,
eating some wait-a-bit thorns within fifty yards of me. I fired from my
saddle, and sent a bullet in behind his shoulder, upon which he rushed
forward about one hundred yards in tremendous consternation, blowing
like a grampus, and then stood looking about him. Presently he made
off. I followed, but found it hard to come up with him. When I
overtook him I found the blood running freely from his wound.
The chase led through a large herd of blue wildebeests, zebras, and
springboks, which gazed at us in utter amazement. At length I fired my
second barrel, but my horse was fidgety, and I missed. I continued