Forest and Frontiers | Page 5

riding alongside of him, expecting in my ignorance that at length he
would come to bay, which rhinoceroses never do; when suddenly he
fell flat on his broadside on the ground, but, recovering his feet,
resumed his course as if nothing had happened. Becoming at last

annoyed at the length of the chase, as I wished to keep my horses fresh
for the elephants, and being indifferent whether I got the rhinoceros or
not, as I observed that his horn was completely worn down by age, and
the violence of his disposition, I determined to bring matters to a crisis;
so, spurring my horse, I dashed ahead, and rode right in his path.
Upon this the hideous monster instantly charged me in the most
resolute manner, blowing loudly through his nostrils; and although I
quickly wheeled about to my left, he followed me at such a furious
pace for several hundred yards, with his horrid horny snout within a
few yards of my horse's tail, that my little Bushman, who was looking
on in great alarm, thought his master's destruction inevitable. It was
certainly a very near thing; my horse was extremely afraid, and exerted
his utmost energies on the occasion. The rhinoceros, however, wheeled
about and continued his former course; and I being perfectly satisfied
with the interview which I had already enjoyed with him, had no desire
to cultivate his acquaintance any further, and accordingly made for
camp.
We left the fountain of Bootlonamy the same day, and marched about
six miles through an old grey forest of mimosas, when we halted for the
night. Large flocks of guinea-fowls roosted in the trees around our
encampment, several of which I shot for my supper.
On the 23d we inspanned by moonlight, and continued our march
through a thinly wooded level country. It was a lovely morning; the sun
rose in great splendor, and the sky was beautifully overcast with clouds.
Having proceeded about ten miles, the country became thickly covered
with detached forest trees and groves of wait-a-bit thorns. The guides
now informed us that the water, which is called by the Bechuanas,
"Lepeby," was only a short distance in advance; upon which I saddled
steeds, and rode ahead with the Bushman, intending to hunt for an hour
before breakfast. Presently we reached an open glade in the forest,
where I observed a herd of zebras in advance; and on my left stood a
troop of springboks, with two leopards watching them from behind a
bush. I rode on, and soon fell in with a troop of hartebeests, and, a little
after, with a large herd of blue wildebeests and pallahs. I followed for

aome distance, when they were reinforced by two other herds of pallahs
and wildebeests. Three black rhinoceroses now trotted across my path.
Presently I sprang from my horse, and fired right and left at a princely
bull blue wildebeest. He got both balls, but did not fall, and I
immediately lost sight of him in the dense ranks of his shaggy
companions. The game increased as we proceeded, until the whole
forest seemed alive with a variety of beautifully colored animals. On
this occasion I was very unfortunate; I might have killed any quantity
of game if venison had been my object; but I was trying to get a few
very superior heads of some of the master bucks of the pallahs. Of
these I wounded four select old bucks, but in the dust and confusion
caused by the innumerable quantity of the game I managed to lose them
all.
Encounter with a Lioness.
When Mr. Cumming was in that part of the interior of South Africa
inhabited by the tribe called the Griquas, he had a remarkable and
fearful encounter with a lioness. He had been shooting some of the
various kinds of antelopes which abound in that country, under various
names, such as wildebeests, springboks, blesboks, and pallahs, when
the adventure occurred, which he thus describes.
Suddenly I observed a number of vultures seated on the plain about a
quarter of a mile ahead of us, and close beside them stood a huge
lioness, consuming a blesbok which she had killed. She was assisted in
her repast by about a dozen jackals, which were feasting along with her
in the most friendly manner.
Directing my followers' attention to the spot, I remarked, "I see the
lion;" to which they replied, "Whar? whar? Yah! Almagtig! dat is he;"
and instantly reining in their steeds and wheeling about they pressed
their heels to their horses' sides, and were preparing to betake
themselves to flight. I asked them what they were going to do. To
which they answered, "We have not yet placed caps on our rifles." This
was true; but while this short conversation was passing,