Hendricks the Hunter | Page 3

emerge with garments torn to shreds, and legs
bleeding from lacerations innumerable. Here in wild profusion grew the
creeper known as the "wait-a-bit," because its hooked thorns will catch
the clothes of any person brushing by it, and compel him to wait a bit
until he has released himself by drawing them out one by one. The
natives give it the still more honourable title of "catch tiger," as they
affirm that even that savage creature, who may unwarily leap into it,
will find itself trapped in a way from which there is no escape. Then
there was the cactus with spikes three inches in length, and the "Come
and I'll kiss you," a bush armed with almost equally formidable thorns,
and huge nettles, and numerous other vegetable productions, offering
impracticable impediments to the progress, not only of human beings,
but of every species of animal, with the exception of elephants and
rhinoceroses, which might attempt to force a way through them.
The hunters had not gone far, when, as they were skirting the thicket,
they came on a small herd of water-buck. The trader, raising his rifle,
fired, and one of the graceful animals lay struggling on the grass. The
rest bounded off like lightning, to escape the shot which the native
discharged. Both hurrying forward, soon put the deer out of its misery.
To follow the rest would have been useless, as they were away far out
of range of their firearms. They therefore at once applied themselves to
the task of cutting up the dead animal, so that they might carry back the
best portions of the meat to the camp.
While they were thus employed, a crashing sound was heard coming
from the thicket at no great distance, when springing to their feet they
saw before them a black rhinoceros, the most formidable inhabitant of
those wild regions. It is more dangerous to encounter than even the lion
or the elephant, because the only one which will deliberately chase a
human being whenever it catches sight of him, and will never give up
the pursuit, unless its intended victim can obtain concealment, or it is
itself compelled to bite the dust. Its sight is, however, far from keen; so
that if there are bushes or rocks near at hand, it can be easily avoided.
Such was, fortunately for the hunters, the case in the present instance.

As on it came thundering over the ground, uttering a roar of displeasure,
the Kaffir, shouting to his master, sprang behind a bush, near which the
deer had fallen. The trader, however, stood firm, his weapon in his
hand, ready to fire, although knowing full well that, should he miss, the
next instant the savage brute would be upon him, and either gore or
trample him to death.
Flight was out of the question with such a pursuer at his heels, while
even should he now attempt to take refuge behind a bush, the
rhinoceros, close as it was, would probably see him. Notwithstanding
this, he remained motionless; not a limb shook, not a nerve quivered.
As the ferocious monster, with its formidable horn lowered, came
rushing on, the trader, raising his rifle, fired, and then, before the smoke
had cleared off, with an agility which could scarcely have been
expected in a man of his proportions, sprang on one side. Almost at the
same moment a crack was heard from Umgolo's rifle, and the
rhinoceros sank to the ground, uttering a loud scream indicative of pain
and also of anger at finding itself foiled in its onslaught.
In vain the brute attempted to rise. Umgolo sprang forward and plunged
his assegai into its breast. The hunters' sharp knives soon cut through
the tough skin, and several slices of the flesh were added to the store of
meat with which they set off on their return to the camp. It was the
leader's intention to send some of his people to bring in the horn and a
further portion of the flesh, should it not in the meantime have been
devoured by jackals, hyenas, and other scavengers of the wilds. Their
arrival was greeted with a shout of satisfaction by the people. While
some eagerly set to work to cook the meat brought to them, others went
out to bring in a further supply. On their return, each man loaded with
as much as he could carry, they reported that they had been only just in
time to drive off a pack of wolves which would soon have left them the
bare bones alone for their share.
Although they had performed a long and rough day's journey, they sat
up round the fire late into the night, cooking and eating the rhinoceros
and water-buck flesh, and relating to each other their