The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-02-27

: Crouching down as low % possible In 10
, "skarm, ;" I waited with beating heart IN
ready rife tho approach Of the leading male
who, unconscious Of peril, was MAXIM
straight for my hiding-plsce. The POSITION
Of his body, however, was unfaVonblo to
. shot; and, knowing from experience tina
had little chance Of obtaining moro thar
single good one, l waited for an opportu
nifty to FIRE at his shoulder, which, Is prefer
able to any other part when shooting a
night. But this chance. unfortunately, wa
not afforded till his enormous bulk toweret
about my head. The consequence was' tha
while in the act of rising tho muzsle OF my
rife over the 'skarm,' my body caught his
eye. and, before could place the piece Z
my shoulder, he swung himself round, and
with trunk elevated and ears spread, despcr'
ately charged me. It was now too late to
think Of fight, much less Of Staying the saw
age beast. Ny own life was in imminent
jeopardy; and seeing that, If remained
partially erect, he would inevitably seize me
with his proboscis, threw myself on my
back with some violence; in which position,
and without shouldering the rifle, l fred
upwards at random towards his chest, utter
ing, at the samo time, the most piercing
shouts and cries. The change Of position,
in all human probability, saved my life, for,
at the samo instant, the trunk Of the enrag-
ed animal descended precisely on the spot
where had been previously crouching.
sweeping away the stones (many of large
si1e) that formed the fore part Of my 'skarm,
like 80 many pebbles. In another moment
his broad fore-fset passed directly over my
face.
now exp ected nothing short Of being
crushed to death. But imagine my relief,
when inste.d Of renewing the charge, he
swerved to the left, and moved OF with con-
siderable rapidty-most happily without
INV having received other injuries than few
bruises, accustomed by the falling of the
sto es. Under Providence, I attribute my
extraordinary escape to the confusion of the
animal caused by the wound l had inflicted
on him, and to the cries ELECTED from me
when in nv utmost need.
Immediately after the elephant had left
me I was on my legs, and, snatching up a
spare rifle laying at hand, pointed at him,
as he was rctreating, and pulled the trigger,
but to my intense modification, the piece
missed fire. 1t was matter of thankful.
ness to me, however, that a similar mishap
had not occurred when the animal charged
for had NV nun not then exploded, nothing
as l conceive, could have saved me from Je.
truction.
During this incident, the rest of tho ele-
plants rctreated into .he bush /; but, by the
time had repaired my 'skarm,' they reap.
pearcd with stealthy and cautious steps on
the opposite side of the pool, though 80 dis.
tant that could not fro with any prospec,
of ,,cc.ss Az thew did not apnroacb near.
err I a,,emp,ed to stalk them, but they
would M, allow me n come 10 close quar-.
tors and after n while moved of ol,o,etb.
er
Wills, ,orasr;nc over INV ,,to wonderfu,
.s..no 7 o,sr,od =, . I'M. distance. ,
bu1o white rb,nooeros nrotrude his ponder.
o,s and m;,bannen head tbroucb the bushes
"a n,o.on,,v ,r,.,word, ho arr,,ooboa =,
,-;,hin = do,,n n.os. or INV mtn.codo =
M. b,,od.;ds w,. then f,,,v erno,ea I,
view and Notwithstanding still fsit n it'll,
nervous from nv conflict with the elephant
,os. no time IN firing. The beast did no,
At once fall to the ground. but from appear.
ancc had every reason to believe he would
not live long.
Scarcely had II reloaded whcna black rhi
noceros of the species Keitloa, Ia female, a
/, proyed stood drinking at the water /; bu
her po,i,ion. as with tho elephant in tn,
6rr, instance. was unfavorablc for zoo,
shot. As, however. she was very near mo
I thought, was pretty sure of breaking he,
leg, and thereby disable her; and in this
succeeded. NV fire seemed to madden her
,be rushed wildly forward ON three legs
when raye her second shot though up
nareutly with little or no effect. I felt sor
~ a, M, bo;no able 70 end her suffering
at once but as | was too we'll acquainte,
with the habits of the rhinoceros to ventur
/ -.,