Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-30
Al Adventure with Rhinocerosses.

Southwestern Africa" recently published b,
Dix Edwards Co., Of New York, thus relates
one of his narrow escapes =
''.While pioneering over my late wonderful
escape from an elephant | observed at little
distance, huge rhinoceros protrude his pom
derous and misshapeu head through the bushes
and presently aitcrward he approached to with
III dozen PAGES OF my ambuscade His broad
side was then fully exposed to view, and not
wlthstanding | still felt little nervous fram
my conflict with the elephant, / lost no time
IN firing. The beast did not at once fall to
the ground, but from appearance / had every
reason to believe lie would not live long
" Scarcely had | reloaded when a black
rhinoceros, of the species ketloa, "a female,
as it proved stood drinking at the water !:
but her position, as with the elephant in the
first instance, was unfavorable for good shot.
As, however, she was very near me, | thought
| was pretty sure of breaking her leg, and
thereby disabling her and in this | succeeded.
My fire seemed to madden her she rushed
wildly forward on three legs, when gave her
a second shot, though apparently with little or
no effect. felt sorry at not being able to
end her sulferings at once but as | was too
well acquainted with the habits of the rhino-
ceros to venture OH pursuing her under the cir
cumStancCs, ] determined to wait patiently for
daylight, and then destroy her with the aid of
my dogs. But it was not to be.
AS no more elephants or other large game
appeared, thought after time it might be
as we'll to 90 in search cf the white rhinoceros
| previously wounded and | was not long in
! finding his carcass for my ball, as | supposed
had caused his most immediate death
" In headline hack 70 NV Fclarn, T ooo;
dentally took a turn in the direction pursued
by the black rhinoceros, and by ill-luck, as the
event proved, at once encountered her. She
was still on her legs, but her position, as be-
fore, was unfayorable. Hoping however, to
make her change it for better, and thus ell
able NE to destroy her at once | took up a
stone and hurled it at her with all my force ::
when Snorting horribly, erecting her tail keep
ing her head close to the ground, and rails
ing clouds Of dust by her feet, she rushed at
me with fearful fury. [ had only just time to
level my rifle and fire before she was upon me ::
anu The next instant, while InstInctytiy turn
ing round for the purpose of retrcatng, she
| laid me PROSTATE. The shock was so violent
as to send my rife, powder-Aask, and ball
pouch, as also my cap, spinning into the air ::
the gun, indeed as afterwards ascertained, to
distance of fully ten feet On the beast
| charging me, it crossed my mind that, unless
gored at at once by her horn. her speed would
| be such after knocking me down, which | took
! for granted would be the case,) as to carry
her beyond me, and thus | might be afforded
a chance Of of escape SO, indeed it happen
ed for, having tumbled me over (in doing
which her head and the fore part of her body,
owing to the violence of the charge, was half
buried in the sand, ~ and tramped on me with
great violence her fore-quarter passed over my
body. Struggling for life, | seized my oppor-
tunity. and as she was recovering herself for
renewal Of the charge, l scrambled out from
between her hind legs
But the enraged beast had not vet doEe
with Inc Scarcely had | regained nv feet
before she struck me down a second time, and
with her horn ripped up my right thigh Though
not very deeply; from near the knee to the
| hip with her fore-feet moreover she hit me
terrific blow upon the left shoulder near the
back of the neck My ribs bent under the
enormous weight and pressure, and for q mo-
ment | must, as | believe have lost all CON
sciousness-I have, at least very indistinct
notions of what took place afterwards All
remember is, that that when raised my head
| heard furious snorting and plunging among
| the nclghDOflng OuSheS.
| now arose, though with great difficulty
and made my way in the best manner | was
| able, toward II large tree near at hand for
shelter but tins precaution was needless the
| beast, for the time at least, showed no incnG-
ton further 10 molest me. Either in the melce
or owing to the confusion caused bv her
| wounds, she had lost sight of me, or she felt
satisfied with the revenge she had taken Be
that as it may, escaped with my life, though
| sadly wounded and severely bruised, in which
disabled state had great difficulty in getting
back to my "skarm."
During the greater part Of the conflict !
preserved my presence of mind but after the
danger was over and when | had leisure. to
collect my scattered and confused senses, | was
seized with nervous affection, causing violent
trembling. l have since killed many rhinoce-
rorses, as well for sport as food but several
weeks elapsed before | could attack those ami
mails with any GOODNESS.
About sunrise, Kamapyu my haIf-caste
boy, whom | had left on the preceding eve
ming about half a mile away, came to the
'skarm' to convey my guns and other things to
our encampment. In few words | related to
him the mishap that had befalIen me. He
listened with seeming ncreduty; but the
sight of my gashed thigh soon convinced him
| was not in joke.
{" afterward directed him to take one of
the guns and proceed in search of the wounded
rhinooceros, cautioning him to be careful in ap-
preaching the beast, which | had reason to
believe was not yet dead. He had only been
absent few minutes, when | heard cry of
distress. Striking my hand against my fore
head exclaimed, Good God the brute has
attacked the lad also y
Selling hold Of my rifle, scrambled
through the bushes as fast as my crippled con-
dition would permit and when had proceed
ed two or three hundred yards scene sud,
denly presented itself that shall retain vivid