Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-08-22

move that? Without removing it nothing
could be done; all that could be tried or
effected short Of that was worse than moth
ing, as il could only give useless pain, and
the poor animal must inevitably die. If
gangrene had not began TO set in it soon
must. looked into the eyes of the suf-
ferer, their expression was mild, but it told
ali lis miSery-ail his hope in me. That
look seemed to impl0rc my aid-at any
cost he should have il If Ioould but devise
means OF affordins il benifici.ily.
terribly offensive discharge oozed
slowly from the wound as pressed it, but
in too small a quantity to give ease by tu-
mefachon. eadeavored to get him to the
water; he was perfectly docie and readily
cOmpfehonded my effort to get him there.
With some of the silk moss, hanging pen
dant from the trees, cleanSed the orifce
of the wound, removing some dirt and
more sand and gravel, which adhered to
the glutinous discharge, he gazing beseech-
ingly AT me all the while. but seeming
soothed by the bathing. There was no
signs Of anger or impotence; his natural
language was all acw to me; of course
read 1t impericctly, in some instances
wrongly; but | fancy his anguish was
somewhat assuaged, and that lie wished
the application continued. was sensible
that beyond this effect il could have no
other-none really beneficial--all was done
in vain unless the horn WAS extracted.
! got hold Oft, passing my hand beneath
IL IN the wound; TIE poor fellow roared
fearfuily; if ever an angry demonstration
might DC expected, it was then, but there
was none; he merely placed his face upon.
~ oil
his colossal frame trembled violently under
his fierce pangs, and the large tears rolled
from his eyes. he licked my hand had
started to mY feet, lest the agony | had
caused might have generated anger, but it
was a vain apprehension: poor Rhino' only
felt gratitude Cor my imperfect aid. | had
not given the pain without an Object
wished to know the form of the base of the
horn and the comparative size of the part
above it. had thought of several WAYS
of accomplishing the extraction, rejecting
all-becsuse / was destitute of everything
needful TO reduce them to practice. Hay
ing ascertained the size of tho base Of the
horn, and that some knobby cxcresences
were there, / fancicd mad got what my
Irish servant always called bright
meaning thereby a bright idea. | resolved
I.
Up te that moment had been working
in the dark, now ! saw what all men de-
sire--light. | was now as sure of saving
my poor friends life, and ending his ago
mics, as | had previously been doubtful. In
my knapsack | carried two ropes, used to
tie up springbok or any other animal when
killed and broken up they were not very
thick, but well twisted, strong and very
flexible, being always more or less greasy
| joined the ropes, and 10 them united the
straps which prevented ne from falling out
of bed during my slumbers. one of these
straps | wished to pass around the horn
above its base; and to effect this tact and
force were necessarily could neither be
done quickly, nor without much torture.
yet it was Indispensable. At last the strap
was fixed and thoroughly secured. | re-
examined my work, and thought it efioc-
tually done. The next thing was, would
The ropes 90 around the trunk of the tree
That, by getting my patient 10 go as close
to the tree as possible, was effected, with
about foot of rope to spare when duly
secured. Then came the greatest difficulty
of ali. how could prevail upon the animal
TO back, even if could make Kim under
stand what was necessary.
Iplacci one hand upon his horn, the o. h
or upon his wide brow; looked into his
eycs, they were as mild as ever. | stood
before him free from apprehension, and
10 make him know what /
wished him TO do, /. e., to retrograde. The
horn had been driven in from front TO rear;
it must be drawn out from rear 10 front.
After two or three efforts got him to
that a step backwards was
needful. lie made il; il was short one.
for the requirements the cases
pressed my whole force against his face,
still talking to him; be made another, and
in doing So felt all the acute agony caus-
ed by full traction. Never ill then had |
heard so appalling a scream and roar. L
resumed my efforts, patting and encOura
ginS him by voice and gesture rs best
could. He bent down his head, rubbing
his nose against the inside of his fOreleg; it
seemed as if he were trying to understand
what | meant. Suddenly he raised his
head, licked one of my hands and as DELHI
erately as possible prepared himself for the
retrOgrade movement. l seconded what |
conceived to be an effort OF his own, By
pressing upon the broad front of his head,
resuming my hold OF bis horn, and he and
both moved in the direction required.
felt him quiyering, shaking through his
vast bulk, and then with one determined
effort he showed that lie fully comprehend
ed what was wanted. As | thought, ne
now had some notion Of lis real object j
might have been wrong in this, but he per-
sisted, though his suiIrrings must have
been fearfuly great Again came forth
that miagled roar aud scream, but he did
no f,r. .faf 10
sisted, as | coaxed and pushed. | sudden
IL dashed my shoulder against his nose
he went Us suddenly back--shrill. hoarse
and harsh, the roar so expressive ofNagony
came; Git seemed to pierce through my en-
tire SYSTEM but neither Of US gave way
and the object was gained.
At one aud the same moment the imbed-
ded horn was drawn forth upon the ground.
upon which he fell on his knees, convul-
sively shaking and sinking under his ac-
cumulated pangs; then he rolled upon his
side. WAS hurled over his neck as | re-
linquished my hold of his horn, he shaking
aud heaving spasmodically. / gathered
myself together as best | could, exclaimiDg
THANK God, it is over"
rose and beheld a grim visitor; a sau-
rian had seen the rhinOcerOs fall-while the
latter stood he would not have dared tn
approach-but now he thought he was an
easy prey. He did not know the virtue oil
steel bolts. had slightly hurt my wrist
by the wrench it had received as the rhi
noceros fell, clasping his horn; but
sprang to my roer, and as the open jaws O
tue saurian turned round the hindrrmos
part OF poor rhino, bolt crashed into thu
eye nearest me, and he threw himself upoI
his back in terrific struggles. The report
aroused the exhausted captain; he rose t.
his feet from a pool OF blood which hat
welled from the wound, and still ran from
II in huge stream as lie stood. He looked
as if to ask what was the matter. / point
ed TO the baffied saurian; al his spirit WA
aroused, and he stamped the hidoous brute
to death and shapclessness. 4 blast of vic
tory followed, but it was faint as compared
with the blasts Of the night before. 81 wa
thinking of washing the wound. Hi.
tongue was hot and his lips seemed parcb
ed with intense thirst. He trudged Off
he walked better now-and after walkin;
about two hundred yaIds he turned til,
angle of low bluff, behind which saw
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