Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-10-23
BULL AND RHINoCERoS.
ThS Domestic Animals Hafd-Earned VII
tory Over q Thick Skinned Monster.


tory Over ThickSkinnSd Monster.
speaking of exciting com bats" said
Col Gregory, of New York, to group
of his friends recently, II witnessed
6ne about ten years ago that beat any.
thing | ever saw, When a mere school
boy ] Was taught that the 'backleyers,'
lis the Hottent0ts called their oxen.
could bo taught Wonderful feats Of skill
and become valuable assistants in war:
that they would gore, kick and trample
to death with incredible fury any enc
my, but were perfectly friendly and a
valuable protection to every member
of their own kraal. Whether this is
true or not have never been able to
definitely determine, but during short
sojourn in South Africa at the time ]
mentioned saw what convinced me OF
treir ferocity In fighting.
81 was on the edge of Zululand on
mission for an Uncle, who was making
fortune in mercantile pursuits, and
stopped for day or two With splen-
did specimen Of the native, whose
handsome wife and bright children
made me almost forget their color.
The children had a pet backleyer-a
young bull-which they called Hulo,
and fondly believed could vanquish any
beast on earth. The second night OF
my stay, it was time o. full moon,
was so warm that after my first
nap rose and went out into the beau
tiful night, and found my host and his
oldest son. a lad of IS, there already.
Hulo In his pen seemed impatient, and
voting Omak let him out into
the space in front of his fathers hut,
Here the graceful and spirited animal
stood shifting the air, shaking his head,
till his long, beautiful horns glistened
in the moonlight and his bright eyes
sparkled in evident anxiety l was just
on the point of asking what it meant
when a heavy running sound approach
ed us, and out of the forest into the
open space came magnificent speci-
it1eti Of Notwithstanding brute, which
/ saw at d glance was d rhinoceros
at once sprang for my gun, and my host
and his soti did the same, all of which
took but second. { The rhinoeeros
still stood there, glahcing from us to
Hulo. We could scarcely see his disgust
ing little eyes, and disliked to take
chances on shooting in the moonlight,
for our guns were loaded with leaden
bullets, and SO thick are the skins of
a1o hot h,,1l otc
are used for hunting them. We were
saved any trouble, however, for Hulo,
with a below, gave challenge to COM
bat, and the dull-looking pile Of flesh
and bone accepted with his unquestion
able courage.
"A rush, crash and Hulo was hurled
twenty feet. Fortunately the horn Of
his enemy had not caught him, and the
first rush had taught him lesson,
With wary but wonderfully quick
now on each side of his ponderous
enemy. His beautiful sharp horns
were like keen swords, but did not
pierce the thick skin, as he evidently
hoped they would. Still he kept up the
fight after an hour had gone by as
bravely as at first. The rhinoceros was
clumsy and dull, but nothing could
withstand his assaults, and it seemed as
If he would never tire. He would make
rush at Hulo, and as soon as Hulo's
horns would cut him in the sides and
tanks he would turn and rush at him
again. Finally the young bull showed
signs of fatigue and changed his attack
from the sides to the rear Here he
found vulnerable places on the inside
of his enemy's thighs, and sent forth a
below which plainly indicated JOY. No
matter how often or which way the
rhinoceros would turn, Hulo was be-
hind him, tearing his legs to pieces
with those keen, sharp, sword-lille
horns of his, while the blood ran in
streams. 1t was impossible for the
heavier brute to evade his quicker
enemy, and at last realizing this, every
thrust by the victorious bull brought
forth below Of rage and despair
from the denizen of the forest,
followed by note of victory by
Hulo. The movements of the rhi.
noceros became slower and slower as
he was being more and more cut to
pieces, and at last, sitting down, he
tried to turn fast enough to front and
ward off his active enemy 1t was all
to no purpose, however, and delay was
only prolonging the death agony, so at
a word from his father young Omak
walked up and sent a bullet through
its eye, and it rolled over dead l shall
never forget the picture that followed.
AS soon as the enormous animal rolled
over the young bull sprang upon his
vanquished enemy and sent forth chal-
lenge after challenge of rage, defiance
and victoryl Standing there with mis-
head high in the air, and his horns COT
cred with blood from tip to base, anu
his face, nostrils, chest and forelegs a
solid sheet of blood and flesh, he form
ed picture in the moonlight that one
could never see and forget.
instructions from my host to his
son as to the disposition of the skin
were of no interest to me, and, as |
| was to return to the settlement next
day, went in and took another sleep
| before dawn. | was aroused in the
morning by complaints of the children
over the distribution of the spoils and
the wailing of the youngest over the
appearance of Hulo, and soon left on
my way with a picture in my memory
which no subsequent adventures have
ever been able to efface. st Louis
| Globe Democrat