New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-12
THE WHITE RHINOCEROS.

specimens OF them to Europe. The onehorned
beast was similarly discredited until an actual
one-horned rhinoceros was found in India ana
sumatra when fol-. began to revise their syllabus
of repudated legends Still the Asiatic rhinoce-
ros was a poor of creature for such heroic
fame and 1t not until the opening OF tho
present century that the unicorn was fully identi-
fed with the uncouth paciyderm. At that time
Burchen discovered, in the region OF South Africa,
between the Orange and Zambes rivers the stu
pendous creature known Rhinoceros sinus. or
in common phrase the white one-horned rhi-
noceros.
This animal was not at all like the heraldic uni
corn But II Of heroic mould ana II wore
on its forehead, its snout, one enormous
horn long, sharp and powerful Huge and I'M
wieldy as IL was II was swift OF foot; In temper
IL was cholerc; in valor it was fearless. Where-
fore the classic legends and the medieval her'
aldc designs stood at the last approved Tne UNI
corn was last materalized Nor ala the TO-
moteness OF its habitat debar such identilcatioh.
That very region was the ancient land OF ophir'
familiar TO King Solomon and to the Phoenician
merchants
But at any rate the great white, one-horned rni-
noceros was shown by Burchell to be reaiity'
though indeed neither white nor, strictly speak
ing one-horned It's color was dirty gray al
most verging on mouse-color. And 1t had Two
horns though one was small as TO be scarcely
perceptibe: mere hump with a tuft OF STOUT
bristles three four inches high. The other real
horn was from three to four feet long thick ano
tufted about with bristles at the base, ana cur'-
ing and taperng gracefully to a hard sharp poiht'
THIS might have been formidable weapon IN
battle though the rhinoceros usually dealt with
its foes by trampng them underfoot ana useo
the horn as q rod of guidance for its young.
The full grown white rhinoceros was nearly seven
feet high AZ the shoulders. and from fourteen to
sixteen feet Icing. and thus in bulk surpassed every
other modern quadruped except the elepnant'
which It almost rvalled. Its head was three or
four feet long, and held very low. its chin peng
normally only a few inches from the GROUND. ies
truncated nluzzle was a foot and half broad.
and designed facilitate the cropping OF grass
the sole food of the creature. The brain, placed
lust beneath the big horn, was scarcely as large
"a that Of n man. The eyes very small, and
80 set as to have a remarkably limited range OK
vision For this reason the animal, when either
nursuing or pursued, invariably In straight
line and thus was easily lodged. In habit the
white rhinoceros usually more dull. slow and
walowing than its black, two-horned kinsman
Rut like the latter IT was singulary stubborn and
neryerse. and subject to sudden and causeless nts
of the most violent fury IL would at times, for
no conceivable reason, bar the passage OF a road
with the persistence of the Greeks at Thermop-
ylae: or bound from its lazy wallowng and pur-
sue some inorensive passer-by with the utmost
manifestations Of ferocous wrath. IL was, how
ever little feared by the natives. who easily avoid
ed its straightforward charges ana drove their
heavy assegais into its sides with deadly effect.
The Zuus and Matabees called 1t the Mohoohoo.
and greatly priced its flesh for food, its hide for
whips and shields. and. above all, its horn for tho
handle Of the battle-aSe. When killed the giant
creature did not fall upon It's side. but sank down
upon its knees and hams, doubling its short, thick
legs beneath H. =.
This giant unicorn was gregarious and Burchel
found II In vast droves. all through the Bechuan2
country Many years later Captain Harris found
IL still numerous, encountering scores In the course
of a days ride But as the number OF European
huntsmen increased the number or these great
brutes decreased. and when firearms came into
general among the natives the work OF de.
struction went forward at fearful pace. or duh
perception and sluggish habits. the white rhinoc-
eros fell easy prey TO the Bechuanas and Mat
abees. who slaughtered thousands merely for their
horns and for their humps. which were favorfte
article OF food a few years ago the animal was
believed TO be extinct. Then group OF six was
discovered In a swamp In Mashonaland. These
have now ell been killed. and there is no reason
suppose that single specimen remains alive.
No one who has not visited South Africa has ever
was ever taken out of that country for exhibition
No complete skeleton. nor entire hide even. has
ever found it's way 10 Europe or America, ana
therefore In the curious situation OF having
mere satisfactory relies of some prehistoric ant
mails than Of of the greatest and most inter-
esting of own time. The skeleton and hide OF
of the last killed are. however. said to- be
der shipment to England, where they viii form an
impressive memorial of one of the greatest crea-
lures that have vanished from earth before the
destructive power OF man.