Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-04-05


rings out, but if the shot be not in the
neck, and fatal, his horse will be dis
emboweled and himself fall a prey tc
the fury of the monster.
He who would hunt the rhinoceros
must be brave indeed, for he has in that
i'll looking beast a foe that knows nc
fear, not because of its innate courage
but because it has not brains enough
to run out of danger. Could a granite
bowlder be suddenly infused with life
and of its own free will go whirling
through the country, smashing every.
thing in its path, it would in many re.
spects resemble the headlong charge
of an angered rhinoceros. Fatally
wounded it will not fall; shower OF
bullets will not deter it, and only death
itself will put an end to the maddeneC
impetuosity of its frenzied charge. II
will sometimes attack an enemy with
out waiting to be attacked; neither is
the presence of an enemy always necs
sary, for it will rush in wauton fury on
logs, trees, and other senseless things
when once it is fairly aroused. Like .
mad bull, it becomes perfectly frantic
ut the sight of any unusual object. 4
red blanket will enrage it terribly, as
one intrepid hunter discovered to his
cost. In this instance the blanket
which was part of the camp equipage
was discovered by a wandering rhi
noceros, who at once savagely charged
upon this bright object, piercing ii
through with his great horn. The
nmablity of the creature was not in.
creased when he realized that after driv.
ing his horn through the blanket he
could not shake the latter off. lie had
suddenly acquired an unlookcd-foI
headdress, which not only prevented
him from seeing, but greatly interfered
with the movement of his forelegs. Of
he started, however, as best he could,
blanket and all. Never in all this wide
world was there more incongruous oh.
ject than this maGdened brute, rushing
blindly through the forest. hither and
thither, waving aloft the fiery token OF
his rage. The beasts of the field fed
before him in wild dismay; even the
birds of the air We're panic-stricken at
the sight of so unusual a performance
in their native woods There is no tell.
ing when he would have stopped has
not well-directed shot severed an ar
terry, so that his life-blood gradually
ebbed away, putting an end to about as
ludicrous a situation as one could wei
imagine.
| Hardly less absurd was the KafffY ma.
tive, who, while o member of our hunt.
ing party, became so excited over the
chase that he seized an opportunity tc
| jump upon the back of the fleeing rhi.
noceros. 1t is needless to say that the
native went through so many weird
experiences in such a very short time
that, though he came out alive, he wa.
thoroughly discouraged from trying
any more such experiments.
OF course, the great creature became
fairly terrorizcd at so unaccustomed a
burden, and started Off at n terrific pace
for the brush. Every moment the rider
was borne farther and farther from all
hope of relief. To have tumbled OF
would have meant instant death, for the
rhinoceros would not have missed such
an opportunity to have charged upon
him. To stay on was not only difficult
but was fast growing impossible.
On galloped the brute, buclsing and
smashing into everything in its wild en-.
deavor to free itself; but through all
| the native held on as though, like Ma.
zeppa, he was bound to his steed The
limit of human endurance, however, was
fast being reached, and the savage, from
sheer exhaustion, could not hope tc
stay on much longer. There was Just
one chance to escape, and only one, and
that was for the native TO throw his
blanket ahead of the rhinocerJs, IL
hopes that the animal would mistake II
for himself. The opportunity came;
they were whirling rapidly toward 4
c.ump of bushes, wien the native, with
mighty effort, flung his blanket far
onto the lower branches. The ruse was
success. The rhiroccros thought he
had his tormentor sure, for with all the
fury he could muster he rushed madly
upon the blanket and tore it into shreds
Meanwhile the native mad nimbly
slipped off the animals back and beat
more than hasty retreat to friends
and home. A