Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-08-06

AuOtucE SeCOIlu anu lHeFe WAS tuc
most tremendous crashing noise.
Before could think what to do, be-
fore could even get up, the bush be.
hind me seemed to burst asunder. and
there appeared, not eight yards from
US, the great horn and wicked twink
ling eye of a huge charging rhinoceros.
He had winded us or my pipe, do not
know which, and after the fashion of
these brutes, had charged up the scent.
could not rise, could not even get
the gun up-I had not time.
All that was able to do was to roll
over as far out of the monsters path
as the bush would allow.
Another second and he was over me.
his great bulk towering above me like
mountain, and. upon my word, |
could not get his smell out Of my nos.
trils for week.
Circumstances impressed it upon my
memory-at least l suppose so.
His hot breath blew upon my face.
one of his front feet just missed my
head. and his hind one actually trod
uDOl lOOSe part VI uhN
pinched little bit of my skin.
saw him pass over me, lying as
was upon my back, and next second
saw something else.
My men were little behind me. and
therefore straight in the path of the
.hinoceros.
One of them flung himself backward
into the bush, and thus avoided him.
The second, with wild yell, sprang
to his feet and bounded like an India
rubber ball right into the aloe bush.
landing well among the spikes.
But the third-it was my FREUD Gogo
could not by any means get away.
He managed to gain his feet. and
that was all.
The rhinoceros was charging. with
his head low.
His great horn passed between Co
bos legs, and feeling something on his
uosc he jerked it up,
Away went Gobo high into the air.
He turned complete somersault at
the apex Of the curve, and as he did SO
[ caught sight of his face.
1t was gray with terror. and his
mouth was vide open.
Down he came, right Oh to the great
beasts rump, and that broke his fan.
But, luckily for him, the rhinoccros
never turned.
He crashed straight through the aloe
bush, only missing the man who had
jumped into it by about II yard.
Then followed complication.
The sleeping buffalo on the farther
sprang to his feet. and for Il second,
not knowing what to do, stood still
At that instant the huge rhinocerOs
blundered right upon him, and get.
ling his horn beneath his stomach,
gave him such a fearful dig that the
buffalo was turned over on to his back,
while his assailant went most amaz-
ing cropper over his carcass.
In another moment. however, he was
up. and wheeling round to the left,
crashed through the bush dOwnhill to-
ward the open country.
Instantly the whole place became
alive with alarming sounds.
In every direction troops Of snort
Ing buffalo charged through the for
est, wild with fright, while the injured
bull on the farther side of the bush
began to below like q mad thing.
lay quite still for moment, de-
equity praying that none of the flying
buffalo would come my way.
Then, when the danger lessened l
got on to my feet, shook myself and
looked around.
One of my boys-he who had thrown
himself backward into the bush-was
already half way up tree. If heaven
had been at the top of it he could not
have climbed quicker.
Gobo was lying close to me, groaning
vigorously, but. as / suspected, quite
unhurt while from the aloe bush into
which No. 8 had bounded like tennis
ball came succession of the most
piercing yells.
looked, and saw that the nnfortu-
nate Fellow was in very tight place.
A great spike Of aloehad run through
the back of his skin waist belt, though
without piercing his flesh, in such
fashion that 1t was impossible for him
to move, while within six feet of him
the injured buffalo bull, thinking no
doubt that he was the aggressor, bel.
lowed and ramped to get at him, tear.
ing at the thick aloes with his great
horns.
That no time Was to be lost If I
wished to save the mans life was very
clear.
So, seizing my eight-bore, which was
fortunately uniniured took a Dace to
the left, for the rhinoceros had Ell.
larged the hole in the bush, and aimed
at the point of the buffalo's shoulder,
for OH account of the position l could
not get fair side shot for the heart
AS did so saw that the rhinoceros
had given the bull tremendous wound
In the stomach and that the shock OF
the encounter had put his left hind leg
out of Joint at the hip.
fired, and the bullet striking the
shoulder, broke it, and knocked the
buffalo down.
knew that he could not get up any
more, because he was now injured fore