Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-12

then, being as prudent as he Is brave,
he took to his heels. But the rhinoc-
eros, clumsy as he looks, can run as
fast as a horse, and there was not a
tree in reach. My friend quickly
concluded there was no escape in re-
treat, so he stopped in his tracks,
turned and coolly faced the rapidly
approaching animal. With its head
down, its long, sharp horn poised for
the terrible thrust, the rhinoceros
came at him like thunderbolt.
Few men could have faced such a
charge. But Selous stood like a. stat
ue until the beast was barely three
feet from him, when he jumped
quickly to one side, and as it swept
by him he grasped its upper horn and
sprang lightly upon its back. With a
below Of surprise the rhinoceros sped
on, its rage turned to terror. All it
wanted now was to get this thing,
whatever it was, off its back, and 1t
made for the water. This move didn't
suit Selous. He knew If the beast got
into the water it would be all up with
him and, besides, he wanted to cap
ture the brute. Leaning over he
caught the right ear of the rhinoce-
ros in his teeth and bit as hard as he
could. This animals ears are very
sensitive and 1t roared with pain, at
the same time turning to the right, as
Selous wanted it to do, for this direc-
ton took it away from the water.
The beast didn't have sense enough to
stop, and by alternately biting its left
and right ear Selous guided the terri
BILE brute right into camp and after
wards sold it to a geological garden"
The passenger from Guthrie open
ed his mouth to say something, but
the words stuck in his throat and the
Englishman went on.
"Selous," he said, kills great
many elephants and he thinks no
more Of it than of killing lions, but
occasionally an elephant gives him
something more than a commercial
interest for few moments.
II recall one incident in which he
saved himself some little annoyance
by clever trick. This was down in
the Nyassa country. Selous and a
band of native helpers had rounded
up a rather large herd of elephants
and had killed five or six, the remain
der breaking through the ring and
frN0 httcr OF
work collecting the ivory when the
rest Of the herd came charging back
intent on revenge for the death Of
their comrades. The natives took to
their heels; but Selous found refuge
behind the body of one Of the beasts
they had killed and poured lead into
the charging column. He had top
pied over three Of them when he dis
covered that his ammunition was ex-
hausted. Before he had time to de-
eide upon his next move they had sur
rounded him, and were coming at
him full tilt from all directions. 1t
was a deucedly inconvenient position
don't you know? But no matter
what the circumstances, my friend
Selous never loses his presence Of
mind. He climbed quickly to the top
Of his barricade of flesh, and standing
upright calmly awaited the crash.
ION came the monsters, trumpet
ting furiously, their little eyes gleam-
ing with rage. They were not more
than twenty feet away when Selous
pulled from his pocket large British
flag and waved it in their faces. At
phant in the charging circle went
down on his knees so suddenly and
with such violence that it drove its
tusks into the ground, and there they
stood on their head with their hind
legs waving and gesticulating in the
air. don't suppose there ever was
a more remarkable instance of loyal
ty This was the British protectorate,
you understand. Selous was so touch
ed that he didn't take advantage Of
their helplessness, but allowed them
to get away as best they could. But,
really, gentlemen, I must retire. Good
night" and the Englishman knocked
the ashes from his pipe and went out
well, what do you know about
that?" exclaimed the passenger from
Guthrie, as soon as he could recover
his breath.
Il Think" said the red-headed man
in the corner, that if my influence
can prevent it, Mr.. Roosevelt will not
go to Africa"
He'd better keep away from Eng
land, too," grunted the man from
Guthrie.-St. Louis Globe-Domocrat