The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-07-14

was predestined to be a fighter pure
and simple, and it is his chief business
to see that the designs Of nature are
not thwarted.
Undoubtedly Mr.. Roosevelt and his
party would greatly pride themselves
if they could bring down a white
square jawed rhinoceros, formerly
found quite frequently in some remote
sections Of Africa, but now practical
" extinct. Some authorities state that
the white rhino is the modern type of
unicorn, though the unicorn as pic
tured was a comparatively small and
very agile creature. While he had a
horn on his head, he had almost moth
ing in common with the white rhino,
even if he ever existed outside of the
realm Of the heraldry experts.
The black rhinoceros is the species
invariably met in East Africa, and,
unlike the Asiatic relative, he has no
tusks to supplement his horns in an
attack. Hunters look for him as he
leaves his forest or jungle lair to eat
~leisurely on his way down the trail he
has made to his watering place.
Rhinos leave their hidden retreats
about i in the afternoon, a fashionable
hour for p~romenading with the jungle
ladies. Arriving at the drinking place
at about dark, they 60 to their favored
thorn feeding grounds, where they
stay until morning. Acacia and mimo-
sa twigs are rhino d%elicacies. They
scrape the lower parts of these trees
clean with their horns, the front horn
being kept pointed and with a knife
like blade by sharpening it on hard
substances. The horns are not bone,
but Of closely packed horny fbers
growing from the skin aud connected
fastened to the bone Of the head or
snout, but do not lack effectiveness
on that account.
The execution done WITH these horns
is impressive. The celebrated hunter
Oswell was in a part Of East Africa,
near the Uganda boundary, which was
alive with game. His mount was a fl.
vorite hunting horse. Seeing at some
distance a large white rhinoceros with
an uncommonly long horn, he rode to
ward it. The animal noticed him wher
he was about a hundred yards distant
and began at onc to advance toward
him slowly, but threateningly. Hi
horse stopped and stood as II petrifcd
When within a few yards the rhinoce
ros made a dash forward, making
violent assault on rider and mount
Oswell regained consciousness on thu
back Of q strange horse which wa.
being led by n Of his native serv
ants. The rhinoceros had driven IT.
horn through his leg and through hi!
horses body and had 50 completed,
upset both horse and rider that Oswel
himself had been knocked senseless b!
a blow from his failing stirrup iron
Oswell's horse was killed, and tn
great hunter himself was kept pros
trate by his wounds for sever
months. Even slight wounds are yer!
slow to heal in the African climate.
The natives prize the rhino's horns
dearly. They make cups from them
which, they say, betray the presence
of any poison in drinks. A we'll known
German writer says, IF poisoned wine
is put into a rhinoceros horn cup. thu
cup will instantly split wide open.
The horn shavings are saved by thu
natives as an infallible for commissions
and a dozen ether diseases. They ca
the rhino's hump as a rare delicacy
Rhinos use these horns with appall
ing effect on the unprotected aldo
mems of men and beasts alike. Ca1