Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-06-11

was predestined to be a fighter spure
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
ly 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
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 Oh his way down the trail he
has made to his watering place.
Rhinos leave their hidden retreats
about in the afternoon, fashionable
hour for promenading with the jungle
ladies. Arriving at the drinking place
at about dark, they go to their favored
thorn feeding grounds, where they
stay until morning. Acacia and mfmo-
So twigs are rhino delicacies. 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 fibers
growing from the skin and connected
with massive muscles. They are not
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 q part of East Africa,
near the Uganda boundary, which was
alive with game. His mount was Ia
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 when
he was about hundred yards distant
and began at once to advance toward
him slowly, but threateningly. His
horse stopped and stood as If petrified.
When within a few yards the rhinoce-
ros made dash forward, making a
violent assault on rider and mount.
Oswell regained consciousness on the
back Of a strange horse which was
being led by one Of his native serv-
ants. The rhinoceros had driven its
horn through his leg and through his
horses body and had SO completely
upset both horse and rider that Oswell
himself had been knocked senseless by
a blow from his falling stirrup iron.
Oswell's horse was killed, and the
great hunter himself was kept pros
trate by his wounds for several
months. Even slight wounds are very
slow to heal in the African climate.
The natives prize the rhino's hornsl
dearly. They make cups from them.
which, they say. betray the presence
of any poison in drinks. A well known
German writer says, "If poisoned wine
is put into a rhinoceros horn cup. the
cup will instantly split wide OPEN"
The horn shavings are saved by the
natives as an fnfallible for convulsions
and dozen other diseases. They eat
the rhino's hump as rare delicacy.
Rhinos use these horns with appall-
ing effect on the unprotected abdo-
mems Of men and beasts alike. Carl