The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-05-19

lose TO the path. The length or his
orn, and the hunger OF my men. In
uuced me TO get of and fire at him.
The shot was rather too high, and he
ran of ! was In the saddle In mo-
ment and passing the wounded beast,
pulled up ten yards on one side y" the
line of his retreat. firing the second
barrel as he went by from my horse.
when. instead of continuing his course.
he stopped shor, and. pauslng an In.
slant, began to walk deliberately
towards me- This movement was so
utterly unlocked for. as the white rhi
e noceros nearly always makes or, that
until he was Within five yards, ! sat
quite still. expecting him TO fall, think
ing he was In his "hurry."
My horse seemed az much surprised
at the behavior OF the old mahoho as
j was myself. and did not Immediately
answer the rein. and he momelts
hesitation cost him his life and me the
very best horse | ever had or knew. for
when | got his head round a thick
bush was against his chest and before
could free him the rhlnoceros. still at
the walk. drove his norm In under bis
flank and fairly threw both him and
his rider into the air As he turned
over ] rolled OF and fell In some way
under the stlrrupiron. which scalped
my head for four inches In length and
breadth. ] scrambled to my knees and
saw the horn OF the rhinoceros actual
y within the bend OF my leg: but the
animal wavered and, with the energy
~ self-preseryation. | sprang to my
'eet. intending TO run. for my gun was
tnloaded and had fsiIen from my hand.
Had been allowed to do so. this story
might have never been told. for, dizzy
as ] was from the fall. should have
been easily caught.
He passed vithin foot without
touching me. Az | rose for the second
time my after-Hder came up with an
other gun. | half pulled him from his
pony and. mounting It. caught and
killed the rhiaoceros. The horn now
hangs over the entrance of my door.
That day a companion happened to
be hunting In the same direction as
myself and. hearing the reports OF my
gun. hoped might have come up with
the elephants ] had started after in
the morning. He found me sitting
under BUSH. hatless. and holding up
the piece OF my scalp. with the blood
streaming down my face. or, as he af.
terwards described II to Livingstone:
4 saw that beggar. Oswell. sitting un-
der bush holding on his head" A few
words told him what had happened.
and then my thoughts turned to Stael.
my horse That very morning. as
left the wagons. | had talked to him
affectionately. as a man can talk TO a
good horse. telling him how. when the
hunting was over. ] would make him
fat and happy. and had played with
him and he with me. II was with a
very sore heart put ball through his
head. took the saddle from his back
and started wagonwards. walking half
the distance (ten miles) and making
my after-rider do likewise. Unless a
man was situated as | WIS then, Il is
iifficult 10 make him understand all
hat the loss OF good horse means.
You cannot even fill up his place In
quantity. let alone quality. In this
cess depends enormously upon your
steed. for the country is generally too
open for stalking. and he carries you
up TO your game. In most instances, as
near as you like. and II Is your fault
II you don't succeed. Had ! been the
best shot that ever looked along a
rife. and made OF steel. | could have
done but tride without horses. IN
comparison with what | accomplished
with them. Armed as was with 9
smooth-bore. not very truo. with heavy
charges at over 30 yards. It was a ne
cessity TO get.as-near my game as pos
sible am not vain OF my shooting
] can do what intend pretty well a
from ten to twenty-five yards-but
would have given the best shot In th'
world without hoIses very long odds
besides. from the saddle you see 81
much more at your ease. and your at
teniion for everything that surround
you IL so much more free.
The horses we're unshod and sure
,ofed Introduce them, II possible
radually TO their work by letting you
fternder use them a few times. III
always out OF danger. and II ono,
-ecustomed 10 the sight OF an anima
at respectable distance. they car
soon be driven up alongside OF II. an'
get as eager la pursuit OF elephan
and large game as their riders,
Ely neglecting this rule. very near
ly came TO grief on an afterwards cap
tai pony. II was his debut. and
wounded elephant. charging with
scream. so terrified him that he wa
paralyzed with fear and stood stool
still after turning round; spurs had n
effect. and how we escaped ! cannS
now tell. The bull came within 10
feet OF his tail aud then wheeled.
can only suppose he got the scent
the human being, for he was quite nes
enonsS to have swept me from the sa