In the Wilds of AfricaKingston, William Henry Giles
General
In the Wilds of Africa
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Africa -- Juvenile fiction
I had gone out the next morning soon after sunrise to look round the
camp, when I saw several birds of a greyish colour, about the size of a
common thrush. Their notes, too, reminded me, as they sang their
morning song, of the mistletoe thrush. Presently they flew off
together, some way up the stream. Turning round, I saw Chickango,
Igubo, and several of Mr Fraser's blacks following, with guns in their
hands, accompanied by a pack of dogs. I pointed out the birds to them.
"'Noceros not far off," observed Chickango. Presently we saw the birds
pitch behind a neighbouring bush, and getting on one side of it, what
was my surprise to find that they were standing on the back of a huge
rhinoceros, sticking their bills into his head, and even into his ears,
and uttering a loud harsh grating cry. The rhinoceros, we could see
even at that distance, was a huge white monster, with a couple of horns,
a short one placed on the head behind the front, and pointed--a
formidable looking weapon. The object, probably, of these
rhinoceros-birds, as they may be called, in thus pitching on his body,
was to feed upon the ticks, and other parasitic insects, which swarm
upon those animals. They also attend upon the hippopotamus, and,
whether intentionally or not I cannot say, often thus give him warning
of danger. Presently up rose the rhinoceros and looked about him. I,
unfortunately, not intending to go far from the camp, had left my rifle
behind. The dogs at that instant started off, rushing with loud barks
towards the monster. They had better have kept at a distance, for,
lowering his head, he caught the first which leaped towards him on his
horn, and threw him back dead among the reeds. Then, turning round, he
charged directly towards us. The unarmed blacks immediately took to the
water. Unable to escape by flight, I thought that my last moments had
come; but, providentially, the dogs attracting his attention, diverted
it from me. Chickango, rifle in hand, boldly ran up to face the
monster, who at that instant seemed to catch sight of the waggon and
cattle in the distance. He probably thought it an enemy worthy of his
courage, for, to my great horror and dismay, in spite of our shouts and
the barking of the dogs, he rushed off towards it. I could only hope
that our friends saw him coming, though when I left the camp they were
still asleep. I thought he would have struck Chickango, who was
directly in his course; but the active black sprang out of his way, and
then turning round, fired at his head. Though I was sure the bullet had
struck, yet it did not stop his course. On he dashed towards the
waggon. I shouted and shouted to Stanley, hoping that he might possibly
hear my voice. In vain. The brute went on, and seemed to be almost in
the midst of the camp. Aiming directly at the waggon, he struck it,
and, heavy as it was, so great was the impetus of his huge body that he
sent it on several feet. Fortunately he came against it in the rear,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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