Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark ContinentFeather, A. G., Col.
History
Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark Continent
Feather, A. G., Col.
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
[4] He says: Of the rhinoceros there are four varieties in South
Africa distinguished by the Bechuanas by the names of the borèlé, or
black rhinoceros, the keitloa, or two-horned black rhinoceros, the
muchocho, or common white rhinoceros, and the kobaoba, or long-horned
white rhinoceros. Both varieties of the black rhinoceros are extremely
fierce and dangerous, and rush headlong and unprovoked at any object
which attracts their attention. They never attain much fat, and their
flesh is tough, and not much esteemed by the Bechuanas. Their food
consists almost entirely of the thorny branches of the wait-a-bit
thorns. Their horns are much shorter than those of the other
varieties, seldom exceeding eighteen inches in length. They are finely
polished with constant rubbing against the trees. The skull is
remarkably formed, its most striking feature being the tremendous
thick ossification in which it ends above the nostrils. It is on this
mass that the horn is supported. The horns are not connected with the
skull, being attached merely by the skin, and they may thus be
separated from the head by means of a sharp knife. They are hard and
perfectly solid throughout, and are a fine material for various
articles, such as drinking cups, mallets for rifles, handles for
turner’s tools, etc., etc. The horn is capable of a very high polish.
The eyes of the rhinoceros are small and sparkling, and do not readily
observe the hunter, provided he keeps to leeward of them. The skin is
extremely thick, and only to be penetrated by bullets hardened with
solder. During the day the rhinoceros will be found lying asleep or
standing indolently in some retired part of the forest, or under the
base of the mountains, sheltered from the power of the sun by some
friendly grove of umbrella-topped mimosas. In the evening they
commence their nightly ramble and wander over a great extent of
country. They usually visit the fountains between the hours of nine
and twelve o’clock at night, and it is on these occasions that they
may be most successfully hunted, and with the least danger. The black
rhinoceros is subject to paroxysms of unprovoked fury, often plowing
up the ground for several yards with its horns, and assaulting large
bushes in the most violent manner. On these bushes they work for hours
with their horns, at the same time snorting and blowing loudly, nor do
they leave them in general until they have broken them into pieces.
The rhinoceros is supposed by many, and by myself among the rest, to
be the animal alluded to by Job, chap. xxxix., verses 10 and 11, where
it is written, “Canst thou bind the unicorn with his hand in the
furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him
because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him?”
evidently alluding to an animal possessed of great strength and of
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