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Page 93
The eyes are set in such a manner that the animal can not see any thing
exactly in front of it; but the senses of hearing and smelling are so
keen that sight is not required to detect an enemy, whether it be man or
beast.
The skin of the African rhinoceros is smooth, and has only a few
scattering hairs here and there. It is, however, very thick and tough,
and can resist the force of a rifle-ball unless it is fired from a very
short distance.
The largest known species of the rhinoceros is found in Asia. It lives
chiefly in the marshy jungles, and on the banks of lakes and rivers in
India. Some of this species are over live feet in height, and have horns
three feet in length and eighteen inches around the base.
Unlike the African rhinoceros, the skin of the Asiatic species is not
smooth, but lies in thick folds upon the body, forming flaps which can
be lifted with the hand.
The food of the rhinoceros consists of roots, and the young branches and
leaves of trees and shrubs.
It plows up the roots with the aid of its horn, and gathers the branches
and leaves with the upper lip which is long and pointed, and with which
the food is rolled together before placing it in the mouth.
The flesh of the rhinoceros is good to eat; and its strong, thick skin
is made by the natives, into shields, whips, and other articles.
Though clumsy and apparently very stupid, the rhinoceros is a very
active animal when attacked or otherwise alarmed, dashing about with
wonderful rapidity.
It is very fierce and savage--so much so that the natives dread it more
than they do the lion. In hunting the animal, it is dangerous for a man
to fire at one unless he is mounted upon a swift horse, and can easily
reach some place of safety.
When attacking an enemy, the rhinoceros lowers its head and rushes
forward like an angry goat. Though it may not see the object of its
attack, the sense of smell is so acute that it knows about when the
enemy is reached.
Then begins a furious tossing of the head, and if the powerful horn
strikes the foe, a terrible wound is the result.
When wounded itself, the rhinoceros loses all sense of fear, and charges
again and again with such desperate fury that the enemy is almost always
overcome.
A famous traveler in South Africa relates the following incident that
happened during one of his hunting excursions:
"Having proceeded about two miles, I came upon a black rhinoceros,
feeding on some Wait-a-bit thorns within fifty yards of me.
"I fired from the saddle, and sent a bullet in behind his shoulder, when
he rushed forward, blowing like a grampus, and then stood looking about
him.
"Presently he started off, and I followed. I expected that he would come
to bay, but it seems a rhinoceros never does that--a fact I did not
know at that time.
"Suddenly he fell flat upon the ground; but soon recovering his feet, he
resumed his course as if nothing had happened.
"I spurred on my horse, dashed ahead, and rode right in his path. Upon
this, the hideous monster charged me in the most resolute manner,
blowing loudly through his nostrils.
"Although I quickly turned about, he followed me at such a furious pace
for several hundred yards, with his horrid horny snout within a few
yards of my horse's tail, that I thought my destruction was certain.
"The animal, however, suddenly turned and ran in another direction. I
had now become so excited with the incident, that I determined to give
him one more shot any way.
"Nerving my horse again, I made another dash, after the rhinoceros, and
coming up pretty close to him, I again fired, though with little
effect, the ball striking some thick portion of his skin and doing no
harm.
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