THE AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES.
Of the number of species of Rhinoceros there is considerable doubt. At least four, possibly five, inhabit Africa, and four Asia. With regard to the African species, we will first take the large “WHITE” RHINOCEROS(Rhinoceros simus) described by Burchell. This is an animal measuring somewhat over twelve feet in length and about five feet ten inches in height. It has a square nose and two large rounded horns, the anterior one averaging about two feet six inches in length, but not uncommonly found measuring three feet six inches, sometimes even over four feet; the posterior rarely or never exceeding fifteen inches, and generally not being more than twelve inches. Its skin is smooth, and without any of those folds so characteristic of the Asiatic species. It inhabits all the country south of the Zambesi, and probably it may also exist in Central Africa. It feeds solely on grass, and sometimes collects into small herds.
DENTITION OF RHINOCEROS. A, UPPER; B, LOWER JAW.
DENTITION OF RHINOCEROS. A, UPPER; B, LOWER JAW.
OSWELL’SRHINOCEROS[267]in no way differs fromR. simus, except that the front horn pointsforwards, and in some cases even downwards. This Mr. Drummond considers not to be a distinct species, but only an accidental and local variety.
The so-called BLACKRHINOCEROS(Rhinoceros bicornis major) is a much smaller animal thanR. simus, being about eleven feet in length and five feet in height, with an elongated head and horns thicker in proportion to length than those ofR. simus. The front horn is twenty inches or twenty-two inches in length, and never attains to more than twenty-six or twenty-eight inches; while the back horn averages ten inches or twelve inches. Its skin is not black, but flesh-coloured, and the upper lip is highly prehensile. The first specimen ever brought to Europe was captured in Upper Nubia in 1868, and was provided with a lodging in the Regent’s Park Zoological Gardens. It is found in all the country south of the Zambesi; inhabits thorn thickets chiefly (in whichR. simusis never found), but occasionally occurs in other jungle or open ground. It feeds chiefly on thorn leaves and branches, though also eating grass, for the plucking of which its flexible upper lip is as well fitted as the long tongue of the Giraffe. It is gregarious, five or six being sometimes found together.
“WHITE” RHINOCEROS.
“WHITE” RHINOCEROS.
The KEITLOA, or Sloan’s Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros keitloa), differs but little fromR. bicornis major,excepting in the formation of the head, which is somewhat shorter and broader, and it has a less prehensile lip. Its chief characteristic is the posterior horn, which is flattened at the sides, being of almost equal length to the anterior, and even occasionally longer, twenty inches and twenty-two inches being about the average. It is found sparingly in all the country south of the Zambesi, and is not gregarious, a bull and cow only being usually seen together.RHINOCEROS BICORNIS MINORis the smallest, being seldom over ten feet in length, or more than four feet ten inches in height. The head is more elongated and the nose more prehensile than in any other species, while the legs are shorter in proportion and the feet smaller. The anterior horns rarely exceed twelve inches, and the posterior seven or eight inches. It is usually found only between Zululand and the Limpopo river, although it has been killed farther north, not far from the Zambesi. It is not gregarious, two full-grown ones and a calf being the greatest number that has been recorded as seen together. It feeds on thorns, leaves, and shoots, and rarely, if ever, is found out of the thorn jungle.
KEITLOA.
KEITLOA.
Until recent times, it was universally believed that the hide of a Rhinoceros was too tough to allow a bullet to penetrate; indeed, even now in popular opinion the belief is still retained, but, like many popular opinions, it has been proved to be untrue; and that a Rhinoceros may be as easily shotwith an ordinary bullet as an Ox is fully established on the authority of Gordon Cumming, Sir S. Baker, Dr. Livingstone, and others.
Sir S. Baker, in his “Nile Tributaries,” gives the following interesting account of a Rhinoceros hunt:—“We were leisurely returning home through alternate plains and low open forests of mimosa, when Taher Sheriff, who was leading the party, suddenly reined up his Horse, and pointed to a thick bush, beneath which was a large, grey, but shapeless mass. He whispered, as I drew near, ‘Oom qurrin’ (mother of the horn), their name for the Rhinoceros. I immediately dismounted, and with the short No. 10 Tatham rifle I advanced as near as I could, followed by Suleiman, as I had sent all my gun-bearers direct home by the river when we had commenced our circuit. As I drew near, I discovered two Rhinoceroses asleep beneath a thick mass of bushes; they were lying like Pigs, close together, so that at a distance I had been unable to distinguish any exact form. It was an awkward place; if I were to take the wind fairly, I should have to fire through the thick bush, which would be useless; therefore I was compelled to advance with the wind direct from me to them. The aggageers remained about a hundred yards distant, while I told Suleiman to return, and hold my Horse in readiness with his own. I then walked quietly to within about thirty yards of the Rhinoceroses, but so curiously were they lying that it was useless to attempt a shot. In their happy dreams they must have been suddenly disturbed by the scent of an enemy, for, without the least warning, they suddenly sprang to their feet with astonishing quickness, and with a loud and sharp whiff, whiff, whiff! one of them charged straight at me. I fired my right-hand barrel in his throat, as it was useless to aim at the head, protected by two horns at the nose. This turned him, but had no other effect, and the two animals thundered off together at a tremendous pace. Now for a ‘tally ho!’ Our stock of gum was scattered on the ground, and away went the aggageers in full speed after the two Rhinoceroses. Without waiting to re-load, I quickly remounted my Horse Tétel, and, with Suleiman in company, I spurred hard to overtake the flying Arabs. Tétel was a good strong cob, but not very fast; however, I believe he never went so well as upon that day, for, although an Abyssinian Horse, I had a pair of English spurs, which worked like missionaries, but with a more decided result. The ground was awkward for riding at full speed, as it was an open forest of mimosas, which, although wide apart, were very difficult to avoid, owing to the low crowns of spreading branches; these, being armed with fish-hook thorns, would have been serious on a collision. I kept the party in view until, in about a mile, we arrived upon open ground. Here I again applied the spurs, and by degrees I crept up, always gaining, until I at length joined the aggageers. Here was a sight to drive a hunter! The two Rhinoceroses were running neck and neck, like a pair of Horses in harness, but bounding along at tremendous speed within ten yards of the leading Hamram. This was Taher Sheriff, who, with his sword drawn and his long hair flying wildly behind him, urged his Horse forward in the race, amid a cloud of dust raised by the two huge but active beasts, that tried every sinew of the Horses. Rodur Sheriff, with the withered arm, was second; with the reins hung upon the hawk-like claw that was all that remained of a hand, but with his naked sword grasped in his right, he kept close to his brother, ready to second his blow. Abou Do was third; his hair flying in the wind, his heels dashing against the flanks of his Horse, to which he shouted in his excitement to urge him to the front, while he leant forward with his long sword, in the wild energy of the moment, as though hoping to reach the game against all possibility. Now for the spurs! and as these, vigorously applied, screwed an extra stride out of Tétel, I soon found myself in the ruck of men, horses, and drawn swords. There were seven of us, and passing Abou Do, whose face wore an expression of agony at finding that his Horse was failing, I quickly obtained a place between the two brothers, Taher and Rodur Sheriff. There had been a jealousy between the two parties of aggageers, and each was striving to outdo the other; thus Abou Do was driven almost to madness at the superiority of Taher’s Horse, while the latter, who was the renowned hunter of the tribe, was determined that his sword should be the first to taste blood. I tried to pass the Rhinoceros on my left, so as to fire close into the shoulder my remaining barrel with my right hand, but it was impossible to overtake the animals, who bounded along with undiminished speed. With the greatest exertion of man and horses, we could only retain our position within about three or four yards of their tails—just out of reach of the swords. The only chance in the race was to hold the pace until the Rhinoceroses should begin to flag. The Horses were pressed to the utmost; but we had already run about two miles, and the game showed no signs of giving in. On they flew—sometimes over open ground, then through low bush, which tried the Horses severely; then through strips of open forest, until at length the party began to tail off, and only a select few kept their places. We arrived at the summit of a ridge, from which the ground sloped in a gentle inclination for about a mile towards the river; at the foot of this incline was thick, thorny,nabbukjungle, for which impenetrable covert the Rhinoceroses pressed at their utmost speed. Never was there better ground for the finish of a race; the earth was sandy, but firm, and as we saw the winning post in the jungle that must terminate the hunt, we redoubled our exertions to close with the unflagging game. Suleiman’s Horse gave in—we had been for about twenty minutes at a killing pace. Tétel, although not a fast Horse, was good for a distance, and we now proved his power of endurance, as I was riding at least two stone heavier than any of the party. Only four of the seven remained; and we swept down the incline, Taher Sheriff still leading, and Abou Do the last! His Horse was done, but not the rider; for, springing to the ground while at full speed, sword in hand, he forsook his tired Horse, and, preferring his own legs, he ran like an Antelope, and for the first hundred yards I thought he would really pass us and win the honour of first blow. It was of no use; the pace was too severe, and, although running wonderfully, he was obliged to give way to the Horses. Only three now followed the Rhinoceroses. Taher Sheriff, his brother Rodur, and myself. I had been obliged to give the second place to Rodur, as he was a mere Monkey in weight; but I was a close third. The excitement was intense; we neared the jungle, and the Rhinoceroses began to show signs of flagging, as the dust puffed up before their nostrils, and with noses close to the ground, they snorted as they still galloped on. ‘Oh for a fresh Horse!’ We were within two hundred yards of the jungle; but the Horses were all done. Tétel reeled as I urged him forward; Rodur pushed ahead; we were close to the dense thorns, and the Rhinoceroses broke into a trot; they were done! Away went Taher; he was close to the very heels of the beasts, but his Horse could do no more than his present pace; still he gained upon the nearest; he leaned forward, with his sword raised for the blow—another moment and the jungle would be reached! One effort more, aid the sword flashed in the sunshine, as the rearmost Rhinoceros disappeared in the thick screen of thorns, with a gash about a foot long upon his hind-quarters. Taher Sheriff shook his bloody sword in triumph above his head; but the Rhinoceros was gone—we were fairly beaten, regularly outpaced. Taher Sheriff explained that at all times the Rhinoceros was the most difficult animal to sabre, on account of his extraordinary swiftness, and, although he had killed many with the sword, it was always after a long and fatiguing hunt, at the close of which the animal, becoming tired, generally turned to bay, in which case one hunter occupied his attention, while another galloped up behind and severed the hamstring. The Rhinoceros, unlike the Elephant, can go very well upon three legs, which enhances the danger, as one cut will not utterly disable him.”
THE RHINOCEROS HUNT.
THE RHINOCEROS HUNT.
RHINOCEROS.(From the Living Specimen in the Zoological Gardens, London.)❏LARGER IMAGE
RHINOCEROS.(From the Living Specimen in the Zoological Gardens, London.)
❏LARGER IMAGE
Not unfrequently, however, it is the hunter who has to fly away before the Rhinoceros, as Sir S. Baker found out to his cost in the Upper Nile.
Gordon Cumming, in his “Hunter’s Life in South Africa,” gives the following details of the Rhinoceros:—“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 Robaoba, 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 waitabit 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 tremendously 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 solid throughout, and are a fine material for various articles, such as drinking-cups, mallets for rifles, handles for turners’ tools, &c., &c. The horn is capable of taking a very high polish. The eyes of the Rhinoceros are small and sparkling, and do not readily observe the hunter, provided he keep 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 rambles, 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 ploughing up the ground for several yards with its horn, 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 in pieces. All the four varieties delight to roll and wallow in the mud, with which their rugged hides are generally encrusted. Both varieties of the Black Rhinoceros are much smaller and more active than the white, and are so swift that a Horse with a rider on his back can rarely overtake them. The two varieties of the White Rhinoceros are so similar in habits that the description of one will serve for both; the principal difference consisting in the length and set of the anterior horn: that of the Muchocho averaging from two to three feet in length, and pointing backwards; while the horn of the Robaoba often exceeds four feet in length, and inclines forward from the nose at an angle of 45°. The posterior horn of either species seldom exceeds six or seven inches in length. The Robaoba is the rarer of the two, and it is found very far in the interior, chiefly to the eastward of the Limpopo. Its horns are very valuable for loading-rods, supplying a substance at once suitable for a sporting implement and excellent for the purpose. Both these varieties of Rhinoceros attain an enormous size. They feed solely on grass, carry much fat, and their flesh is excellent, being preferable to beef. They are of a much milder and more inoffensive disposition than the Black Rhinoceros, rarely charging their pursuer. Their speed is very inferior to that of the other varieties, and a person well mounted can overtake and shoot them. The head of these is a foot longer than that of the Borèlé. They generally carry their heads low; whereas the Borèlé, when disturbed, carries his very high. Unlike the Elephants, they never associate in herds, but are met with singly or in pairs. In districts where they are abundant from three to six may be found in company; and I once saw upwards of a dozen congregated together on some young grass; but such an occurrence is rare.”
Gordon Cumming relates that the Rhinoceros and Hippopotamus are usually attended by little birds known as Rhinoceros Birds, “their object being to feed upon the ticks and other parasites that swarm upon these animals. They are of a greyish-colour, and are nearly as large as a common Thrush. Their voice is very similar to that of the Mistletoe Thrush. Many a time have these ever-watchful birds disappointed me in my stalk, and tempted me to invoke an anathema upon their devoted heads. They are the best friends the Rhinoceros has, and rarely fail to awaken him even in his soundest nap. ‘Chukuroo’ perfectly understands their warning, and, springing to his feet, he generally first looks about him in every direction, after which he invariably makes off. I have often hunted a Rhinoceros on horseback which led me a chase of many miles, and required a number of shots before he fell, during which chase several of these birds remained by the Rhinoceros to the last. They reminded me of mariners on the deck of some bark sailing on the ocean, for they perched along his back and sides; and as each of my bullets told on the shoulder of the Rhinoceros, they ascended about six feet into the air, uttering their harsh cry of alarm, and then resumed their position. It sometimes happened that the lower branches of trees, under which the Rhinoceros passed, swept them from their living deck; but they always recovered their former station. They also adhere to the Rhinoceros during the night. I have often shot these animals at midnight when drinking at the fountains, and the birds, imagining they were asleep, remained with them till morning; and on my approaching, before taking flight, they exerted themselves to their utmost to awaken Chukuroo from his deep sleep.”