The World and Its People Part 42

The whole body, the head, and the limbs are covered with a very thick, hard skin. This skin has very little hair, showing, generally, mere traces of it. A striking peculiarity of the skin is that its extreme hardness does not permit the free movements of the animal. This lack of pliancy in the skin is overcome in a measure by means of thick folds, almost joints, in it, in the region of the neck, behind the shoulders, in front of the thighs, and on the limbs.

The rhinoceros is not a very intelligent animal. It is usually harmless, but can be easily provoked. It is then capable of showing a very capricious temper. When irritated it becomes very dangerous; and though usually very slow in moving, it can, when worked into a frenzy, run at a rapid rate.

Its great weight and strength enable it to force a pa.s.sage through jungles and forests, and thus to break down all small trees that come in its way.

Its hide is so tough that the animal has nothing to fear from the lion or the leopard, and little to dread in man. It is only at a short distance that the hunter can penetrate the hide with a leaden bullet, and then only in some of the thinnest parts along the neck and chest.

Usually bullets of iron or tin are used to shoot the animal.

The rhinoceros, like the hippopotamus, is hunted for its flesh, which is used as food by the natives, though it is not as highly prized as that of the hippopotamus. The tough hide of the South African species is sliced up into thongs, which the natives use in various ways.

The rhinoceros is found sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs, but never in a herd. There are various species of the animal in Asia and India as well as Africa. Let us confine our attention to the African species alone. The _bovele_, or black rhinoceros of South Africa, is the smallest of all known species. Its first horn is thick at the base and not very long, while its second is quite short and conical. It is a very fierce, dangerous animal. When hunted it is capable of such activity that it is more to be dreaded than the lion.

The _keitloa_ is larger than the bovele, and has its two horns of nearly the same length. The forward horn is curved backward, while the other is curved forward. This species of rhinoceros is also a native of South Africa. It is much dreaded on account of its great strength and ferocity. The white rhinoceros is the largest of all the African species. One of its horns attains the length of four feet.

The food of the black rhinoceros differs from that of the white. The former species lives almost wholly upon roots, which it digs up with its larger horn. Sometimes it eats the branches and the young sprouts of the th.o.r.n.y acacia tree. The white rhinoceros lives almost wholly upon gra.s.ses. Possibly this mild, succulent food gives it a nature resembling more that of the ordinary grazing animals, for it falls an easy prey to the invading Europeans. Even the flesh of the two species varies. That of the black rhinoceros is thin and tough, and has a sharp bitter taste.

That of the white rhinoceros is juicy and of a good flavor, and is counted a delicacy by the natives and by the settlers.

The rhinoceros has an extraordinary acuteness of smell and hearing. It listens closely to the sounds of the desert, and can scent the approach of man from a great distance. The size of its unwieldy horns often impedes the range of its small, deep-set eyes, hence it can see only what comes immediately before it. To compensate for its imperfect sight, the rhinoceros is often accompanied by a bird. This bird seems as much attached to it as the dog is to man. Its warning cry acquaints the beast with the approach of danger. When the natives address a superior they call him "My Rhinoceros." This is by way of compliment, and serves to show that the inferior, like this bird, is ready to be of service.

The black rhinoceros has a gloomy, melancholy temper. It often falls into a perfect frenzy of rage from no apparent cause. Yet, to see this creature in its wild haunts, cropping its favorite leaves from the bushes, or moving quietly along over the plains, one might think it one of the most inoffensive and good-tempered animals of the whole continent of Africa. When roused to anger, no more terrific sight can be imagined.

The very beasts of the wilderness tremble in fear of it. The lion silently steals away out of its path; even the elephant is glad to escape its notice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RHINOCEROS CHARGING THE HUNTERS.]

The hippopotamus and the rhinoceros have been styled "gigantic hogs,"

and they well deserve the name. In South Africa, however, the hog proper reaches a size and strength which we, familiar only with the sleepy, indolent farm species, can hardly conceive.

Andersson, the explorer, says "Wild boars were rather numerous, and afforded us excellent coursing. The speed of these animals is surprisingly great. On open ground, when fairly afoot, I found the dogs no match for them. They fight desperately, and I have seen wild boars individually keep off most effectually half a dozen fierce a.s.sailants. I have also seen them when hotly pursued, attack and severely wound their pursuers."

CHAPTER LIX.

LION HUNTING.

The lion has been called the king of beasts, and his majestic form, n.o.ble bearing, stately tread, piercing eye, and dreadful roar not only strike terror to the heart of the other animals, but combine to mark him, as it were, with the stamp of royalty.

He is all nerve and muscle, while his enormous strength is shown in the tremendous bound he makes in rushing upon his prey, and in the rapid lashing of his tail. One stroke from his tail is sufficient to fell a man to the ground.

The expressive wrinkling of his brows is a strong characteristic of the lion. Judging from his appearance, man has endowed him with qualities he does not possess. Modern travelers, far from describing him as a n.o.ble beast, deem him a mean-spirited robber, prowling about under the secrecy of night to surprise animals weaker than himself.

The chief food of the lion consists of the flesh of the larger herbivorous animals. There are very few animals he is unable to master.

The swift-footed antelope has no foe to be so much dreaded as the lion.

Concealing himself in the high rushes which line the river's bank, he lies in ambush for the timid herd, till they approach the water at nightfall to quench their thirst. Slowly, cautiously, the beautiful antelopes approach. They listen with ears erect, straining their eyes to pierce the gloom of the thicket. Nothing suspicious nor alarming appears, and the beautiful creatures move along the bank.

They quaff long, deep draughts of the delicious water, without thought of danger. Suddenly, with a mighty spring, as lightning bursts from the cloud, the wary lion bounds upon the unsuspecting herd, and in a twinkling the leader lies prostrate at the mercy of his foe, while his frightened companions fly blindly into the desert.

Andersson witnessed the very uncommon sight of a lion seizing his prey in broad daylight. He had had an encounter late one evening with a lion, and had badly wounded him. The following morning he set out with some of his men to follow the tracks of the wounded animal.

"Presently," he writes, "we came upon the trail of a whole troop of lions, as also that of a solitary giraffe. So many tracks confused us, and while endeavoring to pick out from the rest those of the wounded lion, I observed my native attendants suddenly rush forward, and the next instant the jungle re-echoed with the shouts of triumph.

"Thinking they had discovered the lion we were in pursuit of, I also hurried forward; but imagine my surprise when, emerging into an opening in the jungle, I saw, not a dead lion, as I expected, but five living lions,--two males and three females,--two of which were in the act of pulling down a splendid giraffe, the other three watching close at hand, and with devouring looks, the deadly strife.

"The scene was of so imposing a nature that for the moment I forgot I carried a gun. The natives, however, in antic.i.p.ation of a glorious gorge, dashed madly forward, and with the most piercing shrieks and yells compelled the lions to a hasty retreat. When I reached the giraffe, now stretched at full length on the sand, it made a few ineffectual efforts to raise its head, its body heaved and quivered for a moment, and the next instant the poor animal was dead.

"It had received several deep gashes about the flanks and chest, caused by the claws and teeth of its fierce a.s.sailants. The strong and tough muscles of the neck were also bitten through. All thought of pursuing the wounded lion was now out of the question. The natives remained gorging on the carca.s.s of the giraffe until it was devoured. A day or two afterward, however, I had the good fortune to fall in with my royal antagonist, and finished him without difficulty."

THE LION'S RIDE.

The lion is the desert's king; through his domain so wide Right swiftly and right royally this night he means to ride.

By the sedgy brink, where the wild herds drink, close couches the grim old chief; The trembling sycamore above whispers with every leaf.

At evening on the Table Mount, when ye can see no more The changeful play of signals gay; when the gloom is speckled o'er With kraal fires; when the Caffre wends home through the lone karroo; When the boshbok in the thicket sleeps, and by the stream the gnu;

Then bend your gaze across the waste; what see ye! The giraffe, Majestic, stalks towards the lagoon, the turbid lymph to quaff; With outstretched neck and tongue, adust he kneels him down to cool His hot thirst with a welcome draught from the foul and brackish pool.

A rustling sound, a roar, a bound,--the lion sits astride Upon his giant courser's back. Did ever king so ride?

Had ever king a steed so rare, caparisons of state To match the dappled skin whereon that rider sits elate?

In the muscles of the neck his teeth are plunged with ravenous greed; His tawny mane is tossing round the withers of the steed Up leaping with a hollow yell of anguish and surprise, Away, away, in wild dismay, the camel-leopard flies.

His feet have wings; see how he springs across the moonlit plain!

As from the sockets they would burst, his glaring eyeb.a.l.l.s strain; In thick black streams of purling blood, full fast his life is fleeting; The stillness of the desert hears his heart's tumultuous beating.

Like the cloud that, through the wilderness, the path of Israel traced,-- Like an airy phantom, dull and worn, a spirit of the waste,-- From the sandy sea uprising, as the waterspout from ocean, A whirling cloud of dust keeps pace with the courser's fiery motion.

Croaking companion of their flight, the vulture whirs on high; Below, the terror of the fold, the panther fierce and sly, And hyenas foul, round graves that prowl, join in the horrid race; By the footprints wet with gore and sweat, their monarch's course they trace.

They see him on his living throne, and quake with fear the while; With claws of steel he tears piecemeal his cushion's painted pile.

On! on! no pause, no rest, giraffe, while life and strength remain!

The steed by such a rider backed may madly plunge in vain.

Reeling upon the desert's verge, he falls, and breathes his last; The courser, stained with dust and foam, is the rider's full repast.

O'er Madagascar, eastward far, a faint flush is descried;-- Thus nightly, o'er his broad domain, the king of beasts doth ride.

--_From the German._

The lion is said to have a special liking for the flesh of the Hottentots, and with great obstinacy will follow one of these unfortunate savages.

It commits so much devastation among the herds of antelopes that roam over the plains that hunters in North and South Africa pursue him and kill him wherever he appears.

Dr. Livingstone states that the Bushmen take advantage of the torpidity of the lion after a full meal to surprise him in his slumbers. Their mode of attack differs widely from that of the fierce Arabs of North Africa. While one native discharges a poisoned arrow from a distance, his companion dexterously throws his skin coat over the animal's head.

In its surprise and amazement the lion loses its presence of mind and bounds away in a panic, terrified and confused.

The poison used in the arrows of the Bushmen is obtained from a caterpillar about half an inch long. It is a very active poison, causing intense agony to any one wounded by one of these arrows. The effect on the lion is equally distressing. He can be heard moaning in distress, and finally becomes furious, biting the trees and ground in his rage and torment.