Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1911 — Speed of the Rhinoceros [ARTICLE]

Speed of the Rhinoceros

“ttery of How Ono Chased a Hunting Party and Then Got Away in Safety. Out he burst at last with a crashlac of brush aad timber, reaching the epen just tn front of me; stopped for a minute to sniff the breese, then advanced at a quick trot toward my pony. Being mounted and inexperienced, I felt a false sense of security; he lumbered toward us with surprising swiftpeas. yet It seemed so difficult to believe this uncouth animal bent on mischief that I simply sat still and matched its approach. The pony stood this inaction as long ps Us nerves allowed, which I should Judge was until the creature had got within eight or ten yards, then wheeled with a moet disconcerting suddenness, and set off like the wind pcroes the level. Fast though the pony flew (and barfing caught his panic, I was urging him Ho do bis utmost), to my horror and tastonishment the rhino not only had *po difficulty In keeping up, but gained. I heard a shot, and then another, •nd looked back over my shoulder hopefully; the creature was coming on ■faster than before! A third shot •came from somewhere on my right pad I felt the pony slacken his pace;

evidently the last bullet bad found a billet somewhere In the rhino’s thick hide, for to my surprise and relief he had wheeled round sharply, and set off at a clumsy gallop across the plain at right angles to his former direction. The whole party followed In hot pursuit, even the Irish terrier puppy which accompanied us on all our expeditions rushed as hard as he could,

tumbling bead over heels upon the tußsocks of coarse grass, and emitting shrill yaps of defiance. We could not get near enough to get? another shot at the rhino; It was amazing that such a great unwleldly brute could travel at the pace he did, far quicker than a horse’s gallop. Finally we had to give up the chase, much to our disappointment, for my sister and I had been longing for a rhinoceros horn to take home as a trophy ever since we started on our month’s trip up country.—Dora Vandeleur in the Empire Review.