swarm
upon those animals. They also attend upon the hippopotamus, and,
whether intentionally or not I cannot say, often thus give him warning
of danger. Presently up rose the rhinoceros and looked about him. I,
unfortunately, not intending to go far from the camp, had left my rifle
behind. The dogs at that instant started off, rushing with loud barks
towards the monster. They had better have kept at a distance, for,
lowering his head, he caught the first which leaped towards him on his
horn, and threw him back dead among the reeds. Then, turning round, he
charged directly towards us. The unarmed blacks immediately took to the
water. Unable to escape by flight, I thought that my last moments had
come; but, providentially, the dogs attracting his attention, diverted
it from me. Chickango, rifle in hand, boldly ran up to face the
monster, who at that instant seemed to catch sight of the waggon and
cattle in the distance. He probably thought it an enemy worthy of his
courage, for, to my great horror and dismay, in spite of our shouts and
the barking of the dogs, he rushed off towards it. I could only hope
that our friends saw him coming, though when I left the camp they were
still asleep. I thought he would have struck Chickango, who was
directly in his course; but the active black sprang out of his way, and
then turning round, fired at his head. Though I was sure the bullet had
struck, yet it did not stop his course. On he dashed towards the
waggon. I shouted and shouted to Stanley, hoping that he might possibly
hear my voice. In vain. The brute went on, and seemed to be almost in
the midst of the camp. Aiming directly at the waggon, he struck it,
and, heavy as it was, so great was the impetus of his huge body that he
sent it on several feet. Fortunately he came against it in the rear,
otherwise it must inevitably have been upset. Just then another shot
was fired, and, greatly to my relief, over rolled the huge creature.
Never have I heard such shouting, barking, and yelping of dogs, as
immediately arose.

When I got to the camp I found our friends, as may be supposed, in a
state of no small alarm; but that quickly subsided, and the blacks
especially gave way to their delight at the prospect of so bountiful a
supply of meat as the creature's carcass would afford them. We
calculated that it was fully equal to three good-sized oxen. It was an
enormous creature. David likened it to an immense grey hog s