iding alongside of him, expecting in my ignorance that at length he
would come to bay, which rhinoceroses never do; when suddenly he fell
flat on his broadside on the ground, but recovering his feet, resumed
his course as if nothing had happened. Becoming at last annoyed at the
length of the chase, as I wished to keep my horses fresh for the
elephants, and being indifferent whether I got the rhinoceros or not, as
I observed that his horn was completely worn down with age and the
violence of his disposition, I determined to bring matters to a crisis;
so, spurring my horse, I dashed ahead, and rode right in his path. Upon
this, the hideous monster instantly charged me in the most resolute
manner, blowing loudly through his nostrils; and, although I quickly
wheeled about to my left, 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 my little Bushman, who was looking on in great
alarm, thought his master's destruction inevitable. It was certainly a
very near thing; my horse was extremely afraid, and exerted his utmost
energies on the occasion. The rhinoceros, however, wheeled about, and
continued his former course; and I, being perfectly satisfied with the
interview which I had already enjoyed with him, had no desire to
cultivate his acquaintance any further, and accordingly made for camp.

BURNING OF THE ERIE.

The steamboat Erie, under command of Captain Titus, left the dock at
Buffalo on the afternoon of August 9th, 1841, laden with merchandise,
destined for Chicago. As nearly as could be ascertained, she had on
board about two hundred persons, including passengers and crew.

The boat had been thoroughly overhauled and recently varnished. At the
moment of her starting, though the wind was blowing fresh, every thing
promised a pleasant and prosperous voyage. Nothing occured to mar this
prospect till about eight o'clock in the evening, when the boat was off
Silver Creek, about eight miles from the shore, and thirty-three miles
from the city, when a slight explosion was heard, and immediately,
almost instantaneously, the whole vessel was enveloped in flames. Among
the passengers were six painters, who were going to Erie to paint the
steamboat Madison. They had with them some demijohns filled with spirits
of turpentine and varnish, which, unknown to Captain Titus, were placed
on the boiler-deck directly over the boilers. One of the fi