The aggageers were all scattered;
Mahomet No. 2 was knocked over by a rhinoceros; all the men were
sprawling upon the rocks with their guns, and the party was
entirely discomfited. Having passed the kittar thorn, I turned,
and, seeing that the beasts had gone straight on, I brought
Aggahr's head round, and tried to give chase, but it was
perfectly impossible; it was only a wonder that the horse had
escaped in ground so difficult for riding. Although my clothes
were of the strongest and coarsest Arab cotton cloth, which
seldom tore, but simply lost a thread when caught in a thorn, I
was nearly naked. My blouse was reduced to shreds; as I wore
sleeves only half way from the shoulder to the elbow, my naked
arms were streaming with blood; fortunately my hunting cap was
secured with a chin strap, and still more fortunately I had
grasped the horse's neck, otherwise I must have been dragged out
of the saddle by the hooked thorns. All the men were cut and
bruised, some having fallen upon their heads among the rocks, and
others had hurt their legs in falling in their endeavours to
escape. Mahomet No. 2, the horse-keeper, was more frightened than
hurt, as he had been knocked down by the shoulder and not by the
horn of the rhinoceros, as the animal had not noticed him; its
attention was absorbed by the horse.
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