Taher Noor was riding
Gazelle; this was a very timid horse and was utterly useless as
a hunter, but, as it reared and plunged upon seeing the
rhinoceros, that animal immediately turned towards it with the
intention of charging. Riding Tetel close to his flank, I fired
both barrels of the little Fletcher into the shoulder; he fell to
the shots, and, stretching out his legs convulsively, he died
immediately."
This was a capital termination to the hunt; as I had expected the
death of my good horse Tetel, when the first rhinoceros had so
nearly horned him. The sun was like a furnace, therefore I rode
straight to camp, and sent men and camels for the hides and
flesh. As I passed the body of the first rhinoceros, I found a
regiment of vultures already collected around it, while fresh
arrivals took place every minute, as they gathered from all
quarters; they had already torn out the eyes, and dragged a
portion of flesh from the bullet-wound in the shoulder; but the
tough hide of the rhinoceros was proof against their greedy
beaks. A number of Marabou storks had also arrived, and were
standing proudly among the crowd of vultures, preparing to
perform the duty of sextons, when the skin should become
sufficiently decomposed.
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