Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/136

 The elephant and rhinoceros stand somewhat in awe of each other. The elephant is nervous and excited when the rhinoceros is near, and even this black, quarrelsome beast will turn aside if it hears an elephant coming, though the rhinoceros will often attack an elephant. The size, weight, and length of tusk of its opponent makes it too risky to fight in a fair battle, but, instead, the crafty rhinoceros lies in wait and rushes upon the elephant unawares, and rips it open with its powerful horn. The elephant cannot see sideways very well, and the rhinoceros, knowing this, lies in wait for its victim until it turns its body to the right angle. But if, by any chance, the rhinoceros misses its strike, a terrific battle takes place, which generally ends in a victory for the elephant.

The African natives have a curious way of killing the rhinoceros. They place a strong looped rope in a shallow pit near the feeding-ground. The rhinoceros, in walking along, puts its foot into the loop and, becoming alarmed, rushes off. At the end of the rope a huge baulk of timber is fastened. It soon gets tired of dragging this weight after it, and often gets it wedged between two trees. The log leaves a clear trail which the natives follow the next day until they find their victim. They then kill it with spears. Sometimes the rope by which the beast is caught breaks, and then things become exciting.

FOLLOWING A NOOSED RHINOCEROS.