It Was Of No Use, The Pace Was
Too Severe, And, Although Running Wonderfully, He Was Obliged To Give
Way To The Horses.
Only three now followed the rhinoceroses - Taher
Sherrif, his brother Roder, and myself.
I had been obliged to give the
second place to Roder, as he was a mere monkey in weight; but I was a
close third.
The excitement was intense. We neared the jungle, and the rhinoceroses
began to show signs of flagging, as the dust puffed up before their
nostrils, and, with noses close to the ground, they snorted as they
still galloped on. Oh for a fresh horse! "A horse ! a horse! my kingdom
for a horse!" We were within two hundred yards of the jungle; but the
horses were all done. Tetel reeled as I urged him forward. Roder pushed
ahead. We were close to the dense thorns, and the rhinoceroses broke
into a trot; they were done! "Now, Taher, for-r-a-a-r-r-d!
for-r-r-a-a-r-d, Taher!!"
Away he went. He was close to the very heels of the beasts, but his
horse could do no more than his present pace; still he gained upon the
nearest. He leaned forward with his sword raised for the blow. Another
moment and the jungle would be reached! One effort more, and the sword
flashed in the sunshine, as the rear-most rhinoceros disappeared in the
thick screen of thorns, with a gash about a foot long upon his
hind-quarters.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 125 of 337
Words from 33419 to 33672
of 90207
