I Mounted My Horse Tetel, And, With Taher Noor And Two Of My
Tokrooris, Hadji Ali And Hassan, I Rode Towards A Pyramidical
Hill About Three Miles Distant, Which I Intended To Ascend In
Order To Obtain A Panoramic View Of The Country.
This hill was
about three hundred feet high, and, as the fire had swept away a
portion of the grass for several miles around, I should obtain a
clear view of all living animals that might be in the
neighbourhood.
Upon arrival at the base of the hill I dismounted,
and led my horse up the steep inclination of broken basalt that
had fallen from the summit. From the top of the peak I had a
superb panorama of the country, the mountain Nahoot Guddabi
bearing S.W. about thirty miles distant. I had a complete
bird's-eye view of great extent, and I immediately distinguished,
in various positions, giraffes, buffaloes, tetel, and boars. At
this season the trees were leafless, thus any animal upon the low
ground would be at once discovered from this elevated point. I
extract from my journal the account of this day's hunt, as it was
written immediately upon my return to camp.
"I had been observing the country for some time from my high
station, when I suddenly perceived two rhinoceros emerge from a
ravine; they walked slowly through a patch of high grass, and
skirted the base of the hill upon which we were standing:
presently they winded something, and they trotted back and stood
concealed in the patch of grass. Although I had a good view of
them from my present position, I knew that I should not be able
to see them in their covert, if on the same level; I therefore
determined to send to the tent for my other horses, and to ride
them down, if I could not shoot them on foot; accordingly, I sent
a man off, directing him to lead Tetel from the peak, and to
secure him to a tree at the foot of the hill, as I was afraid the
rhinoceros might observe the horse upon the sky line. This he
did, and we saw him tie the horse by the bridle to the branch of
a tree below us, while he ran quickly towards the camp. In the
mean time I watched the rhinoceros; both animals lay down in the
yellow grass, resembling masses of stone. They had not been long
in this position, before we noticed two pigs wandering through
the grass directly to windward, towards the sleeping rhinoceros;
in an instant these animals winded the intruders, and starting
up, they looked in all directions, but could not see them, as
they were concealed by the high grass. Having been thus
disturbed, the rhinoceros moved their quarters, and walked slowly
forward, occasionally halting, and listening; one was about a
hundred yards in advance of the other. They were taking a
direction at the base of the hill that would lead them directly
upon the spot where Tetel was tied to the tree.
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