In fact they were so enthusiastic, and kept so close to the rhinoceroses that it was impossible for the Colonel to fire at the animals without running the risk of killing a black man, and so on they went as hard as they all could gallop. The rhinoceroses seemed like a couple of great fat hogs, but they could run famously, and it was as much as the hunters could do to keep up with them.
One darkey kept ahead of the rest, and quite close to the flying beasts, and he whacked away at their thick hides, with no other effect than to make them run faster.
The other negroes shouted and yelled as if they were trying to frighten the rhinoceroses; and, at any rate, to make them run as fast as they could.
The Colonel held his gun ready to fire if he could get around where he could have a fair shot, but his shouts to the negroes to fall back and leave the beasts to him were totally disregarded. They had found some game that was afraid of them, and they were going to chase it, as long as it would run away.
CHASING A PAIR OF RHINOCEROSES.
The result of it all was that the rhinoceroses ran into some heavy brushwood where the Colonel’s horse could not follow them, and he did not get even one shot at them.
It was very disappointing to him, after having been so close to the game. But he made up his mind that he would never again go hunting when there were mounted negroes in the party. They put themselves forward entirely too prominently.
These negroes were excellent fellows to run after any thing which was not apt to run after them.
The Colonel once saw a very funny incident which exhibited this quality in the natives in a very striking manner.