LION VERSUS RHINOCEROS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10908, 12 November 1898, Page 5 (Supplement)

LION VERSUS RHINOCEROS.

A Scotchman named John Chalmers, who saw the beginning of the war in Rhodesia in the year 1336, and took part in the fighting, has, on his return home invalided, set down his adventures, in a book entitled, "Fighting ho Matabcle." Here is Air. Chalmers' account of a light between a lion and a ihinoceros which lie witnessed whilst lost in the forest in Matabclelanrt : —

the lion showed no hesitation in beginning. \\ itli a furious bound be threw himself Oil the enemy, dealing him, after the manner of lions when they spring, a crashing blow on the bead which fairly brought the rhino to his knees, ponderous as be was. He gave -I loud grunt as if in surprise and anger mingled, and then, recovering hiinscll, charged fiercely, butting at his adversary with his horned head. Tlio lion grappled him like, a wresuer. and 1 could hear his claws grating on the armour-like defences of the rhino in the etfort to tear him to pieces. Ho got the worst of it at this, however; I plainly «pv him get some savage digs with the horn about the neck and chest, while his teeth and claws did not seem to make much impression. Ho recoiled, bleeding profusely, avoided a tierce charge, and throwing himself on the shoulder of the liiiinoceros as it passed, began battering his head with the left paw, having apparently fixed the claws of the other in his enemy's neck. Such blows as he dealt! What a fifty-thousand nigger hardness of head that pachyderm must have had to stand up to those appalling thumps. It was like a steam-hammer pounding on an anvil. The rhino, in this sort of chancery, tossed and Hung about, trying to throw the lion over bis bead, but without avail. At length they struggled into the water, lost their footing, and rolled over, becoming separated. Until got ashore again at once. If the rhinoceros had had the best of round number one, he had fared badly in number two. His head was covered with ulood, which ran freely from his jaws and nostrils, while his left eye seemed to have been temporarily, if not permanently, shut up. They Hew at each other again in a series of these grapples, with varying fortune, sometimes rolling over and over together like a pair of bulldogs. Nothing could be more terrific than the battle of these desert savages, fighting with unbridled ferocity and the strength of giants, under the wide white blaze of the tropical moon. Their horrible cries of rage and pain, the howls and roars of the lion, and the hideous scream of the rhinoceros rang far and wide over the waste. They were covered with blood and foam, and took and gave such fearful injuries that it was wonderful now their strength kept up. The lion wis covered with gaping wounds, while h's adversary, blind of an eye, and otherwise dreadfully hurt about the head, had one side of his body completely ripped up below the armour. The struggle was decided in a peculiar way. The rhinoceros, by a lucky stroke, drove his horn upwards through the lower jaw of the lion, who, thus impaled, was jerked about here and there, uttering frightful howls of agony and fury, as the rhinoceros endeavoured to release his weapon, getting his head most fearfully torn and battered by the paws of the other frantic monster, At length lie dragged himself loose, tearing away most of the lion's jaw as he did so. This settled the lion; ho could not come up to time. The victorious pachyderm quitted the battlefield, but evidently in a very groggy state. He had the greatest difficulty in getting up the bank, and fell two or three times in the effort. When he managed it he dragged himself slowly away in a reeling , and uncertain manner, I at length lost sight of him among me timber. I regarded it as extremely probable that he died by his injuries, which were terrible in their nature. Nevertheless, he had slain a lion in single combat, and it proves what tremendous tenacity of life, and ferocious fighting 1 quality, these sluggish brutes havo when ' once put- to it.