Lindsay, R., 1840. Anecdotes of an Indian life. In: Oriental Miscellanies. Wigan, C.S. Simms, pp. 1-116
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India |
| Subject: |
Distribution |
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Indian Rhino |
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[111] We sometimes, though not often, fell in with a rhinoceros. He is of a morose, sulky disposition, and shuns the other beasts of the forest. During the rains, one of a very large size lost his way and took refuge in a thicket within a few miles of the town. The drums, as usual, beat to arms, and the whole population turned out. The situation was favourable, three small hillocks close to each other, covered with brushwood, and surrounded with water.
But to rouse him from his den was a business of no small difficulty. Finding himself surrounded, lay close. We fired into the thicket and threw fireworks, without effect. At last we got a very long rope, and tied a log of wood to the middle of it; we then passed the ends to the two opposite hillocks, holding the weight suspended over the place where the rhinoceros lay, and at the signal given, we dropped it directly upon the animals back. On this, he made a furious charge on our centre, but we received him with a shower of iron balls, which compelld him to retrograde. We continued to fire at him, with no effect whatever, owing to the toughness of his coat of mail. I ordered one of my servants to aim at him between the folds under the neck, in a [112] horizontal direction from the lower ground; upon which he at last fell. I had the opportunity of examining his body, and found that, (except the last,) he had not sustained any injury from the many balls fired at him. And I was not a little pleased to extricate myself from the crowd; for the inhabitants from the adjoining villages, with savage enthusiasm, had besmeared themselves with his blood, and were dancing around him with frantic wildness. Every part of the carcass possessed, in their opinion, charms for one disease or another, and was carried off piecemeal. It was with much difficulty that I secured the head and horn, which I brought home with me, and have now in my possession. I had also the curiosity to secure a collop, with which I made a very tolerable steak. Upon the first few we had of him, when charging us on the hill, he had all the appearance of a hog enormous size. I never knew an instance of his coming in contact with the elephant or buffalo, but, from the powerful weapon of his nose, I think he would food a formidable antagonist.
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Anecdotes of an Indian life
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