Exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia - the sources, supply, and overflow of the Nile; the country, people, customs, etc. Interspersed with highly exciting adventures of the author among (14763464432)

Identifier: explorationofnil01bake (find matches)
Title: Exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia : the sources, supply, and overflow of the Nile; the country, people, customs, etc. Interspersed with highly exciting adventures of the author among elephants, lions, buffaloes, hippopotami, rhinoceros, etc., accompanied by expert native sword hunters
Year: 1868 (1860s)
Authors: Baker, Samuel White, Sir, 1821-1893 Gage, William Leonard, 1832-1889
Subjects:
Publisher: Hartford : O. D. Case & co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



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own the incline, Taher Sherrif still leading,and Abou Do the last! His horse was done, butnot the rider; for springing to the ground while atfull speed, sword in hand, he forsook his tired horse,and preferring his own legs, he ran like an antelope,and for the first hundred yards I thought he wouldreally pass us and win the honor of the first blow. Itwas of no use, the pace was too severe, and althoughrunning wonderfally, he: was obliged to give way to the horses. Only three now followed the rhinoceros—Taher Sherrif, his brother Eoder, and myself I hadbeen obliged to givethe second place to Roder, as hewas a mere monkey in weight; but I was a closethird. The excitement was intense—we neared thejungle, and the rhinoceros began to show signs offlagging, as the dust puffed up before their nostrils,and with noses close to the ground, they snorted asthey still galloped on. Oh for a fresh horse! Ahorse! a horse I ^ my kingdom for a horse! Wewere within two hundred yards of the jungle; but
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CHAP. XIV.) THE LAST MOMENT. 381 the horses were all done. Tetel reeled as I urgedhim forward; Roder pushed ahead; we were close to the dense thorns, and the rhinoceros broke into atrot; they were done! Now, Taher, for-r-a-a-r-r-d!for-r-r-a-a-r-d, Taher! ! ! Away he went—he wasclose to the very heels of the beasts; but his horsecould do no more than his present pace; still he gainedupon the nearest; he leaned forward with his swordraised for the blow—another moment and the junglewould be reached! One effort more, and the swordflashed in the sunshine, as the rearmost rhinocerosdisappeared in the thick screen of thorns, with a gashabout a foot long upon his hind-quarters. TaherSherrif shook his bloody sword in triumph above hishead ; but the rhinoceros was gone. We were fairlybeaten, regularly outpaced; but I believe anothertwo hundred yards would have given us the victory.Bravo, Taher! I shouted. He had ridden splen-didly, and his blow had been marvellously deliveredat an extremely