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Hence the old kobaoba had no intention of yielding ground to the elephant; and from his attitude, it was plain that he neither intended to sneak off under the other's belly, nor swim a single stroke for him. No not a stroke. It remained to be seen how the point of honour was to be decided.
The elephant could crush the life from his mighty body with the power of his knees; Kobaoba the rhino, most surly of all game, could have pierced his heart with his horn; perhaps even the Cape buffalo that savage explosive old gentleman of the African marshes, most famous for his deadly propensity to charge on sight could have given him a fair battle.
For this reason it was, that upon that side, the bank was paddled all over with tracks of animals that had been to drink. Hendrik the hunter had observed among them the footprints of many kinds he knew nothing about. It was for the lower end of the lake the kobaoba was making no doubt with him an old and favourite drinking-place.
It is true, the kobaoba might have sneaked through among the other's legs, or he might have swum off and landed at some other point, and in either way have left the coast clear. But of all animals in the world a rhinoceros is, perhaps, the most unaccommodating. He is, also, one of the most fearless, dreading neither man nor beast not even the boasted lion, whom he often chases like a cat.
The posterior horn in this species is only a sort of knob; whereas in the "keitloa," or two-horned black rhinoceros, both horns are developed to a nearly equal length. In the "muchocho" and "kobaoba," the after horns can hardly be said to exist, but the anterior one in both species far exceeds in length those of the borele and keitloa.
It was probable the old kobaoba would not perceive them, if they approached from leeward, particularly as he seemed in the full tide of enjoyment at that moment. They were about to attempt the approach, and had got to their feet for that purpose, when a sudden fit seemed to have attacked Swartboy. The latter commenced jumping over the ground, at the same time muttering in a low voice,
It is true that a loud rumbling noise like distant thunder proceeded from his inside as he moved along; but the kobaoba was in too high a caper just then to have heard or noticed any sound that was not very near and distinct.
Again the elephant flung the kobaoba, and again the latter rose and charged madly upon his huge antagonist; and so both fought until the water around them was white with foam. The contest was carried on in the water, until the elephant, seeming to think his adversary had an advantage there, backed himself into the gorge, and stood waiting with his head towards the lake.
It was not such a bad mistake, then, when our people by the wagon took the "kobaoba" for the "mighty elephant." Swartboy, however, set them all right by declaring that the animal they saw was the white rhinoceros. When they first saw the kobaoba, he was, as stated, just coming out of the thicket.
In fact, the kobaoba rhinoceros is the quadruped next to the elephant in size; and with his great muzzle full eighteen inches broad his long clumsy head, his vast ponderous body, this animal impresses one with an idea of strength and massive grandeur as great, and some say greater than the elephant himself. He looks, indeed, like a caricature of the elephant.
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