DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5832#0088
66
SCENES IN INDIA,
as preparing to exert their utmost strength, they
tore up the ground with their horns, plunged and
roared, their eye-halls at the same time projecting
from the sockets with a savage stare and flashing
with the most portentous fury. They ran wildly
round the area for more than a minute hefore they
came in contact, gradually narrowing the circuit as
if collecting themselves for the onslaught; each watch-
ing to take his adversary at an advantage. At length
they met each other full in front, darted forward with
astonishing celerity, and tremendous indeed was the
shock ! Both staggered for an instant but bore the
concussion without giving way, when their horns be-
came locked and then commenced the grand struggle
for victory. Fierce as the onset had been, it did not
ajspear in the slightest degree to have diminished the
energies of these pugnacious animals. On the con-
trary, without wounding each other and their horns
continuing locked, they displayed wonderful strength
and dexterity, each preventing the other from goring
him; so that the contest was really far less terrible
than might have been anticipated from the manner in
which they commenced the encounter- They were
occupied full twenty minutes in this energetic struggle
without disengaging their horns, exerting all the while
their utmost strength to cast one another upon the
ground. Alternately retreating and advancing, as their
powers relaxed or recurred, the earth flew from their
heels in showers while they pressed their hard heads
together with still more determined obstinacy and with
the might which rage added to their ordinary strength.
At length the weaker began to retreat, and as he re-
SCENES IN INDIA,
as preparing to exert their utmost strength, they
tore up the ground with their horns, plunged and
roared, their eye-halls at the same time projecting
from the sockets with a savage stare and flashing
with the most portentous fury. They ran wildly
round the area for more than a minute hefore they
came in contact, gradually narrowing the circuit as
if collecting themselves for the onslaught; each watch-
ing to take his adversary at an advantage. At length
they met each other full in front, darted forward with
astonishing celerity, and tremendous indeed was the
shock ! Both staggered for an instant but bore the
concussion without giving way, when their horns be-
came locked and then commenced the grand struggle
for victory. Fierce as the onset had been, it did not
ajspear in the slightest degree to have diminished the
energies of these pugnacious animals. On the con-
trary, without wounding each other and their horns
continuing locked, they displayed wonderful strength
and dexterity, each preventing the other from goring
him; so that the contest was really far less terrible
than might have been anticipated from the manner in
which they commenced the encounter- They were
occupied full twenty minutes in this energetic struggle
without disengaging their horns, exerting all the while
their utmost strength to cast one another upon the
ground. Alternately retreating and advancing, as their
powers relaxed or recurred, the earth flew from their
heels in showers while they pressed their hard heads
together with still more determined obstinacy and with
the might which rage added to their ordinary strength.
At length the weaker began to retreat, and as he re-