With Flashlio-ht and Rifle ^ 



the cow rhinoceros, streaming with blood, stcjotl h'tcrally 

 leaning up against it, and the bulh ahnost touching, lay- 

 dying on the ground, its niightv head beating repeatedly 

 in its death-agony against the hard red soil of the 

 velt. 



The cry the men gave out, as is the case alvva\-s with 

 these natives, was pitched in a soprano key curiously 

 incongruous with the aspect ot these warriors. 



As quickly as possible I reloaded, and with three 

 final shots made; an end of both animals. In spite of my 

 well-})laced bullets and loss of blood they had all but 

 done for me. 



It was indeed a very narrow escape. It left an 

 impression on my mind which will not be easily erased. 

 Even now in fancy I sometimes live th(,)se moments over 

 again. 



It was interesting to note the complete calm and 

 ])lacidity disj)layed by my men a few minutes after it 

 was all over, though at the time they had been absolutely 

 panic-stricken, above all the Masai imprisoned in the 

 bush. Their whole attention was now absorbed in the 

 cutting up of the Ijodies and in the picking out of the best 

 pieces of the f]esh, (juarrelling among th('msrl\-es in their 

 usual way over the specialK' relished /loimcs boiiihcs. 



I had m,my other experiences similar to this one, if 

 not (]uite so exciting. I may tell, perhaps, of two 

 adventures which I had with rliinoceroses at night time- 

 — adventures in tht; full sense of the word, and ot a kind 

 met with by other well-known traxcllers. In remarkable 



240 



