CHAPTER XV 



SOME CURIOUS HUNTING EXPERIENCES 



Contrast between Rhodesia to-day and long ago — The old days the 

 best — White rhinoceroses and elephants drinking — A night on 

 the Sikumi river — Abundance of big game — A white rhinoceros 

 visits my camp — My queerest experience — Meet with two black 

 rhinoceroses — A near approach — Rhinoceros knocked down — 

 Apparently dead — Commence to cut it up — Rhinoceros regains 

 consciousness — Gets on its legs — And runs off — Another 

 curious experience — Buffaloes and tse-tse flies — Meeting with 

 lioness — Hammer of rifle lost — Bushmen sent in search of it — 

 Lions met with — Lion and lioness stand close to me — The 

 chance of a lifetime — Rifle misses fire — Lions run off — Lion 

 again seen — Rifle useless — Throw it at the lion — The irony of 

 fate. 



As 1 read almost weekly, in one or other of the 

 papers devoted to South Africa, some account of 

 all the marvellous changes which have recently been 

 brought about, through the energy and Intelligence 

 of Britons, In the spacious country now known 

 as Rhodesia, my thoughts often go back to the days 

 when I first wandered and hunted through that 

 land of stirring memories. 



That was nearly forty years ago now, and 

 Matabeleland was less known and more Inaccessible 

 then than Is any part of Central Africa to-day, 

 for at that time not a yard of railway had been 

 laid from any coast town of the Cape Colony or 

 Natal towards the Interior of the country. Lo 

 Bengula, a powerful chief of Zulu race, had 

 but recently been elected king of the Matabele, 



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