NARROW ESCAPE FROM A RHINOCEROS. 31 
made by the beasts, with my little caravan behind me, 
through an open space, when suddenly and without provo- 
cation a rhinoceros dashed out of the grass, and charged 
directly at us. I stepped aside from the path to get a side 
shot, thinking that the beast would keep to a straight 
course; but he suddenly turned on me when only five 
yards away, and charged with lowered head, puffing and 
snorting as only a rhinoceros can. Luckily I was carrying 
my eight-bore, and I had just time to give him a shot in 
the head, when he was within three feet of me, and drop 
him to his knees. But it was for a second only. The 
next instant he was on his legs, and at me again. This 
time he got a second shot in the head that dropped him 
long enough for me to spring a few feet to one side and 
run. But the beast jumped up again, and commenced to 
prance around in a wild, dazed fashion. 
My boys ran in all directions, while the camels stam- 
peded, tossing their loads about in confusion. As _ it 
turned out, the rhinoceros was blinded by my last shot, 
and soon came to a dead halt. I loaded my rifle, took a 
steady aim just behind his shoulder from a distance of about 
thirty yards, and was fortunate in dropping him stone dead 
with a bullet through his heart. I found on examination 
that the first two bullets had struck his head a little too 
far forward. I had to be on my guard constantly after 
this, as there was no slight danger of being run down at 
any moment by these African bullies. 
We soon came to a beautiful stream of clear water, 
which was a great delight to us all,as we had not seen such 
a thing asa babbling brook in all our previous marches. 
We followed the stream for two miles; but what a time we 
had of it! The valley grew narrower, and the great bowl- 
ders filling it up increased in size. After having to lft 
the five camels bodily over rocks several times, we were 
