NIGHT ATTACK BY A ‘RHINOCEROS. 235 
instead of beasts, when the rhinoceros dashed like a steam- 
engine through the zareba wall amongst us. 
Arrived in the centre of the camp, the beast became 
blinded by the light of the fires and danced a jig for a 
few seconds ; and then, getting his nose straightened out 
before him, he sped through the bushy fence on the 
opposite side of the camp, and away. Who is it that 
would prefer sleeping monotonously in his downy civilized 
couch to enjoying such nights as these in the jungle! 
We reached the river the next day at three o'clock in the 
afternoon; but Haji Idris was not there with the boat to 
take us across,as I had hoped, and we were obliged to 
march back again to a little hill and camp for the night. 
From here I could see the caravan about six miles away on 
the other side of the river, so I had a big fire built, when it 
got dark, as a signal to Dodson to send the boat in the 
morning. The mosquitoes attacked us in such clouds 
that it was impossible to get any sleep, and I was obliged 
to sit over the fire in the smoke the whole night through. 
We were again visited by a rhinoceros, but this time the 
beast did not break through the zareba. I could make 
cut the huge form of the animal tearing up the ground 
about twenty yards from the camp, and collecting a few of 
my boys together I ordered them all to fire at him simul- 
taneously. Our visitor did not like his reception and left. 
In the morning, Dodson, Haji Idris, and many of the 
boys from the caravan were already down at the river when 
we arrived there. I had been away from the caravan just 
a week now on one of the most delightful trips it has ever 
been my good fortune to enjoy, so that Dodson and I had 
much to tell each other. Dodson had been working hard, 
as was his custom, and had succeeded in collecting many 
rare birds. Everything was in order in the camp, but the 
Amara had not sent guides to take us west, as they had 
