RHINOCEROS HUNT. 85 



ourselves with a small supply of water, I, Hans, and an at- 

 tendant started in pursuit of the animals, and we had not 

 left the camp for much more than an hour when we fell in 

 with their "spoor." The beasts themselves, however, could 

 nowhere be seen ; and as several tracks crossed each other 

 more than once (the animals having probably been feeding 

 thereabouts), Hans and I took different directions in search 

 of the trail we were to follow. We had hardly parted when 

 I heard a tremendous crash among the bushes, and about a 

 hundred yards in advance I saw, to my great vexation, the 

 two rhinoceroses going away at full speed. Notwithstand- 

 ing the distance and the unfavorable position of the beasts, 

 I fired at the mother ; but, though the ball apparently took 

 effect, she in no wise slackened her pace. 



Hans did not discharge his gun, because, as he said, the 

 bushes prevented him from having more than a very indis- 

 tinct view of the beasts. 



When I had reloaded we gave chase, and as that part of 

 the plain we had now reached was totally devoid of every 

 kind of vegetation that could obstruct the sight, we easily 

 kept the animals in view. By degrees they slackened their 

 speed, and in about twenty minutes abruptly came to a 

 stand-still, curiously regarding me as, having (though unob- 

 served to myself) separated from Hans, I rapidly made up 

 to them. When within fifteen to twenty paces, I halted, 

 took aim at the mother, and pulled the trigger, but, to my 

 great annoyance, my gun missed fire. While in the very 

 act of discharging my second barrel she wheeled about, and 

 the ball, instead of entering her heart, lodged in her hind 

 quarters, and only tended to quicken her pace. 



In the heat of pursuit, I had taken no notice of Hans and 

 our attendant ; but, now that my attention was no longer 

 exclusively drawn to the rhinoceros, I looked round to as- 

 certain why they had not fired as well as myself, when, to 

 my utter astonishn^ent, I saw both of them about half a 



