408 RHINOCEROS OF THE LADO [ch. xtv 



feeding throng ; on the ground the vultures made way 

 for him respectfully enough, but they resented his 

 presence, and now and then two or three would unite 

 to mob him while on the wing. 



We wished for another cow rhino, so as to have a bull 

 and a cow both for the National Museum at Washington, 

 and for the American Museum in New York ; and 

 Kermit was to shoot this. Accordingly he and 1 started 

 off early one morning with Grogan — a man of about 

 twenty-five, a good hunter and a capital fellow, with 

 whom by this time we were great friends. It was 

 much like our other hunts. We tramped through high 

 grass across a big, swampy plain or broad valley between 

 low rises of ground, until, on the opposite side, we 

 struck a by-this-time familiar landmark, two tall royal 

 palms, the only ones for some miles around. Here we 

 turned into a broad elephant and rhinoceros path, worn 

 deep and smooth by the generation of huge feet that 

 had tramped it ; for it led from the dry inland to a 

 favourite drinking place on the Nile. Along this we 

 walked until Kassitura made out the trail of two rhino 

 crossing it at right angles. They were evidently feeduig 

 and seeking a noonday resting-place ; in this country 

 the square-mouthed rhinoceros live on the grassy flats, 

 sparsely covered with small thorn-trees, and only go 

 into the high reeds on their way to drink. With 

 Kassitura and Kongoni in the lead we followed the fresh 

 trail for a mile or so, until we saw our quarry. The 

 stupid beasts had smelt us, but were trotting to and fro 

 in a state of indecision and excitement, tails twisting 

 and ears cocked, uncertain what to do. At first we 

 thought they were a bull and a small cow ; but they 

 proved to be a big cow with good horns, and a calf 

 which was nearly full grown. The wind and sun were 



