HUNTING IN THE SOTIK 181 



furiously in their own peculiar fashion. By careful stalk- 

 ing Kermit got some good pictures of the wildebeest in 

 spite of their wariness. Like other game they seem most 

 apt to lie down during the heat of the day; but they may 

 lie down at night too; at any rate, I noticed one herd of 

 hartebeest which after feeding through the late afternoon 

 lay down at nightfall. 



After getting the bull rhino, Heller needed a cow and 

 calf to complete the group; and Kermit and I got him 

 what he needed, one day when we were out alone with our 

 gun-bearers. About the middle of the forenoon we made 

 out the huge gray bulk of the rhino, standing in the bare 

 plain, with not so much as a bush two feet high within 

 miles; and we soon also made out her calf beside her. 

 Getting the wind right we rode up within a quarter of a 

 mile, and then dismounted and walked slowly toward her. 

 It seemed impossible that on that bare plain we could 

 escape even her dull vision, for she stood with her head in 

 our direction; yet she did not see us, and actually lay 

 down as we walked toward her. Careful examination 

 through the glasses showed that she was an unusually big 

 cow, with thick horns of fair length twenty-three inches 

 and thirteen inches respectively. Accordingly we proceeded, 

 making as little noise as possible. At fifty yards she made 

 us out, and jumped to her feet with unwieldy agility. Kneel- 

 ing I sent the bullet from the heavy Holland just in front of 

 her right shoulder as she half faced me. It went through 

 her vitals, lodging behind the opposite shoulder; and at 

 once she began the curious death waltz which is often, 

 though by no means always, the sign of immediate disso- 

 lution in a mortally wounded rhino. Kermit at once put 



