m ON SAFARI 



35 



Mellauw went down first, I followed, and last of 

 all came Abbudi leading Aladdin. The ravine was 

 a wide one — at least thirty yards across at the 

 bottom — and was covered with dense bush. When 

 we got down Mellauw was just about to force his 

 way through this undergrowth when he suddenly 

 stopped and whispered to me, " Bwana, fow ! " 

 ("Master, a rhino!"). I asked under my breath, 

 '' Wapi?'' ("Where?"), and he replied in a 

 frightened undertone, '' Hapa, karibu sana'" (" Here, 

 just beside us "). 



There was not room enough to turn Aladdin, so 

 I signalled to Abbudi to back him up the side of 

 the ravine, while Mellauw and I quickly scrambled 

 to what safety we could secufe behind a tree. 

 Here we waited for the expected charge of the 

 now disturbed and suspicious brute. I held my 

 rifle ready and we hardly dared breathe while we 

 listened to his angry snorts and watched Abbudi 

 and Aladdin slowly making their way backwards 

 towards the summit. Very luckily for us the wind 

 was blowing strongly from the rhino in our 

 direction. Had it been the reverse, he would 

 undoubtedly have scented us and charged while we 

 were all in the narrow path — possibly killing or 

 maiming the lot, as there was no way of escape. As 

 it was, he stood undecided for a few moments, 

 sniffing and snorting loudly ; and then, not being able 



D 2 



