A FREE FIGHT 



the event of anything happening to my own pots and 

 pans I would require this same article to have my own 

 food prepared in. 



The third day of my stay at Farbra I brought down 

 an old bull rhino. I was out in the hopes of seeing 

 elephants, and on emerging from some dense scrub I saw 

 a huge slate-grey creature just ahead, grazing in complete 

 ignorance of our proximity, half of his body screened 

 from sight by a huge ant-hill. One of the boys, like a 

 fool, gave a low whistle to acquaint me of what he 

 thought I had not seen, and at the sound the brute 

 raised his head and snorted furiously. Fortunately I 

 had the "450 on my shoulder, for the boys dropped what- 

 ever they were carrying and scattered in all directions. 

 I speedily sought shelter behind a small tree and fired 

 at the rhino's shoulder : for a few seconds he stood stamp- 

 ing, blowing, and making an unearthly row, then he 

 dashed off to the right, and was soon lost to view in 

 the long grass. It was just like witnessing a runaway 

 steam roller, as the ground trembled under the stampede 

 of the enormous brute. I dashed headlong after him, 

 but the huge beast travelled at a great pace, leaving only 

 a few drops of blood on the down-trodden grass in his 

 wake. Several times he lay down to rest behind a bunch 

 of bush, and I got within ten yards of him when with a 

 most terrific commotion he crashed away once more ahead 

 of us. By this time the boys had caught up to me, and 

 had regained something of their former composure, and 

 followed the trail with me. More than once I got near 

 him, but not until close on sundown did I get an oppor- 

 tunity to open fire again. At last he stood, completely 

 done up, by the bank of a small stream, and I gave him 

 both the right and left barrels of the -450 in the shoulder. 

 He attempted to rush at us and clear off ; all the boys 

 stood at a respectful distance, and I did not venture too 

 close myself. I finished him with another shot in the 



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