574 Ifcfnas of tbe 1Rofc, IRffle, anfc 6un 



downward cut with Taher Noor's sword. The young 

 rhinoceros fell stone-dead, all in a heap ! 



The Arabs ran to the spot. Taher Noor took the 

 sword carefully from my hand, and poising it at arm's 

 length, he looked along the edge ; he then wiped the 

 blade upon the body of the rhinoceros, and, to prove the 

 perfection of his weapon, he shaved a few hairs off his 

 naked arm ; then exclaimed with a deep sigh of pleasure 

 and astonishment, * Mashallah ! ' and returned it to the 

 scabbard. 



We now carefully examined the young rhinoceros. 

 Although only a calf, it was a large animal, and the 

 neck was about 15 inches thick. The blade had 

 fortunately struck exactly between two of the vertebrae, 

 and had slipped through the gristle as though it had 

 been a carrot. Continuing its course it had severed the 

 neck completely, leaving only the thick skin of the 

 throat, to which the head was still attached. 



This was a magnificent stroke, which delighted the 

 sword-hunters, and I should much like to hear the 

 story as it is told by them now, if alive, or by their 

 descendants. They will assuredly have converted the 

 calf into a full-grown rhinoceros, as the length of time 

 now elapsed will have accounted for the change; but 

 the incident will certainly be remembered, and narrated 

 by the owner of the sword, and will be handed down to 

 posterity with some few exaggerations." 



Baker preferred hunting all his game on foot. Lions 

 he always stalked in this way, and consequently found 

 lion-shooting in Africa far more dangerous and exciting 

 sport than tiger-shooting in India. On one occasion he 



