CHAP. ii. RHINOCEROS. 109 



and it was not nearly so dark as it had been the foremost 

 of a long line of animals whose great size proved them to 

 be buffaloes. They were approaching in single file, though 

 in places there were three or four together, and before 

 long the leading ones had passed, almost touching me 

 where I lay. I at once decided not to fire until they had 

 all gone down to the water, when, as I should be between 

 them and the only way of egress, I should probably have 

 time for several shots, so, remaining still, I attempted to 

 count them. 



There were sixty-seven in all, as well as I could make 

 out, a large proportion of which were yearlings and two- 

 year-olds, though among them were several large bulls, 

 easily distinguishable by their massive fore-quarters and 

 superior size. Ten minutes passed while I listened to the 

 splashing of the water and to the gurgling of the soft mud 

 as their heavy hoofs sank into it, and by that time the 

 moon had fairly risen, enabling me to see pretty plainly, 

 and then they began to come back again, though more 

 irregularly than they had gone down. The first half 

 dozen were cows and young ones, and close behind them 

 was a large bull, which I picked out at once, and, waiting 

 till he was within three yards of me, I knocked him over 

 with the first shot, the echo of which had hardly broken 

 the stillness before I could hear the whole herd thunder- 

 ing up the bank, and in a second more I was in danger of 

 being crushed beneath their hoofs. 



Jumping up, I levelled at the head of the nearest, the 

 bright flash causing them to swerve, some passing on 

 each side of me, and as I rammed fresh cartridges in 

 I could tell by the sound that they had halted, and on 



