WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



from the water - course. It was not a pleasant 

 place from a hunter's point of view, in face of the 

 possibility of being charged by rhino, and I said 

 as much to Clark, who answered that he had 

 spent over a fortnight there, and had never seen a 

 trace of rhino. 



The words were hardly out of my companion's 

 mouth when the boy in front, who had the camera on 

 his back, said something in the Swahili language and 

 then bolted at top speed. Looking round, I saw that 

 the two Masai were making tracks for that solitary 

 tree and that Clark was following their example. 

 Later, the American explained that he had thought 

 I had understood the boy's words. As a matter of 

 fact, I supposed the lions were coming. That was 

 quite enough for me. I had no wish to meet them 

 single-handed. 



The other members of the party had got a few 

 yards' start. But I happen to be an old cross- 

 country runner, and I soon overtook them. Long 

 before I reached the tree, however, I had discovered 

 the cause of the alarm. There were no lions, 

 certainly, though none the less there was very good 

 reason for our flight. Two rhino were charging down 

 on us, one of them puffing vigorously, the other 

 making a curious squealing noise. 



At the foot of the tree we rallied, the Masai 

 standing with their spears poised, whilst I dropped on 



98 



