A REPORT OF RHINO 



We had been out rather over a fortnight when the 

 rains, already late in appearing, began to set in. Most 

 of us were more or less downcast at the lack of success, 

 and I think that wet day seemed to take pretty well 

 the last of our spirits out of us, especially as Ulyate 

 declared we might now expect more wet weather, far 

 more than would probably be pleasant. 



To our relief the morning broke fine and clear, 

 whilst, as is always the case after the first rain, the 

 veldt seemed to have taken on a new freshness. The 

 dust of months had been washed off leaves and grass, 

 old spoor had been obliterated, everything seemed 

 ready to burst into new life. 



The cowboys rode on ahead scouting round, whilst 

 the rest of us kept with the safari, halting every now 

 and then when the wagons fell too far behind. Despite 

 the rain of the night before, the heat was again intense, 

 and the slow rate at which we were compelled to travel 

 did not tend to make matters more pleasant. 



It was during one of those short halts that Means, 

 the cowboy, came galloping back along the track. We 

 had now got so used to ill-luck, that really I believe 

 none of us expected him to have any news ; conse- 

 quently, we were more than elated when he informed 

 us that there was a rhino in a valley a short distance 

 off, and that Jones and the other cowboy were holding 

 him up for me. 



It did not take us very long to get into the saddle 



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