THE RHINO AT BAY 



then, finding we were not coming on immediately, 

 indulged in the luxury of a good roll, probably to 

 refresh himself after his run. 



The question now was how to get him out of the 

 water and within reach of the lassos. There was one 

 simple and very dangerous way of doing it — to induce 

 him to charge. Without the sUghtest hesitation Jones 

 tried this plan, riding right up to the water's edge. 

 The rhino let him come on until he thought he was 

 sure of getting him, then charged with lightning-like 

 suddenness. It took the horseman aU his time to keep 

 ahead, but a few seconds later a lasso was over the 

 great brute's neck, checking him momentarily, though 

 immediately afterwards the rope snapped like a piece 

 of thread. 



Obviously there was no sense in trying to catch 

 him that way when he was in full career. The only 

 chance seemed to be to tire him out first and then 

 endeavour to get several lassos on him at the same 

 time. For over half an hour the three cowboys kept 

 up the game, taking it in turns to be chased, the rhino 

 always returning to the pool after each unsuccessful 

 dash. At last another rope was thrown, and this time 

 he was caught round one of his hind legs. The lasso 

 held, but the man and the horse at the other end had to 

 follow the animal when he decided to leave his pool 

 and take up his stand in what was happily a most 

 convenient place for me — the middle of an open space. 



159 



