^ Rhinoceros-hunting 



shrubs, quite useless as a protection. Ah ! now he makes 

 a move. Up goes his mighty head, suddenly all attention. 

 My rifle rings out. Spitting and snorting, down he comes 

 upon me in the lumbering gallop I have learnt to know 

 so well. I fire a secofid shot, a third, a fourth. It is 

 wonderful how quickly one can send off bullet after 



A RHINOCEROS IN THE DRY SEASON, ITS BODY EMACIATED BY THE SCANTINESS 

 OF GRAZING-GROUNDS AND DRINKING-PLACES. 



bullet in such moments. Now he is upon me, and I 

 give him a fifth shot, a bout portant. In imagination I 

 am done for, gashed by his great horn and flung into 

 the air. I feel what a fool I was to expose myself in 

 this way. A host of such impressions and reflections 

 flash through my brain. 



But, as it turns out, my last hour has not yet come. 



461 



