OUR SECOND SAFARI 



back. I presently heard a shot, then went forty 

 yards or so from our camp to wait to see where 

 the beasts broke cover, with my '303 loaded by 

 this time. Presently they crashed through, about 

 ninety yards from where I was ; I saw the gleam- 

 ing shoulder of the big one, which showed me my 

 husband had hit it. I waited just long enough for 

 them to leave the cover, so that when I fired I 

 should not shoot my husband, who might be close 

 behind. In the meantime the beast shook his head 

 and gazed about, and then made straight for our 

 camp. I knelt and fired ; then it turned with the 

 second rhino and dashed downhill. I stood up 

 and got in another round, in fear lest it would get 

 away before my husband knew where it had gone. 

 When I first went to watch for the rhinos' reappear- 

 ance, one or two porters followed me, but after the 

 excitement was over I looked round and all had 

 forsaken me — not a porter was to be seen, till look- 

 ing up, I found the surrounding trees full of them. 

 When the rhino had charged our way, they thought 

 discretion the better part and left me to my fate, 

 even my gun-bearer. However, they were still 

 watching our friend the rhino, in a most excited 

 manner, so I thought if I climbed a tree I might 

 get in another shot, being high enough up to see it 

 and also to steady my rifle on a branch. I called 

 out, asking them if they still saw it, and as they 

 said " Yes," I handed up my rifle on the safe, and 



169 



