With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



the covv rhinoceros, streaming with blood, stood literally 

 leaning up against it, and the bull, almost touching, lay 

 dying on the ground, its mighty head beating repeatedly 

 in its death-agony against the hard red soil of the 

 velt. 



The cry the men gave out, as is the case always with 

 these natives, was pitched in a soprano key curiously 

 incongruous with the aspect of these warriors. 



As quickly as possible I reloaded, and with three 

 final shots made an end of both animals. In spite of my 

 well-placed bullets and loss of blood they had all but 

 done for me. 



It was indeed a very narrow escape. It left an 

 impression on my mind which will not be easily erased. 

 Even now in fancy I sometimes live those moments over 

 again. 



It was interesting to note the complete calm and 

 placidity displayed by my men a few minutes after it 

 was all over, though at the time they had been absolutely 

 panic-stricken, above all the Masai imprisoned in the 

 bush. Their whole attention was now absorbed in the 

 cutting up of the bodies and in the picking out of the best 

 pieces of the flesh, quarrelling among themselves in their 

 usual way over the specially relished bonnes bouc/ies. 



I had many other experiences similar to this one, if 

 not quite so exciting. I may tell, perhaps, of two 

 adventures which I had with rhinoceroses at night time 

 adventures in the full sense of the word, and of a kind 

 met with by other well-known travellers. In remarkable 



240 



