444 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



see the cow's horns, and her doom was sealed; for they were 

 of good length, and the hind one (it proved to be two feet 

 long) was slightly longer than the stouter front one; it was 

 a specimen which the museum needed. 



So after them we trudged over the brown plain. But 

 they were uneasy, and kept trotting and walking. They 

 never saw us with their dull eyes; but a herd of wildebeest 

 galloping by renewed their alarm; it was curious to see 

 them sweeping the ground with their long, ugly heads, en- 

 deavoring to catch the scent. A mile's rapid walk brought 

 us within two hundred yards, and we dared not risk the 

 effort for a closer approach lest they should break and run. 

 The cow turned broadside to, and I hit her behind the 

 shoulder; but I was not familiar with the heavy Holland 

 rifle at that range, and my bullet went rather too low. I 

 think the wound would eventually have proved fatal; but 

 both beasts went off at a gallop, the cow now and then 

 turning from side to side in high dudgeon, trying to catch 

 the wind of her foe. We mounted our horses, and after a 

 couple of miles' canter overhauled our quarry. Cuning- 

 hame took me well to leeward, and ahead, of the rhinos, 

 which never saw us; and then we walked to within a hun- 

 dred yards, and I killed the cow. But we were now much 

 puzzled by the young one, which refused to leave; we did 

 not wish to kill it, for it was big enough to shift for itself; but 

 it was also big enough to kill either of us. We drew back, 

 hoping it would go away; but it did not. So when the gun- 

 bearers arrived we advanced and tried to frighten it; but 

 this plan also failed. It threatened to charge, but could 

 not quite make up its mind. Watching my chance I then 

 creased its stern with a bullet from the little Springfield, 

 and after some wild circular galloping it finally decided 

 to leave. 



Kermit, about this time, killed a heavy boar from horse- 

 back after a three-miles run. The boar charged twice, caus- 

 ing the horse to buck and shy. Finally, just as he was 

 going into his burrow backward, Kermit raced by and shot 



