chap. ii. RHINOCEROS. 99 



buffalo bulls, seeming almost white in the moonlight, came 

 down to drink. Fancying that they would roll as well as 

 drink, I did not fire at first, but when I saw that one, 

 having satisfied its thirst, walked out, while the others 

 stood with the water dripping from their mouths, only 

 waiting to have another drink before they joined it, I 

 delayed no longer, and taking the nearest one in the 

 point of the shoulder — and it was almost opposite me, and 

 not five yards off, — I dropped it where it stood. Its next 

 companion, unawed by the sudden and loud report and the 

 blaze of light, uttered a grunt, and, instead of taking to 

 flight, charged straight out of the water, and tried to 

 climb the bank on which the tree in which I was stationed 

 grew, offering me, as it did so, a most beautiful shot at its 

 broad chest. It was lucky for me that I was in a place of 

 safety, for it did not even swerve when the ball struck it, 

 but rushed past under me, breaking off one of the brittle 

 lower branches in its way, and I saw no more of it. 



Soon after this it became apparent that day was 

 breaking, though for some time it was difficult to distin- 

 guish between it and the light of the moon, and some of 

 the smaller antelopes were already making their appear- 

 ance, when, hearing a noise at the further end of the pond, 

 to which, as I had never seen any game drink there, my 

 back was turned, I looked round and saw, to my surprise, 

 the great heads and fore-quarters of several rhinoceroses 

 protruding through the bushes, some drinking, and others 

 standing still. I counted six, and from their numbers and 

 short thick horns I knew that they were kulumane, 

 making the third species I had seen that night. There 

 was no good in my firing from my present position, as from 



