Large Rhino Killed. 143 



boulder, as there were many about there ; but as we 

 watched we caught the movement of a rhino's ears. 



It would have been better had I whistled to make the 

 rhino stand up and give me a chance of a good shot, for a 

 sitting animal presents a poor target, if one wishes to get 

 the bullet to a vital spot and kill quickly. However, I thought 

 I could kill him quite well as he was, so sat down, and took a 

 shot with a single '400 cordite Eraser rifle at his shoulder. 



After the shot the cartridge jammed in the breech, 

 which is not unusual with single falling-block rifles, and the 

 rhino gave a startled grunt, and was on his legs and off 

 before I could get the refractory case out and loaded again. 

 We all ran after him and saw him disappear into a large 

 patch of light coloured grass that threw off a very strong 

 glare which nearly blinded me. Rushing along in this 

 way I suddenly found myself within a few yards of the 

 rhino, which had come to a stand half broadside on. There 

 was not much time to waste, so I threw up the rifle, and 

 got in a fine shot right on the point of his shoulder, and he 

 dropped in his tracks. As he kept twitching his ears and 

 eyelids, I gave him another bullet from my '303, which 

 settled matters. 



He had very nice horns, the anterior one measuring 

 slightly over 2oin. He was a very large bull in good 

 condition, and his feet were big, so I took the front ones 

 as trophies. The natives then cut off his tail, and we 

 tramped back through the heat to the village, where a 

 refreshing bath and good lunch awaited me. 



It is very pleasant returning to camp after a successful 

 day, and how different a man feels then compared to a long 

 day's tramp when he has met with bad luck ; or, worse still, 

 wounded and lost a fine animal. In one case the exhilaration 

 felt makes the miles slip past as nothing ; in the other every 

 step drags, and one's bad spirits are reflected on the faces 

 of the natives. 



I shall now change the scene to the Chiromo marsh, 

 which is situated near the Shire river to the south of the 

 Nyasaland Protectorate. On September 28, 1910, I was 



