1 68 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



rumbling, humming sounds, the noise being very similar to 

 that made by a species of large hornbill when soaring through 

 the air, or like the sound made by a vulture's wing when 

 stooping to the earth. 



These rhinos sometimes wander great distances to feed, but 

 are most frequently found within a mile or so of their wallows. 

 They feed principally on bamboo-leaves, shoots, young cane, 

 thorny shrubs, and a bush called " Kyau-sa." It was in the 

 Sagadaung jurisdiction of the Shan State of Momeik, Ruby 

 Mines district, that I first made my acquaintance with these 

 animals. I had previously, in other parts of the district, 

 when out looking for gaur and elephant, come across old 

 tracks, but had never had the luck to find any fresh ones, or 

 to light on a fresh mud-hole. 



One evening, in the beginning of the rainy season, Moung 

 Hpe turned up in the " zayat," or rest-house, whilst I was 

 lolling in my long arm-chair, under the soothing influence of 

 a good dinner, cigarette, and a cup of coffee, and said 

 " Thakin, hnepen taung-daw thwa gya-zo, mane-ga wakok 

 the-ma hnit-yauk kyan-kyi-ya ah thit twe ge de " (Sir, 

 let us go into the hills to-morrow ; two bamboo-cutters saw 

 fresh rhinoceros tracks yesterday). This was excellent news, 

 and Moung Hpe was immediately made the recipient of a 

 bottle of Younger's Monk Brand beer, an old shooting-jacket, 

 and five rupees. 



Poor Moung Hpe, as fine a tracker as ever stepped ! I 

 wonder what he is doing now ? Ah, those glorious days, 

 gone like a fleeting dream ! 



As the locality in which the rhino's tracks had been seen 

 was distant in the hills above Sagadaung only some eight 

 or ten miles, I made up my mind to pay a flying visit to 

 the spot, leaving early next morning, and camp out only 

 one night in the jungle, as I had a good deal of work on 

 hand. 



At 6 a.m. next day I was well on my way into the hill, 

 having first arranged with my camp-followers and servants as 

 to the spot to be chosen for our camp. Moung Hpe and an 

 old retired Shan shikarie, whose knowledge of the hills was 

 extensive, accompanied me. He was a curious old fellow, 



