172 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



and at times tracking was made to my eyes almost im- 

 practicable, as the animal had crossed and recrossed its own 

 tracks dozens of times. So mixed in fact had they become, 

 that sportsmen unaccustomed to tracking would be under 

 the impression that two or three animals instead of one had 

 been in the vicinity. We succeeded eventually in hitting the 

 right trail out of this maze, and after travelling for over three 

 hours, came on unmistakable signs of a mud-wallow. Moung 

 Hpe now fell back and requested me to lead, warning me 

 at the same time to be careful, as a wallow was not far off, 

 and, indeed, numerous traces of it were apparent. The 

 surrounding jungle was composed of cane, bamboo, and 

 tree forest. 



Following a small game track I pushed my way cautiously 

 along the side of the hill through the foliage, which fortun- 

 ately was not very dense here, Moung Hpe and the old Shan 

 hunter following in my traces. 



I felt as if my heart was going to burst from suppressed 

 excitement, at the thought of seeing for the first time a real 

 wild rhinoceros. Of course I had seen the larger species 

 of rhino in the Zoo, but had never seen one in its wild state. 

 Moreover, the animal I was tracking had two horns, and, if 

 I remember rightly, no specimen of the Rhinoceros sumatrensis 

 was in the Zoological Gardens when I paid my visit. 



Rounding a clump of overhanging canes on a sloping 

 ridge, I caught sight of the edge of the basin or wallow on 

 the brow of the hill, a few feet above the level of my head, 

 and at a distance of about 25 yards. There were numerous 

 fresh signs of the rhino's presence in the splashes of yellow 

 clayey mud all round the edge of the basin and on the 

 surrounding trees, but no sound emanated from the wallow, 

 which appeared to be deserted. 



Turning round and holding up my hand as a signal to 

 Moung Hpe and the Shan to stay where they were, I 

 cocked both barrels of the smooth-bore, bent low, and moved 

 cautiously forward about ten paces. My coat unfortunately 

 caught on a hooked thorny cane-creeper, and knocked down 

 a small decayed branch, which fell to the ground with a faint 

 rustle. 



