INTRODUCTORY. 15 



Between these extremes there are all sorts of reasons offered as explanations 

 for his conduct. 



My view is somewhat as follows : — 



First of all, there are the many rhino you see, but which do not perceive you 

 either by hearing or smell. These can be practically put out of the discussion. So 

 a man walking about in an open rhino country and having his wits about him may 

 see many rhino, and meanwhile himself be only in the slightest danger. 



But rhino often suddenly make up their minds to run in a certain direction, 

 apparently for no object, and as suddenly decide to stop still or to run off some- 

 where else. Thus even some of these might have the appearance of coming 

 for you, or might run across the wind of a sportsman after he had taken every 

 precaution. 



Putting aside these, however, we have to deal with the rhino which have been 

 made aware of your presence either by sound, smell, or possibly sight. These will, as 

 a general rule, run away from you. About one out of five, however, will make as if he 

 was coming for you. Of those which do this, the greater part will subsequently think 

 better of it, and so after coming towards you for a short distance will swerve away 

 and make off, or will pass you at a distance to either flank. 



But about one out of five, again, of these will press straight on. Thus out of 

 twenty-five rhino which have got your wind or in some way perceived you, we have, on 

 an average, one pressing home an attack. He may be shot coming at you and he 

 may be wounded. If he is wounded it will probably alter his frame of mind according 

 to the gravity or otherwise of the wound he has received and his individual 

 temperament. He may also just miss you and then decide to go straight on 

 without turning. Possibly, he never really intended to hit you off. 



If rhinos were left alone and not fired at, I believe the greater number would 

 be found to make a blind charge. 



That is to say, they would come straight for your wind and, if they did not 

 actually run up against something or someone, they would then rush straight 

 through and off the other side, still going upwind. If one met anything directly in 

 his way he would toss it. The chances are, however, that he would just miss you 

 by a few yards and go straight on. When you came into his range of vision he 

 might also not like the look of you and swerve so as to pass you. 



Out of these rhino who press home an attack I take it that, say, one in ten, 

 again, are really bad rhino and mean to do harm. Instead of passing by at a few 

 yards, they will, directly you come into view, whip round on you with surprising 

 agility, and they really mean business. 



