184 After Big Game in Central Africa 



thorns ; inside are pent-houses in which the men sleep 

 in the shade. 



On the morning of October 29 the European 

 mail arrives with four months' letters and news- 

 papers. At night, already, while Bertrand sleeps, I 

 am stretched in the open air on my mat (I use 

 neither a tent nor an iron bedstead during the dry 

 season) with my feet bare, but otherwise dressed. 

 By my side, on a stone which serves as a table, is a 

 lantern, and I am reading the Figaro. Around me 

 are a few half-extinguished fires, and men asleep ; 

 it is about nine o'clock, and moonlight. Suddenly, 

 Msiambiri, who is taking a bath outside, runs in half- 

 naked and streaming with water, saying, " Pembere, 

 mzungo, pembere!" ("A rhinoceros, sir, a rhino- 

 ceros ! ") 



I jump into my slippers, buckle on my cartridge- 

 belt, which is within arm's reach, and seize my 

 Express, while Msiambiri takes the other ; and half 

 a minute afterwards we are outside, advancing at the 

 edge of the shadow of the trees. ... I see a motion-' 

 less gray mass at the edge of the pool ; but it is too 

 far away. Ordering Msiambiri to remain behind, I 

 advance in the shadow to within twenty yards of the 

 animal. I kneel down; but it is impossible to fire, as 

 I cannot see well enough. ... I drag myself for- 

 ward again, crawling on my hands in the aquatic 

 grass, until within ten or twelve yards of the animal. 

 The rhinoceros begins to be suspicious ; perhaps it 

 even sees me ; slightly turning, it completely faces 

 me, at the same time snorting a little. ... It 



