Rhinoceros visits the Camp 185 



will charge, I say to myself: there is no drawing 

 back. Pointing my rifle in the direction of its 

 chest, I fire the right barrel, reserving the left. 

 With one bound I spring into the grass out of the 

 way of my smoke, while the rhinoceros charges 

 almost to the very spot from which I fired, making a 

 tremendous noise with its feet, which slip on the 

 pebbles. Then it stops, turns round, and disappears 

 at a slow trot before I am able to get into position 

 and fire again. . . . Once more am I very un- 

 certain of having seriously hit. I distinctly heard 

 the bullet strike and the animal cease its noise, which 

 it resumed afterwards as though I had caught it in 

 the wind ; but I shall not know the truth until to- 

 morrow. 



How did this rhinoceros come almost leeward of 

 our camp, where there were thirty men, without 

 seeing it ? It is very abnormal, and, on the part 

 of so distrustful an animal, is difficult to explain. 

 It is probable that, departing from its habits, it 

 came to leeward, and then, quite by chance, en- 

 countered the pool. It was unable to scent the pool 

 without scenting us at the same time, and it is 

 probable, even certain, that, in that case, it would 

 have charged the camp, passed through the stockade, 

 and trampled under foot everything which it found 

 inside, while we siiould have escaped pele-mele on to 

 the plain. 



However that may be, this unfortunate pachyderm 

 was very badly inspired in visiting us, for it cost it 

 its life. 



