THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



not much alarmed, as only the one cow knew what 

 it was all about anyway, and I suspected they would 

 stop at the next thicket. 



We had only one small canteen of water with us, 

 but we divided that. It probably did us good, but 

 the quantity was not sufficient to touch our thirst. 

 For the remainder of the day we suffered rather 

 severely, as the sun was fierce. 



After a short interval we followed on after the 

 buifaloes. Within a half mile beyond the crest of the 

 hill over which they had disappeared was another 

 thicket. At the very edge of the thicket, asleep 

 under an outlying bush, stood one of the big bulls! 



Luck seemed with us at last. The wind was right, 

 and between us and the bull lay only four hundred 

 yards of knee-high grass. All we had to do was to 

 get down on our hands and knees, and, without 

 further precautions, crawl up within range and pot 

 him. That meant only a bit of hard, hot work. 



When we were about halfway a rhinoceros sud- 

 denly arose from the grass between us and the 

 buffalo, and about one hundred yards away. 



What had aroused him, at that distance and up- 

 wind, I do not know. It hardly seemed possible 

 that he could have heard us, for we were moving 

 very quietly, and, as I say, we were downwind. 

 However, there he was on his feet, sniffing now this 



308 



