CH. XV UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS 167 
having gone a little way I fancied that I really did 
see one lying at the foot of a tree some distance 
ahead of me, but on approaching cautiously found 
that it was nothing more than a great brown heap 
of loose earth which one of the huge beasts had 
raised by rolling about on the soft ground.. This, 
however, was evidently a resting-place which was 
regularly used, so I made up my mind to spend 
a night in the overhanging branches of the tree. 
The next afternoon, accordingly, Mahina and I 
made our way back to the place, and by dusk 
we were safely but uncomfortably perched among 
the branches directly over the path. We had 
scarcely been there an hour when to our delight 
we heard a great rhino plodding along the track 
in our direction. Unfortunately the moon had not 
yet risen, so I was unable to catch sight of the 
monster as he approached; I knew, however, that 
there was light enough for me to see him when he 
emerged from the bushes into the little clearing 
round the foot of our tree. Nearer and nearer we 
heard him coming: steadily on, and I had my rifle 
ready, pointing it in the direction in which I 
expected his head to appear. But, alas, just at that 
moment the wind veered round and blew straight 
from us towards the rhino, who scented us immedi- 
ately, gave a mighty snort and then dived madly 
away through the jungle. For some considerable 
