XV UNSUCCESSFUL RHINO HUNTS 171 
At length, however, it got fainter and fainter, and 
finally ceased altogether, so that we had to abandon 
the search ; the ground round about was rocky, and 
there was no possibility of telling which way our 
quarry had gone. I was exceedingly sorry for this, 
as I did not like to leave him wounded ; but there 
was no help for it, so we struck out for home and 
arrived at Tsavo in the afternoon very tired, hungry 
and disappointed. 
Rhinos are extraordinary animals, and not in 
any way to be depended upon. One day they 
will sheer off on meeting a human being and make 
no attempt to attack; the next day, for no apparent 
reason, they may execute a most determined charge. 
I was told for a fact by an official who had been 
long in the country that on one occasion while a gang 
of twenty-one slaves, chained neck to neck as was 
the custom, was being smuggled down to the coast 
and was proceeding in Indian file along a narrow 
path, a rhinoceros suddenly charged out at right 
angles to them, impaled the centre man on its 
horns and broke the necks of the remainder of the 
party by the suddenness of his rush. These huge 
beasts have a very keen sense of smell, but equally 
indifferent eyesight, and it is said that if a hunter 
will only stand perfectly still on meeting a rhino, 
it will pass him by without attempting to molest 
him. I feel bound to add, however, that I have 
