A RIDE THROUGH RHINO COUNTRY 325 



shot twice into the one animal. When we stepped forward 

 on top of two dead rhino, he leaped backward, thinking 

 we had another untouched animal before us. My Brownie, 

 cool as ever, had seen our second danger and had shot 

 at the same moment as myself. He made a good shot 

 for him, for he had actually scored in the fleshy part of 

 the hind leg, a wound he took care to point out to me 

 with pride, as I always chaffed him about not being able to 

 hit anything. 



Such is the rhino in East Africa. Nineteen times out 

 of twenty, even in dense bush, he will rush away from you. 

 But, as Bernard Shaw's play says, "you never can tell." 

 And if as in this case there are two of them and they charge 

 suddenly home, it is a very serious matter indeed. Two 

 charging together have killed or maimed many a good 

 man. When the bush is dense, when the little rhino 

 birds fly up a few yards in front, it is best to go round or 

 hunt somewhere else. I know that I shall next time. 



Though the story I have just told proves conclusively 

 enough that rhino in thick brush can at times be most 

 dangerous, it by no means follows that all the yarns one 

 constantly hears of charging rhino are true. The trouble 

 is that most men when they shoot at a rhino, follow up 

 their first shot with a stream of bullets. Indeed, after 

 the first shot is fired, there is a good deal of excitement 

 and confusion. It is the same story with elephant and 

 with lion. I think this common plan is a bad one. If 

 the first shot is, as it should be, carefully planted in a vital 

 place, there is no need to fire any more. Indeed, a constant 

 fire draws the animal's attention to where you are. If, 

 on the other hand, you are sitting down quietly on the 

 ground, the very great probability is that, confused and 

 stunned by the impact of a modern bullet, your game 

 has no idea where you are. He may rush toward you, 

 though the chances are very many to one that he will not. 



