428 THE LAND OF THE LION 



a few yards beyond it. The rhino had dashed squeak- 

 ing along its very edge and had noisily died there. How 

 was it possible that a bull under such circumstances could 

 have lain all the time hidden, and make no sign ? 



I thought the man was certainly mistaken, and owing 

 to the complete blackness of the place, had taken a rock 

 for a buffalo bull. 



Brownie thought so, too, for I saw him smile incredu- 

 lously as he noiselessly drew alongside the Wakamba, and 

 looked close into the chasm where the other was pointing. 

 Presently he too saw the hiding beast and tried to make me 

 see it. I looked and looked, but all was dark. Then as 

 my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, I did see a big 

 shadow of an animal standing against a rock right under 

 my feet, but which was head and which was rump I could 

 not see. 



I never fire a first shot at any dangerous beast till I 

 know where I am shooting. It is a good rule to remem- 

 ber and has saved both my men and me trouble many a 

 time, and I observed it now, though the temptation to 

 break it on this my last chance at a buffalo was, I confess, 

 very strong. As I waited, the shadow vanished without 

 a sound, and presently, higher up the donga, I heard the 

 heavy body crashing through the scrub. Through the 

 tremendously high and matted grass, I made the best run- 

 ning I could, and in a couple of hundred yards reached 

 a place where the donga widened and shallowed, as its 

 course ascended sharply to the mountain above us. I 

 was just in time to see above the long grass the heavy points 

 of his horns and the line of his black back, no more, as he 

 reached the level I stood on. He was going fast, his butt 

 almost towards me. In another few yards the grass tangle 

 would completely hide him. I was puffing from my run, 

 my eyes all dimmed by sweat-covered glasses, but I 

 pulled myself together, for well I knew it was now or 



