ESS API ON THE TRACK OF RHINOCEROS. 109 



horses, carefully followed them up for some distance, when 

 Essafi pulled up, gave me his horse to hold, and went 

 off by himself. Stealthily he crept along, stooping his 

 head very low so as to be able to get the best view 

 under the low branches ; and scarcely had he gone fifty 

 yards, when he turned round and rejoined me, and then 

 with an expression of intense excitement whispered in 

 my ear the joyful word ' kharteet.' The next step 

 was to tie up our horses, and then to follow his original 

 path. Soon I could distinguish, lying under the trees 

 about thirty yards from us, two mounds which, had it 

 not been for Essafi, I should never have supposed were 

 my long-sought friends. Essafi's breathing became 

 here very hurried, and much too noisy to be agreeable, 

 and at the same time he began making gestures for me 

 to fire ; but having lost an elephant, I was determined to 

 profit by my experience, so crept on, Essafi remaining be- 

 hind, until within fifteen or twenty yards of them, when 

 I could just make out that one was lying with his 

 legs towards me, and the direction in which his head 

 Avould be. Whilst choosing the best spot to aim at 

 something moved ; it was only a little wag of the ear, 

 but it announced that the sleeper had awoke, and in- 

 stantly a ball from my eight-bore penetrated his thick 

 hide under the right shoulder. The only effect for the 

 moment was to make both animals spring to their 

 feet and to start off, one to the right, the other to the 



