158 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



goodly fire, made some tea, and roasted a couple 

 of quails which I had shot early in the day and 

 which proved simply delicious. We then betook 

 ourselves to the branches at least, Mahina and I 

 did ; Moota was afraid of nothing, and said he 

 would sleep on the ground. He was not so full of 

 courage later on, however, for about midnight a 

 great rhino passed our way, winded us and snorted 

 so loudly that Moota scrambled in abject terror up 

 our tree. He was as nimble as a monkey for all his 

 stoutness, and never ceased climbing until he was 

 far above us. We both laughed heartily at his 

 extraordinary haste to get out of danger, and 

 Mahina chaffed him unmercifully. 



The rest of the night passed without incident, 

 and in the early morning, while the boys were pre- 

 paring breakfast, I strolled off towards the rocky- 

 hills which I had seen from Tsavo, and which were 

 now only about half a mile distant. I kept a sharp 

 look-out for game, but came across nothing save 

 here and there a paa and a few guinea-fowl, until, 

 just as I was about half-way round the hill, I saw 

 a fine leopard lying on a rocky ledge basking in 

 the morning sun. But he was too quick for me, 

 and made off before I could get a shot ; I had not 

 approached noiselessly enough, and a leopard is too 

 wary a beast to be caught napping. Unfortunately 

 I had no more time at my disposal in which to 



