WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



to keep awake, and I also arouse my black companion, 

 in order to stop his loud snoring. It is hard to fight 

 sleep, for nothing engages my attention however in- 

 tently I watch the neighborhood through the three 

 loop-holes in the thicket. Nothing? Through the open- 

 ing on my right I faintly distinguish a black, massive 

 something moving slowly in my direction. Now the 

 huge mass divides in two. The moon, shedding more 

 light on the mysterious apparition, reveals to me two 

 full-grown rhinoceroses. They pass my stand within 

 three hundred feet, but not without hesitating a few 

 minutes, for they have scented our presence. They 

 proceed to the drinking-place. For some time I hear 

 them splashing about in the water. It is remarkable, 

 how noiselessly these gigantic animals are able to move 

 along, so that even the keenest human ear can hardly 

 hear them coming. 



Again hours pass by without further incidents. A 

 few jackals are howling in the distance and the galagoes 

 in the tree-tops utter their peculiar laugh. Suddenly 

 the bull shows signs of fear and bellows twice. Quick 

 as lightning a grayish animal glides past the thicket, 

 and the next moment bull and lion roll on the ground. 

 At last my patience is rewarded. I have a capital 

 chance to kill the king of beasts as soon as I can make 

 him out in the entangled mass on the ground. I raise 

 my rifle, take aim — then the moon is obscured by 

 a passing bank of clouds and everything is wrapped 



366 



