92 ON SAFARI 



Though not bUnd, yet rhino use their eyesight but 

 little. All I could distinguish among grass and thorn 

 was an amorphous mass, of a red-brown colour (from 

 wallowing in red mud), with a spiky horn like a smoke- 

 stack at the hither end. No possible shot was presented, 

 and the beast was slowly approaching, feeding on mimosa 

 boughs. We therefore crept away through the grass, 

 and, gaining the cover of the thorns, soon reached the 

 broadside position. Even then, though within less than 

 twenty yards, and full broadside on, I was reluctant to 

 fire, for in the bad light (the prelude to a coming 

 thunderstorm) and the shade of the bush, I could not 

 quite distinguish the vital spots. Presently the rhino 

 raised his huge head to pull down a mimosa branch 

 (akin to eating a mouthful of barbed wire), and the 

 whole outline was fully exposed. I placed a '303 solid 

 at the point selected — one foot behind the ear and slightly 

 below — while Elmi, by my direction, put another, from 

 the carbine '303, between eye and ear. The rhino 

 merely moved two steps forward, turned deliberately 

 round and stood still, with his other broadside exposed. 

 We repeated our salute as before, Elmi this time taking 

 the neck shot, while I tried a point below the ear and 

 vslightly forward thereof. The effect this time was 

 unmistakable. The great beast dropped straight to 

 earth, disappearing from view. For some seconds I 

 thought the deed was done, and greatly rejoiced thereat. 

 The joy was premature, for once more that vast red- 

 brown bulk rose above the thorns, and slowly, deliberately 

 walked away. 



(3nly a single cartridge now remained. I followed 

 the rhino, walking some thirty yards behind him, 

 awaiting a chance. Presently he left the bush, and, 

 with head carried low and a dead-sick gait, entered the 

 open grass street. This time I decided to try the heart, 

 presuming that a rhino carries such an appendage 

 (which I now doubt), or, at any rate, the shoulder. 

 The distance, ere I had perfected a thrice-refined aim, 

 was near eighty yards, and I heard the bullet tell. 



