HUNTING ON LAKE SOLAI 169 



Half-an-hour of the hardest going and we had reached 

 our point — alas ! too late. The spoor, crossing a shaUow 

 pool, showed where the quarry had passed but a minute 

 before, for on hurrying forward, we caught one glimpse 

 of his bulky form disappearing round a bluff ahead. 



Having heard the impact of the ball so distinctly, 

 and having two excellent trackers (Salim and Kenana), 

 I had every confidence in recovering this grand prize ; 

 a promise of good backsheesh further stimulated the 

 men, and for three long hours we held the spoor forward, 

 the trackers backing each other beautifully on either 

 flank at each slight check. We were, however, rarely 

 in difficulty, and indeed had made good at least six 

 miles without a sign of the stricken beast ahead, nor 

 had he once laid down. 



Towards noon, while passing outside a great conch- 

 shaped recess scooped out of the impending mountain- 

 side above, a sudden snort brought us up, and from 

 some high bush fifty yards ahead there protruded the 

 ugly armed snout of a rhinoceros. The wind was right 

 and he had evidently not seen us, for his head turned 

 to and fro, gazing ; so I gently brought my glass to 

 bear. He carried a good head, the two horns being 

 more even in length than in my previous specimen at 

 Elmenteita. Motioning to Salim, he handed me the 

 •450, and with it (thoughtfully) a couple of " solid " 

 cartridges, one of which I directed to the junction of neck 

 and shoulders, though, owing to intervening bush, I 

 could hardly see so far back. The shot was followed by 

 heavy and continuous crashing among the brushwood — 

 presumably the death-flurry ; but w^e were soon un- 

 deceived on that point, when two rhino dashed out 

 straight ahead and at full gallop made direct for where 

 we stood in the open. A couple of yards to the left 

 was a thin burnt bush, a mere skeleton, behind which 

 we jumped, and five seconds later the pair (which I now 

 saw were a big cow with long thin horn, and a three- 

 parts-grown calf) passed where we had a moment before 

 been standing, but without seeing us, though so near. 



