HUNTING ON THE SIMBA KIYER 243 



shrubs. Had he entered that, he was lost ; but second 

 thoughts negatived the j^robability, for such are not the 

 spots beloved of rhino. Anxious moments succeeded 

 when, on the stony ground, no spoor could be discovered, 

 and I directed Yama to proceed direct to the thorn-tree 



On our wav thither we struck 



of the oriQ;inal 



" view." 



AVOOD-HOOPOE {Irrisor erythrorhynchus). 

 Brilliant iu lustrous reflections of deep greens and purples. 



the three-toed spoor, and, following this, soon ascertained 

 that (as anticipated) the animal had shunned the ravine ; 

 turning to his left, he had crossed over the mountain- 

 ridoe, or "neck," hio-h above. 



Beyond this was a saucer-shaped depression full of 

 low trees and bush, fairly thick — not a comfortable spot 

 for tracking, as we could rarely see over twenty yards. 

 Here, presently, we walked right into the rhino in his 



