l8o TALES OF A NOMAD. 



not aim well with it. He was torn with grief at having 

 sent a bullet in the direction of the sahib. He thought 

 the rhinoceros was coming straight at the sahib. It only 

 swerved at the last moment. He had fired with a view 

 of aiding the sahib. He shoot the sahib, indeed ! not 

 he, if he had a hundred lives he would sacrifice them all 

 cheerfully for the sahib's sake. 



We now followed upon the spoor and found copious 

 traces of blood, and about 400 yards farther on came 

 upon him lying dead. He was a fine animal, but his 

 horn was not to be compared with the horns of the 

 African rhinoceri. 



We had to camp down for the night upon the bank, 

 and resume our journey in the following morning. 



In this climate, unlike South Africa, the sportsman 

 should neglect nothing to promote his health and com- 

 fort. Let me recommend him to take with him 

 an iron fold-up camp bedstead (one of those which 

 fits into a sack) ; also a cork mattress and plenty of 

 waterproof sheets, for they are always useful. As for 

 medicine, let him keep his liver working correctly and 

 take five grains of quinine daily, and he will be all right. 



With the kind permission of the reader I will here 

 digress in order to relate a somewhat unpleasant adven- 

 ture which once befell me in ascending a river. 



I was bound partly on an errand of exploration but 

 took my sporting rifles with me as there was always a 

 chance of coming across game. 



The sun had already set, and in a few minutes more 

 it would be dark, My men were paddling as hard as 

 they could to reach our camping ground for the night, 

 and in consequence were making a good deal of noise 

 and splashing with each stroke. Having given up all 



