62 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



quarter of a mile I suddenly came upon a savage 

 old male, who was evidently in a very bad temper, 

 as he charged most viciously the moment he caught 

 sight of me. I immediately raced Aladdin for some 

 bushes, thinking to elude him; but he was not to be 

 thrown off. I heard him crash through the scrub 

 after me, and looking over my shoulder saw him 

 with his head raised in the air and his tail cocked 

 over his back, pursuing me with the utmost deter- 

 mination. The tangled undergrowth was all in his 

 favour, as I could not let Aladdin go very fast. 

 Fortunately there was a little glade ahead, and the 

 moment I got into this I rode as hard as I could, 

 while the rhino thundered after me, giving vent to 

 loud snorts, which lent wings to Aladdin's nimble 

 feet. I outpaced my pursuer here, but again got 

 into a belt of bush which I had to cross to get 

 into the open country. He still chased me most 

 doggedly, and almost overtook me before I got 

 clear of the scrub. Once in the open I felt safe, 

 as Aladdin soon showed him a clean pair of heels, 

 and the old rhino at last gave up the pursuit 

 and returned sulkily to the cover of the bushes. 

 Although I have been chased on horseback many 

 times by rhino, this is the only time in all my 

 experience that one of these brutes has made such 

 'a very determined and persistent attack. As a rule 



