viii AN EVENTFUL XMAS DAY 101 



a Kikuyu shenzi (savage) taken from the safari to 

 carry a rifle for a day or two. 



After this adventure we all thoroughly enjoyed 

 our tea, and I could not feel too thankful for the 

 providential escape which Mrs. S. had undoubtedly 

 had. I determined not to run such risks again in 

 this close country, so I threw out a string of scouts 

 to give us timely warning in case we should meet 

 with any other unwelcome visitors. It was very 

 well that I did take these precautions, for during 

 the remainder of the march no fewer than eight 

 other rhino were discovered close to our path. We 

 had these driven off, not without difficulty at times, 

 before the safari came up. The whole country in this 

 particular locality seemed to be simply alive with rhino 

 of a particularly vicious breed. Giraffes were also very 

 numerous, while impala were in herds of hundreds, the 

 bucks in one herd and the does in another. 



Before reaching camp I had an exciting chase 

 after a great boar, which at first sight I took to be 

 a lion. It occurred in a little bit of open country, 

 and I very much regretted that I had no spear 

 with me, as I quickly overtook the boar and 

 galloped close to him for a while, a proceeding 

 which Aladdin very strongly objected to. 



During the last few hours of the march the foot- 

 steps of the men lagged and many halts had to be 

 called. Dusk was falling as we approached Jukone 



