40 SAFARI 



ever disappear, especially as it was now so full and its 

 square mile of area shimmered so beautifully before 

 us in the moonlight. 



Anyway all our theories were put to flight by Osa's 

 stage whisper : ' ' Look there ! ' ' 



She pointed down to a little park-like space of 

 about five acres, fairly clear, with a few great trees 

 on it. These trees were all rubbed smooth on one 

 side by animals scratching their backs and flanks. 

 Indeed, one may find the same characteristic on all 

 the trees by the trails of the forest. Some are smooth 

 on one side up to a distance of fifty feet, showing that 

 generations of game have there rubbed their sides, 

 and the growth of the trees has carried the smooth 

 marks upwards. 



To this five-acre clearing a great trail led from the 

 forest, and down it a rhino and his mate were coming. 

 As they approached the edge, the disturbed w^aterfowl 

 rose from the surface of the lake and whirled and 

 circled in the moonlight. 



After drinking with great gulps, which we could 

 clearly hear, the beasts began to graze and approach 

 our shore, their great bulks almost black against the 

 moonlight gold, and the two horns on their snouts 

 clearly silhouetted and looking for all the world like 

 quotation marks. As the wind was just right they 

 did not catch our scent. Besides, since we were 

 above them they did not see the flames of our fire. 



