ATTACKED BY RHINOS 143 



her big homed head. Boculy and BiikJiari stood by 

 with their gims ready in case she came for us. There 

 was no assurance that a rifle shot would stoo the 

 beast had she taken it into her head to charge our 

 way. But the two black lads stood bravely by wait- 

 ing our call for their assistance. 



Just when the rhino was about to charge we set 

 about shouting and waving our arms and were able 

 to head her off before we had to shoot. I might add 

 that I think this sort of thing usually meant that the 

 animals were only half-hearted in their attack. For 

 when either lion, rhino or elephant really took it into 

 its head to vent its anger on us we usually had to 

 climb a tree or shoot. 



In angry dignity the mother rhino went down 

 through some rocks slowly enough for her baby to 

 follow. She snorted away at the comical little fellow 

 from time to time because it waddled too slowly to 

 suit her. We heaved a sigh of relief when she passed 

 out of sight. 



Another time we had been watching a rhino go up 

 and around the cliffs near the lake with a sureness 

 that seemed impossible in such lirnibering brutes, and 

 a little later a big rhino mother with a little toto came 

 down to the pool. This baby too was not over a week 

 old, and was still imsteady on its feet but frisky as a. 

 kitten. It ran imder its mother's belly, as she drank, 

 butted her playfully, then ran away for a few steps 



