FIRST EXPEDITION TO EAST AFRICA 97 



though he was practically broadside on at 50 

 yards, and was head on at 15 yards, and the 

 third shot at the animal's stern was the only 

 one that took effect. Johnny was brave, like 

 most Africans, but had had no experience, and 

 was not at this time of much use as a gun-bearer. 



The female rhino, which was with the male 

 I fired at, bolted precipitately at the first shot. 

 The other pair, which were feeding a little farther 

 away from me, trotted back into the swamp, 

 after the wounded rhino had disappeared, travelling 

 together, shoulder to shoulder, like a pair of 

 carriage-horses. 



By this time it was too late in the evening 

 to follow the rhino, but on the following morning 

 we went out and tried to track him. There 

 was no blood, and the Kikuyu were homesick 

 and worked very half-heartedly, and I was com- 

 pelled to abandon the pursuit. I hunted the 

 country, however, on the following day, and by 

 great good luck we found the animal dead. He 

 had travelled a considerable distance from the 

 place where he had been shot. This rhino had a 

 good head, the anterior horn being 24^ inches 

 long and 19! inches in circumference round the 

 base. 



My one day's elephant-hunting ended in a 

 failure, but provided a good deal of excitement. 



We drew lots for the first shot at an elephant, 

 and the lot fell to me ; and, when news of 

 elephants was brought in, I went after them with 

 Judd. 



The elephants were in bamboo jungle at some 

 distance from our camp, and we had a long walk 

 7 



