RHINOCERI FOUND. 267 



gether unmindful of the possibility of a tiger being an 

 interested spectator of my evolutions, I wriggled my way to 

 a position within sixty paces of the pool, the wind favourable 

 and the enemy* s broadside bearing almost directly on me. 

 Looking about me while recovering my breath after the stalk, 

 I observed that the water in the hollow was rising by the 

 influx of the tide along a rill issuing from the woods, so that 

 the patriarch's fore-feet were now immersed, but the sedges 

 and rushes in which he stood barely reaching his belly, his 

 whole right side was fully exposed to view. As soon as my 

 breathing had settled down to its normal state, the big rifle 

 was directed to the neck, but on drawing a sight, it was 

 somewhat covered by the huge bulging shoulder, the head 

 being turned a little away from me, making the shot an 

 uncertain one at the angle presented ; the aim, therefore, was 

 rapidly changed to a point a trifle behind the shoulder, and 

 the heavy bullet told truly with a loud smack. On feeling 

 the wound the great creature threw up his head with a 

 grunt, and glared round for the enemy who had struck him, 

 and before his position was changed a second bullet hit him 

 on the same spot, but a little more forward, and brought 

 him on his knees with a wheezy sort of a groan. He was 

 up again immediately, and dashed into the woods with blood 

 spurting from his mouth. At the report of the first barrel 

 the other two rose from the mire in a mighty hurry, but 

 paused on failing to discover aught on which to vent their 

 wrath, and then seeing or scenting the smoke, galloped off 

 after their leader, the larger of the two receiving from the 

 second rifle one ball in the fore-ribs, and a second in the 

 head, fired at short range, and driven home with four and a- 

 half drams of powder. Without changing the smaller rifle 

 in hand, I reloaded it with cartridges in my pocket, and fol- 

 lowed as fast as I could on the broad trail left by the flying 

 monsters, and before I had gone fifty yards, a loud crash and 

 a long-drawn groan announced the fall of one at least, and 

 soon after I almost stumbled over its huge carcase lying in 

 the death-agony. Dashing on upon the bloody trail for 



