GOOD SPORT. 325 



exchanging his shot for ball cartridges, with which he was 

 well supplied, he awaited the charge of the huge beast, 

 resolved not to fire till he could do so very effectually at close 

 quarters. The creature continued to move forward, either 

 ignorant of the vicinity of the canoe and its occupants, or 

 fancying itself undetected, determined to finish the affair off- 

 hand by a sudden and short rush. The position was becoming 

 a critical one ; the boatmen crouching at the stern of the boat 

 were eagerly and anxiously watching E.'s movements, which 

 were to them quite incomprehensible; and E. himself was 

 prepared to sell his life dearly. The moment was a trying one 

 indeed. Suddenly the black head of the crafty monster was 

 jerked upwards with an impatient toss ; the blunt horn on its 

 nose flew up, and separating from the head, appeared in the 

 form of an impudent little " king-crow " (Dicrurus macro- 

 cercus) ; the ears were transformed into a pair of horns ; and 

 the rhinoceros turned into a black village bull ! Thus all 

 ended happily ; the bull continued to graze, the " king-crow " 

 after snapping up an insect, returned to a seat on his back, 

 and lastly the pochards, whose nerves had proved unequal to 

 the occasion, flew away to a less exciting situation. 



It now being noon, breakfast was signalled (a white nap- 

 kin on a fore-pole), a shot was fired to leeward (at a crane), 

 the four vessels were safely anchored in two feet of water, 

 with springs on the cables (tow-ropes), and all made snug 

 alow and aloft. C., who was diligently firing away about a 

 mile off, seeing the signal, hastened to obey it, fearful of being 

 too late to secure his fair share in a meal, at which he could 

 play a no mean part, and in a quarter of an hour grappled 

 with the commissariat tender, bringing with him a great bag, 

 made up of many sorts of ducks and teal, regarding which 

 he said but little for the space of half an hour, having urgent 

 business to transact within a limited time. 



After resting for an hour and a-half, during which time 

 our attendants refreshed themselves with parched grain and 

 a " chillum," we made for some hummocks, upon which stood 

 half a dozen huts, unprotected from the sun and storms, 



