A HUNTER'S CAMP-FIRES 



while it staggered the oncoming rhino, did not stop it. How- 

 ever, the second bullet shattered a shoulder and brought the 

 rhino to the ground only a few yards distant, and before it 

 could regain its feet my friend slipped in some cartridges and 

 sent in the finishing shots. On investigation he discovered 

 that this rhino had a deep, festering wound in its side, evidently 

 received in an encounter with a rival bull or from one of the 

 Andorobo spear-traps set in the branches of trees. This pain- 

 ful w^ound undoubtedly accounted for the pugnacious disposi- 

 tion of this beast. During the trip I saw one other rhino with 

 a similar wound, but avoided its society. 



During the heat of the day the rhinoceros dozes, flattened 

 out on its side like a sleeping horse or leaning against a con- 

 venient tree-trunk, rock, or ant-hill. A number of times I have 

 almost stumbled over sleeping rhinos in the thick bush, and I 

 have occasionally seen them lying down in the short grass of 

 open plains or on burnt ground among the acacias. Where 

 undisturbed, the rhino feeds in the comparative coolness of the 

 morning and evening, as well as during the night. As for the 

 small, insectivorous birds seen fluttering about the backs of 

 these animals in search of ticks, none of these so-called rhi- 

 noceros birds attempted to warn sleeping or feeding rhinos. 

 The same birds seemed to perch on the backs of the native 

 cattle. 



In proportion to its size, the vitality of this animal is no 

 greater than that of other African game, which seem to possess 

 more endurance when w^ounded than big game of the temperate 

 zone. One of the rhinos shot by Fuguet died instantly from 

 a bullet through the heart from a .35 caliber Winchester. It 

 was standing in the shade of an acacia, and at the report of 

 the rifle doubled its short legs under it and sank to the ground 

 without a kick. In walking, the rhino has a clumsy but de- 

 liberate gait. When trotting, although the erect head and tail 

 and the high action of the short, straight legs under the massive 



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