II ON THE JAMBENI RANGE 35 



open ground, standing close to a rather bushy Httle low tree. 

 As I wanted meat for my men I went after them. The wind 

 being right I got the tree between me and them and ap- 

 proached. But I could see through the tree that they were 

 disturbed (probably by the tick birds which are nearly always 

 with rhinos and give them warning of approaching danger), so 

 scuttled up to a tiny little bush, only about three feet high, grow- 

 ing some thirty or forty yards from where they stood, and sat 

 down, meaning to wait till one should show itself from behind 

 the tree and be ready for a steady shot. But just as I did 

 so one came half out on one side, offering a perfect side-shot. 

 Though I could see that it was but a smallish one and thought 

 from what I could make out through the tree that the other 

 was much larger, as I knew they would be off immediately 

 I thought it a pity to lose so tempting a chance, so gave 

 her (it was a female) a bullet from my .577 just in the right 

 spot behind the shoulder. Instantly the male came out 

 straight for me. I had no time for a careful aim ; he was 

 almost on me before I fired as it was, and sitting on the 

 ground is not the most desirable position in which to receive 

 the charge of a rhinoceros. He was not more than six paces 

 from me when he turned off and bespattered me and my 

 gun with spots of mud from the wet ground. So sudden 

 was it all that I could not say whether it was the second 

 before my shot that he lowered his nose (as for a charge) or 

 the second after (as it might be stumbling to the shock of 

 the bullet) ; but I know he did so just before swerving off. 

 He then galloped away, passing his dead mate (for she was 

 already down not more than fifty yards from where she had 

 stood) on his way. I did not follow him, but sent two men 

 back to camp to call more to carry in the meat, leaving one 

 at the carcase, and went on with the other two, together with 

 my gun-bearer and the native. 



We crossed a small stream where was a reedy swamp 

 into which led the spoor of a single buffalo — the first I 



