VI RETURN TO MOMBASA 123 



I have myself shot a pair of which the female had the second 

 horn much longer than the front one, while her mate carried 

 the ordinary kind. I do not say that the animals may not 

 vary slightly in size or shade of colour of the skin accord- 

 ing to the country they inhabit, just as some species of 

 antelopes (such as the bushbuck and, to a less extent, the 

 duiker) have types agreeing with the character of their sur- 

 roundings ; but length of horn is no more a distinction than 

 long or short hair among ourselves. I merely record the 

 conclusions I have arrived at as the result of my own personal 

 experience, and as perhaps helping to explain the different 

 opinions expressed by other travellers ; my own being that, 

 take him all in all, there is no occasion to stand in much awe 

 of " the armed rhinoceros." 



There is one other observation that may be worth noting ; 

 namely, as to the voice of this curious, old-fashioned-looking 

 creature, as I have not seen it alluded to. As far as I know, 

 there are three sounds which a rhino can make. When dis- 

 turbed, he makes a snorting like a steam-engine as he runs. 

 Sometimes a mortally wounded rhino cries, when dying ; the 

 cry is in a high key, but hardly shrill enough to be called a 

 squeal. The third is the natural call, used, I suppose, to its 

 mate. This I have heard only at night, when all was still in 

 camp. It seems to me most to resemble the bubbling of a 

 camel, only in a lower key ; it also sometimes reminds one 

 somewhat of the amorous grunting of impala rams. At one 

 of my hunting-camps, which was in the midst of thick bush 

 where rhinos were numerous, I heard it frequently. Rhinos 

 are also found in very open country in Central Africa, and may 

 often be seen apparently grazing ; though closer observation 

 shows that it is not the grass itself, but certain plants among 

 it, which they eat. 



Among other news that awaited me on my return to Laiju 

 I learned that a German gentleman (Dr. Kolb) was at the Tana 

 unable to proceed owing to difficulties with his caravan, and the 



