276 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



drought must have caused all the water in the surrounding 

 country, far back in every direction, to dry up, thus forcing all 

 the elephants to resort to the lake shores. This is also shown 

 by the obvious proofs 1 have noticed of the lake having filled 

 up very much of recent years. I could see no signs whatever 

 of elephants having frequented the neighbourhood for a long 

 time back, the only evidence of their ever having done so being, 

 besides the ancient tusks above mentioned, an old skull and a 

 few very much decayed bones. 



Though I had kept a careful look-out for rhinoceros all 

 along the coast, and occasionally noticed their tracks, it was 

 not till 2 I St December that I met with the animal itself. On 

 that morning, a couple of hours after starting, I saw one ahead. 

 As already explained, I was particularly anxious to get one 

 here to examine, and obtain a specimen of the supposed small 

 variet}' said to be peculiar to this region. At the same time 

 an abundant supply of meat for my men would be most 

 acceptable ; so I halted the caravan, took my Lee-Metford 

 magazine rifle, and went after it. The wind was not un- 

 favourable, blowing from our right, while the rhino was 

 advancing slowly towards us but diagonally across our line 

 of march. The ground was perfectly open, not a stick or 

 tuft a foot high anywhere ; and as I went forward towards the 

 left, in the endeavour to cut it off, it seemed to see me. But when 

 it looked in my direction I kept still, and it appeared reassured 

 and fed as it went, for on raising its head again from the 

 ground I could see it was chewing. Pice was at my heels ; 

 and on m}' giving him a caution in a hoarse stage whisper, the 

 rhino looked up towards us. But it came on again, and I got 

 right in front of it. Its attendant birds alarmed it a little by 

 flying off, but it still came unconcernedly on. I had sat down 

 — my favourite position for a steady shot,- — and when our 

 friend got within thirty yards and still continued to advance 

 straight for me, with nothing but a little rough grass between 

 us, I thought it time to try to make him halt, my attitude not 



