A Breath from the Veldt 



249 



He said the white rhinoceri (M'Combo) were now getting very scarce, but 

 there were still a few left in the country to the south of us, and when disturbed 

 from the pan where we now stood, they drank at two others known to himself, 

 a day's march to the south. ^ So next day we set off into the open, waterless 

 country of this great plain, though hardly expecting to see much in the way of 



THE " COUP DE GRACE 



game, as there was little or no spoor but of roan antelope, etc. As more than 

 usual good luck, however, favoured us this day, I shall describe a few of its 

 incidents. The weather was very hot even for the east coast, so we decided to 

 take Prince with us, carrying two large water-bottles. And lucky for us we 



1 There is a great extent of practically unexplored country in this part of Mashonaland ; and there, 1 

 feel assured, when hunters penetrate, will still be found a few white rhinoceri. These animals have retreated 

 into the " fly " belt, as has lately been proved by their existence in the north of Zululand, where they have 

 long been considered extinct. 



2 K 



