THS RHINOCEROS . BIRD. 293 



In the eveBing one of the parties sent out to seek for 

 the spoor of elephants returned to campj stating that a 

 small tribe of Bakalahari, who resided in a range of 

 mountains to the east, reported these beasts to frequent 

 tlie forests in the vicinity of their abode, and Mutebu- 

 isho, Sicomy's uncle, who attended me while hunting 

 his country, accordingly requested me to hold myself 

 in readiness to accompany him in quest of the elephants 

 at an early hour next day. It was customary withiWne 

 to console myself, when hope had almost died under a 

 long-continued run of bad luck, by saying to myself 

 that " Patience will have her perfect work ;" thus mak- 

 ing up my mind that a man who is a good stalker and 

 a fair rifle-shot must eventually obtain by perseverance 

 whatever game he seeks to kill. But in the present 

 instance tfaing» looked so bad that I had begun to think 

 it not improbable that I might be compelled to leave 



their voice is very similar to that of the mistletoe thrash. Many a time 

 have tjiese ever-watchful birds disappointed me in my st^lk, and tempt- 

 ed me to invoke an anathema upon their devoted heads. They are the 

 best friends the rhinoceros Taaa, and rarely fail to awaken him even in 

 his soundest nap. " Chnkuroo" perfectly understands their warning, 

 and, springing to his feet, he generally first looks about him in every 

 direction, after which he invariably makes off. I have often hunted a 

 rhinoceros on horseback, which" led me a chase of many miles, and re- 

 quired a number of shots before he fell, during which chase several of 

 these birds remained by the rhinoceros to the last. They reminded 

 mo of mariners on the deck of some bark sailing on the ocean, for they 

 perched along his back and sides ; - and as each of my bullets told on 

 the shoulder of the rhinoceros, they ascended about six feet into the 

 air, i;ittering their harsh cry of alarm, and then resumed their position. 

 It BCHuetimes happened that the lower branches of trees, under which 

 the rhinoceros passed, swept them from their living deck, but they at 

 ways recovered their former station ; they also adhere to the rhinoceros 

 during the night. I have often shot these animals at midnight when 

 drinking at the fountains, and the birds^ imagining they were asleep, 

 remained vdth them till morning, and on my approaching, before tak 

 iug flight, they eierted themselves to their utmost to awaken Chi&a 

 rno from his deep sleep. 



