VAGARIES OF BEDUE 



175 



from it. We were under very good cover, but I could not see 

 the animal well enough to fire, so I had to step out in the open. 

 The rhinoceros, which had probably already scented his danger, 

 no sooner saw me than he charged full upon me. I fired from 

 the shoulder with my 577 Express ; there was a loud report, 

 but no apparent result, the animal dashing on without a pause. 

 I was now for a moment the hunted instead of the hunter, the 

 rhinoceros following my zigzag course only, fortunately, to rush 

 beyond me. A second shot was now possible. I fired, but 

 too low ; however, after running another two 

 hundred paces the animal stood still. Bedue, 

 who had been very much in my way when I 

 shot the second time, now, in excited delight, 

 rushed at my victim ; why, I cannot imagine. 

 Anyhow he drove the animal away, for it 

 dashed off, and though we followed its track 

 for some time we lost it, chiefly because, coming 

 upon quite fresh elephant-spoors, we turned 

 aside for them ; also in vain, for we saw nothing 

 more. Our rest at night was constantly dis- 

 turbed by the grunting and splashing of the 

 hippopotami in the lake. 



6 May 30. — I made a very successful double 

 shot, bringing down two Mpala antelopes at once. I left two 

 men in charge of them and went on. Very soon these men 

 rushed breathlessly after me to tell me they had seen three 

 lions. Traces of these animals could be clearly made out, 

 but they led into a thorn thicket, into which it was impossible 

 to follow them. On the way home I shot a wild hog and a 

 couple of guinea-fowls, 



'May 31. — I had the tents struck, and went hunting with 

 my whole caravan back to the camp on the upper lake. The 

 results were small and not worth the trouble taken. I had 



HORNS OF MPALA 

 ANTELOPE. 



