IV 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



133 



shoot, as my boy, Sururu, was between me and the 

 onrushing animal. In an instant he caught Sururu, 

 and with horror I saw the boy's body flying through 

 the air, and had just sufficient time to throw myself to 

 one side into the bush, ere the animal thundered past 

 me and disappeared in the long grass. 



When I reached Sururu I found him lying on his 

 side, groaning. At the time of this adventure Sururu 

 was wearing an old canvas coat of mine, much too large 

 for him. In a lower pocket of this coat he kept my 

 compass and a heavy silver watch. The horn of the 

 rhinoceros, after passing between his legs from the rear, 

 broke the compass to bits, dented the thick case of the 

 watch, and glancing off, inflicted a dangerous-looking 

 wound in the groin. Had it not been for the thick 

 canvas coat, the compass, and the watch, I think the 

 blow would have been attended with fatal results. 

 After a few minutes Sururu recovered sufficiently from 

 the shock to be placed upon my horse, when we started 

 on our way with any but pleasant thoughts and feelings. 



As before stated, the grass was so thick that it was 

 impossible to see a rhinoceros until the animal was 

 actually upon one, so that avoiding the rush of one 

 of these animals in this thicket was more a matter of 

 good luck than good judgment. 



Fifteen minutes after the accident to Sururu we 

 reached a small open space in the tall grass. At this 

 point there was lying across our path the trunk of a 

 small, dead tree. Here my attention was arrested by 

 a disagreeable sight only ten feet away, but on the 

 other side of the fallen tree. There stood a rhinoc- 

 eros facing me. It was impossible for us to turn back, 



