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 ist 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 
variety 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 my 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 
