HUNTING IN THE SOTIK 
181 
furiously in their own peculiar fashion. By careful stalk¬ 
ing Kermit got some good pictures of the wildebeest in 
spite of their wariness. Like other game they seem most 
apt to lie down during the heat of the day; but they may 
lie down at night too; at any rate, I noticed one herd of 
hartebeest which after feeding through the late afternoon 
lay down at nightfall. 
After getting the bull rhino, Heller needed a cow and 
calf to complete the group; and Kermit and I got*^him 
what he needed, one day when we were out alone with our 
£un-bearers. About the middle of the forenoon we made 
out the huge gray bulk of the rhino, standing in the bare 
plain, with not so much as a bush two feet high within 
miles; and we soon also made out her calf beside her. 
Getting the wind right we rode up within a quarter of a 
mile, and then dismounted and walked slowly toward her. 
It seemed impossible that on that bare plain we could 
escape even her dull vision, for she stood with her head in 
our direction; yet she did not see us, and actually lay 
down as we walked toward her. Careful examination 
through the glasses showed that she was an unusually big 
cow, with thick horns of fair length—twenty-three inches 
and thirteen inches respectively. Accordingly we proceeded, 
making as little noise as possible. At fifty yards she made 
us out, and jumped to her feet with unwieldy agility. Kneel¬ 
ing I sent the bullet from th^ heavy Holland just in front of 
her right shoulder as she half faced me. It went through 
her vitals, lodging behind the opposite shoulder; and at 
once she began the curious death waltz which is often, 
though by no means always, the sign of immediate disso¬ 
lution in a mortally wounded rhino. Kermit at once put 
