THE RHINOCEROS OF THE LADO 411 
panied by about fifty white cow herons. We stood where 
we were until they had passed; we did not wish to get too 
close, lest they might charge us and force us to shoot in 
self-defence. They walked in unhurried confidence, and 
yet were watchful, continually cocking their ears and rais¬ 
ing and curling their trunks. One dropped behind and 
looked fixedly in our direction, probably having heard us 
talking; then with head aloft and tail stiffly erect it has¬ 
tened after the others, presenting an absurd likeness to a 
baboon. The four calves played friskily about, especially 
a very comical little pink fellow which accompanied the 
leading cow. Meanwhile a few of the white herons rode on 
their backs, but most of the flock stalked sedately along¬ 
side through the burnt grass, catching the grasshoppers 
which were disturbed by the great feet. When, however, 
the herd reached the tall grass all the herons flew up and 
perched on the backs and heads of their friends; even 
the pink calf carried one. Half a mile inside the edge of 
the tall grass the elephants stopped for the day beside a 
clump of bushes; and there they stood, the white birds 
clustered on their dark bodies. At the time we could dis¬ 
tinctly hear the Doctor’s shot-gun, as he collected birds 
near camp; the reports did not disturb the elephants, and 
when we walked on we left them standing unconcernedly 
in the grass. 
A couple of hours later, as we followed an elephant 
path, we came to where it was crossed by the spoor of two 
rhino. Our gun-bearers took up the trail, over the burnt 
ground, while Kermit and I followed immediately behind 
them. The trail wound about, and was not always easy 
to disentangle, but after a mile or two we saw the beasts. 
