92 
ON SAFARI 
Though not blind, yet rhino use their eyesight but 
little. All I could distinguish among grass and thorn 
was an amorphous mass, of a red-brown colour (from 
wallowing in red mud), with a spiky horn like a smoke¬ 
stack at the hither end. No possible shot was presented, 
and the beast was slowly approaching, feeding on mimosa 
boughs. We therefore crept away through the grass, 
and, gaining the cover of the thorns, soon reached the 
broadside position. Even then, though within less than 
twenty yards, and full broadside on, I was reluctant to 
fire, for in the bad light (the prelude to a coming 
thunderstorm) and the shade of the bush, I could not 
quite distinguish the vital spots. Presently the rhino 
raised his huge head to pull down a mimosa branch 
(akin to eating a mouthful of barbed wire), and the 
whole outline was fully exposed. I placed a *303 solid 
at the point selected—one foot behind the ear and slightly 
below—while Elmi, by my direction, put another, from 
the carbine *303, between eye and ear. The rhino 
merely moved two steps forward, turned deliberately 
round and stood still, with his other broadside exposed. 
We repeated our salute as before, Elmi this time taking 
the neck shot, while I tried a point below the ear and 
slightly forward thereof. The effect this time was 
unmistakable. The great beast dropped straight to 
earth, disappearing from view. For some seconds I 
thought the deed was done, and greatly rejoiced thereat. 
The joy was premature, for once more that vast red- 
brown bulk rose above the thorns, and slowly, deliberately 
walked away. 
Only a single cartridge now remained. I followed 
the rhino, walking some thirty yards behind him, 
awaiting a chance. Presently he left the bush, and, 
with head carried low and a dead-sick gait, entered the 
open grass street. This time I decided to try the heart, 
presuming that a rhino carries such an appendage 
(which I now doubt), or, at any rate, the shoulder. 
The distance, ere I had perfected a thrice-refined aim, 
was near eighty yards, and I heard the bullet tell. 
