175 
ch. vm] A FINE RHINOCEROS 
giraffes stared at us with silly curiosity rather than 
alarm ; twice I was within range of the bigger one. At 
last Bakhari, the gun-bearer, pointed to a grey mass on 
the plain, and a glance through the glasses showed that 
it was a rhino lying asleep with his legs doubled under 
him. He proved to be a big bull, with a front horn 
nearly twenty-six inches long. I was anxious to try the 
sharp-pointed bullets of the little Springfield rifle on 
him; and Cuninghame and I, treading cautiously, 
walked up wind straight toward him, our horses follow¬ 
ing a hundred yards behind. He was waked by the 
tick-birds, and twisted his head to and fro, but at first 
did not seem to hear us, although looking in our 
direction. When we were a hundred yards off he 
rose and faced us, huge and threatening, head up and 
tail erect. But he lacked heart after all. I fired into 
his throat, and, instead of charging, he whipped round 
and was off at a gallop, immediately disappearing over 
a slight rise. We ran back to our horses, mounted, 
and galloped after him. He had a long start, and, 
though evidently feeling his wound, was going strong, 
and it was some time before we overtook him. I 
tried to gallop alongside, but he kept swerving; so, 
jumping off (fortunately, I was riding Tranquillity), 
I emptied the magazine at his quarters and flank. 
Rapid galloping does not tend to promote accuracy 
of aim; the rhino went on, and, remounting, I fol¬ 
lowed, overtook him, and repeated the performance. 
This time he wheeled and faced round, evidently with 
the intention of charging ; but a bullet straight in his 
chest took all the fight out of him, and he continued 
his flight. But his race was evidently run, and when I 
next overtook him I brought him down. I had put 
nine bullets into him, and though they had done their 
