392 
African Game Trails 
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 tow¬ 
ard him, our horses following a hundred 
yards behind. He was waked by the tick 
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 per¬ 
formance. This time he wheeled and 
faced round, evidently with the intention of 
charging, but a bullet straight in his chest 
Rliii 
o and young, 
aph by Kermit Roosevelt. 
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 charg¬ 
ing, he whipped round and was off at a gal¬ 
lop, 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 
took all the fight out of him, and he con¬ 
tinued his flight. But his race was evi¬ 
dently run, and when I next overtook him I 
brought him down. I had put nine bullets 
in him; and though they had done their 
work well, and I was pleased to have killed 
the huge brute with the little sharp-pointed 
bullets of the Springfield, I was confirmed in 
my judgment that for me personally the big 
Holland rifle was the best weapon for heavy 
game, although I did not care as much for 
it against lighter-bodied beasts like lions. 
In all we galloped four miles after this 
wounded rhino bull. 
