STALKING RHINOCEROS 
147 
might, as it was about eleven o’clock, be lying asleep anywhere 
in the neighbourhood, perhaps even on the back track, for 
near midday the rhino generally lies down to digest his 
breakfast; and if Mr. ‘ Tsckucurroo ’ (native for rhinoceros) got 
our scent before we came upon him, then good-bye to the day’s 
sport, for he would be off. We all of us immediately made 
down wind several hundred yards, in a bunch, and then, 
spreading out in line, carefully quartered up the wind, eagerly 
looking out for the great dark hulk lying asleep behind some 
bush. Cautiously we came along, each one alert to the slightest 
sound or signal. To me it looked at last as if we were to have 
our trouble in vain, when suddenly Chiki on the extreme right 
gave a slight snap of the fingers and stood rigidly pointing to 
the foot of a large tree in front of him. Each passed the 
signal on, but I had clearly taken in the position at the first 
sound, and stooping low made my way over to Chiki, and by 
a circuit came up behind him. There, sure enough, lay the 
enormous hulk of a blue rhinoceros with his back towards us, 
fast asleep, his horn dangling loosely in the sand. There was no 
necessity for hurry or fear, hut as I took the 4-bore from Chiki, 
also retaining the Swinburne-Henry for a possible second shot, 
my hoys made off silently but quickly, losing no time in the 
performance, and I was left alone. I walked up to within fifteen 
yards while the brute lay quite still, then taking up a loose stick 
and holding the 4-bore in my left hand with the Swinburne- 
Henry fixed between my knees full cock to be handy, I flung the 
stick at the brute, bringing the four-pounder up at once, in readi¬ 
ness to shoot. The rhinoceros, disturbed in his slumbers, was rising 
slowly on to his knees when he caught sight of me, and had just 
braced himself for a more rapid effort, when I pulled. Drop¬ 
ping the big gun in the sand, I jumped clear of the smoke 
to see what was going on, and if necessary to avoid a charge; 
but for this there was no occasion, for the four-ounce bullet, 
driven in behind the shoulder by fourteen drams of powder 
had done its work: the rhino lay quivering in death agony, and 
with a last mighty kick or two surrendered his earthly being. 
