in view of the enemy as we arrived at the edge of
each successive hollow. Sure enough, as I glanced
down a sudden inclination covered with scorched
mimosas, I perceived him standing on the slope beneath
a tree within five-and-thirty paces ; this was
close enough, and I took a steady shot behind the
shoulder. The instant that I fired, he whisked
sharply round, and looked upon all sides for the
cause of his wound. I had taken the precaution to
kneel down immediately after firing, and I now
crouched close to a rock about two feet high, with
which my brown blouse matched exactly, as well as
my skin-covered hunting-cap. For . a few moments
he sought upon all sides for an enemy, during which
I remained like a block of stone, but with my finger
on the trigger ready for the left-hand barrel should he
charge. Taher Noor was lying on the ground behind
a stone about five yards from me, and the rhinoceros,
having failed to discover us, walked slowly past me
within less than ten yards, and gained the summit
of the inclination, where the ground was level. As
he passed, I reloaded quickly, and followed behind
him. I saw that he was grievously wounded, as he
walked slowly, and upon arrival at a thickly-spreading
mimosa he laid down. We now advanced towards
the tree, and I sent Taher Noor round to the other
side in order to divert his attention should he be able
to rise. This he quickly proved by springing up as
I advanced; accordingly, I halted until Taher Noor
had taken his stand about eighty paces beyond the
tree. The rhinoceros now turned' and faced him;
this gave me the opportunity that I had expected,
and I ran quickly to within thirty yards, just in
time to obtain a good shoulder shot, as hearing my
footsteps he turned towards me. Whiff! whiff! and
he charged vigorously upon the shot; but just as I
prepared to fire the remaining barrel, he ran round
and round in a narrow circle, uttering a short, shrill
cry, and fell heavily upon his side. I threw a stone
at him, but he was already dead. Taher Noor returned
for the people, who shortly arrived with the
camels. I found that the last bullet of quicksilver
and lead from my Reilly No. 10 had passed completely
through the body, just behind the shoulder.
The first shot was also a mortal wound, having broken
one rib upon either side, and passed through the
posterior portion of the lungs ; the bullet was sticking
under the skin on the opposite flank. The hide of
the rhinoceros is exceedingly easy to detach from the
body, as. the quality is- so hard and stiff that it separates
from the flesh like the peel of a ripe orange.
In a couple of hours, the hide had been detached
in sections for shields, and sufficient flesh was loaded
upon the camel, together with the vicious-looking
head, which was secured by ropes upon the saddle.
We were en route for the camp, when we suddenly
came upon fresh elephant tracks, upon following
which, we discovered, after about an hour’s march,
the spoor of horses on the. same path. At once the
truth flashed upon me that, although Abou Do had