CH A P T E R VII
O ur guide told us that at a point two days’ journey
beyond the Guaso Nyiro River we could find Wan-
derobbo able to conduct us. Our route to the Guaso
Nyiro River, at least as far as the Ngombe crater, was
the same as we had taken on our way to Lorian.
But two events of interest occurred on our way to
this point. On one occasion, two days’ journey from
Daitcho, I descended from a slight rise at the head
of my caravan, and saw before me, browsing on the
plain not 300 yards distant, two rhinoceroses. The
wind was blowing from us to them, and I little expected
that we should have opportunity to get near
enough to kill them. As I descended the slope
toward the plain on which they were pasturing, they
seemed simultaneously to become aware of our presence,
and with a snort raised their heads, and gazed
in our direction. The action of each upon making
this discovery was different: one of them made off
as fast as it could canter in the direction of the hills
rising on our left, while the other, pausing for a moment,
as if to make sure of our whereabouts, lowered
its head to the ground, and charged us in a determined
manner. I called for my gun-bearer, Karscho,
but found that for some reason he had remained behind
for a moment; so that I was forced to seize a
Mannlicher from one of the Soudanese at the head of
the column. The rhinoceros approached to within 150
yards of the caravan, and then turned off at a slight
angle to our right, thus presenting a fair mark. I
fired three shots in quick succession, but as they appeared
to have no effect upon the movements of the
animal, I concluded I had missed. On it plunged for
perhaps 200 yards; and while I was hesitating whether
or not to give it the two remaining shots in the magazine,
it suddenly tumbled to the ground, and lay lifeless
on its side. Upon examination, I found that all
three shots had taken effect, but so far back in its
body as not to have had immediate effect upon the
activity of the animal. One shot entered between
the last two ribs; the other two penetrated the space
between the ribs and the hind leg. If these wounds
had been inflicted with an express rifle, I feel that I
am correct in stating that I should never have gotten
the rhinoceros. On several occasions in my former
journey. 1 put more than nine .577 shots into the
loins of a rhinoceros, without producing any more
apparent effect than to accelerate its speed.
The meat of this beast was most welcome to my men.
It was a female, and having pastured on the new grass
brought out by the late rains, was in excellent condition.
The other adventure was less pleasant and satisfactory.,
Upon reaching our old camp under the giant
baobab in the neighbourhood of the Kora crater, we
found that, notwithstanding the fact that the rains had
just ended, there was not a drop of water in the immediate
neighbourhood. We went waterless to bed that
night. Knowing that between us and the Guaso Nyiro