perfectly clear to all of us that, if his life was to be
saved, he must be taken with all speed to some
place where he could receive the treatment of a
physician. The nearest one lived at a mission station
called Kibwezi, more that 200 miles distant; so
we decided that Lieutenant von Hohnel should be
carried thither with all possible despatch.
During our absence from Daitcho, George had
continued to maintain the friendliest relations with
the natives. He had learned by experience that the
key to their friendship was an ample supply of meat;
and, being an excellent shot, he had spent at least
three days of each week on shooting-expeditions in
the vicinity of the camp. Although provided with a
.577 express, he used for every species of game
a Mannlicher; and judging from the variety and
quantity of game he succeeded in killing, one is
tempted to come to the conclusion that the Mannlicher
can achieve more satisfactory results than any
other rifle. His bag had consisted of giraffe, hippopotamus,
rhinoceros, lion, and several varieties of
antelope — animals both thick and thin skinned, large
and small, timorous and aggressive. Three of his
adventures are worthy of mention.
One morning just before dawn he was walking
along the banks of the Ura River, which at that
point were clad with a thick growth of a stunted
mimosa. He was in advance of his followers, and
marching carelessly through the bush, when he was
startled by a rhinoceros emerging from the river,
about forty feet distant and on his right. In the
bright light of midday the rhinoceros cannot see
without difficulty; but in the early dawn, late afternoon,
or night, his sight is very keen. Upon seeing
George, this particular beast made for him.
A Mannlicher contains in its magazine five cartridges.
George discharged two without checking the
onrush of the rhinoceros, and the animal was almost
upon him, ere a shot in the spine, just over its rear
horn, brought it to the ground at his feet, lifeless.
This animal had just'fallen, when George’s attention
was attracted by the sounds of crashing bush on his
left, and through the leafless growth he could see another
rhinoceros, charging straight at him, about forty
feet away. He had not time to place more cartridges
in the magazine, but was fortunate enough to kill the
beast with a second and the last shot in his rifle.
From the place where he stood, when the animal
charged him, and from which he had not moved, he
was able, by stooping down, to place his hands upon
the heads of both the rhinoceroses; so close had they
come to him before death checked their rush.
I know of no double-barrelled rifle which has such
a record to its credit.
On another occasion, George had just killed two
antelopes, and reduced the number of cartridges in
his rifle to two, when his little party was charged by
a female rhinoceros, followed by its yearling offspring.
Two shots brought down the mother, and emptied
the rifle; when the parent’s death seemed to fire the
baby rhinoceros with a desire for vengeance. It made
straight at George. A yearling rhinoceros is not much
larger than a Shetland pony, and of but little greater
weieht. Its nose is armed with but one horn, and