monster, with its formidable horn lowered, came rushing on,
the trader, raising his rifle, fired, and then, before the smoke had
cleared off, with an agility which could scarcely have been expected in
a man of his proportions, sprang on one side. Almost at the same moment
a crack was heard from Umgolo's rifle, and the rhinoceros sank to the
ground, uttering a loud scream indicative of pain and also of anger at
finding itself foiled in its onslaught.

In vain the brute attempted to rise. Umgolo sprang forward and plunged
his assegai into its breast. The hunters' sharp knives soon cut through
the tough skin, and several slices of the flesh were added to the store
of meat with which they set off on their return to the camp. It was the
leader's intention to send some of his people to bring in the horn and a
further portion of the flesh, should it not in the meantime have been
devoured by jackals, hyenas, and other scavengers of the wilds. Their
arrival was greeted with a shout of satisfaction by the people. While
some eagerly set to work to cook the meat brought to them, others went
out to bring in a further supply. On their return, each man loaded with
as much as he could carry, they reported that they had been only just in
time to drive off a pack of wolves which would soon have left them the
bare bones alone for their share.

Although they had performed a long and rough day's journey, they sat up
round the fire late into the night, cooking and eating the rhinoceros
and water-buck flesh, and relating to each other their oft-told
adventures. As soon as darkness came on, the cattle were driven in and
secured close to the waggon, and sentries, with muskets in their hands,
were placed to watch them, as well as to serve as guards to the rest of
the camp.

The trader's accustomed sleeping-place was inside his waggon, where, by
the light of a lantern hung from the roof, he could sit and read or
write when so disposed. After allowing his followers sufficient time to
amuse themselves, he shouted to them to cease their noise and go to
sleep. To hear with his well-disciplined hunters and drivers was to
obey, and at once rolling themselves up in their blankets or karosses
they lay down round the fire, which had previously been made up, so as
to last some hours without additional fuel. He then, before turning in
himself, took a turn round the camp, stopping occasionally to listen for
any sounds which might indicate that a