y horse I got and began to sneak up on them through the low tufts
of grass. They fed quite calmly. I congratulated myself, and slipped
nearer. Without even looking in my direction, they trotted away.
Somewhat chagrined, I returned to my companions, and we rode on.

Then across a mile-wide valley we saw two dark objects in the tall
grass; and almost immediately identified these as rhinoceroses, the
first we had seen. They stood there side by side, gazing off into space,
doing nothing in a busy morning world. After staring at them through our
glasses for some time, we organized a raid. At the bottom of the valley
we left the horses and porters; lined up, each with his gunbearer at his
elbow; and advanced on the enemy. B. was to have the shot According to
all the books we should have been able, provided we were downwind
and made no noise, to have approached within fifty or sixty yards
undiscovered. However, at a little over a hundred yards they both turned
tail and departed at a swift trot, their heads held well up and their
tails sticking up straight and stiff in the most ridiculous fashion.
No good shooting at them in such circumstances, so we watched them go,
still keeping up their slashing trot, growing smaller and smaller in the
distance until finally they disappeared over the top of a swell.

We set ourselves methodically to following them. It took us over an hour
of steady plodding before we again came in sight of them. They were this
time nearer the top of a hill, and we saw instantly that the curve of
the slope was such that we could approach within fifty yards before
coming in sight at all. Therefore, once more we dismounted, lined up in
battle array, and advanced.

Sensations? Distinctly nervous, decidedly alert, and somewhat
self-congratulatory that I was not more scared. No man can predicate how
efficient he is going to be in the presence of really dangerous game.
Only the actual trial will show. This is not a question of courage at
all, but of purely involuntary reaction of the nerves. Very few men are
physical cowards. They will and do face anything. But a great many men
are rendered inefficient by the way their nervous systems act under
stress. It is not a matter for control by will power in the slightest
degree. So the big game hunter must determine by actual trial whether it
so happens that the great excitement of danger renders his hand shaky or
steady. The excitement in either case is the same. No man