w on the skyline, when suddenly at a distance of
about three hundred yards from the ant-heap, and on its further side, I
saw my rhino stand up in a patch of grass.

"'Heavens!' I thought to myself, 'he's off again;' but no, after
standing staring for a minute or two he once more lay down.

"Now I found myself in a quandary. As you know, a rhinoceros is a very
short-sighted brute, indeed his sight is as bad as his scent is good.
Of this fact he is perfectly aware, but he always makes the most of his
natural gifts. For instance, when he lies down he invariably does so
with his head down wind. Thus, if any enemy crosses his wind he will
still be able to escape, or attack him; and if, on the other hand, the
danger approaches up wind he will at least have a chance of seeing it.
Otherwise, by walking delicately, one might actually kick him up like a
partridge, if only the advance was made up wind.

"Well, the point was, how on earth should I get within shot of this
rhinoceros? After much deliberation I determined to try a side approach,
thinking that in this way I might get a shoulder shot. Accordingly we
started in a crouching attitude, I first, Gobo holding on to my coat
tails, and the other boy on to Gobo's moocha. I always adopt this plan
when stalking big game, for if you follow any other system the bearers
will get out of line. We arrived within three hundred yards safely
enough, and then the real difficulties began. The grass had been
so closely eaten off by game that there was scarcely any cover.
Consequently it was necessary to go on to our hands and knees, which
in my case involved laying down the eight-bore at every step and then
lifting it up again. However, I wriggled along somehow, and if it had
not been for Gobo and his friend no doubt everything would have gone
well. But as you have, I dare say, observed, a native out stalking is
always of that mind which is supposed to actuate an ostrich--so long as
his head is hidden he seems to think that nothing else can be seen. So
it was in this instance, Gobo and the other boy crept along on their
hands and toes with their heads well down, but, though unfortunately
I did not notice it till too late, bearing the fundamental portions of
their frames high in the air. Now all animals are quite as suspicious of
this end of mankind as they are of his face, and of that fact I soon had
a proof. Just when we had got within about two hundred yards, and I was
congratulating myse