Evening star., 1922-12-31

| IOrQ congratulated lHcHi"
| " selves on the success of
their quest for kudu. we
observed on the plains in the far dis
tance great clouds Of dust. We de-
cided that next morning we would
go down and investigate.
! No one in the party, not even one
of the porters, knew the way down,
but we decided to follow along the
stream-that would be sure to take
US to the plains. We expected the
| stream would run out across the
plains to the river, but, to our sur
prise, we found that it disappeared
in the sand as soon as it got down
| out of the hills.
When we started Lord Stafford and
| two gunbearers went ahead OF the
safari and after time came upon
! the fresh track which, his experience
| told him, was that of a rhinoceros.
1t seemed to be travelling just ahead
Of them. Lord Stafford and a couple
of gunbearers followed the trail. 1t
! led them into a deep ravine. Here
signs of extraordinary freshness were
noted So the safari was halted and
the three followed on the trail.
The ravine had many large powders
| and much devils dagger. The latter
grows round, about the size OF q 12-
| gauge shell and three or four feet
high. with a sharp. hard point.
1t is impossible to go through these
daggers when the points are bending
toward you without using the great
est precaution not to let the daggers
| stick into the flesh. which Is not only
painful at the time, but leaves a bad
| sore.
But the rhino paid no attention to
them. and SO, by following his trail
| where he had knocked them down,
they had fairly good going.
TINE ravine came to an end against
| i steep hill, so that there was no
way for the rhino to come out except
from the way he entered. The gun
bearers told me afterward that they
! them on up the ravine. and they fully
expected the rhino would charge
down upon them.
! I suspect that the gunbearers were
content to travel behind and, any
| way. as they rounded bend. Lord
Stafford was in the lead and with
startling suddennes came upon the
i rhino.
The beast was standing behind
some bushes and got their wind Just
as they caught sight Of him.
He snorted twice, then with a great
leap swung his tremendous body in
a ferocious charge. His speed must
have been terrific, as Lord Stafford
had only time to shoot ono barrel
shot did not take effect.
AS he shot the second barrel the
rhino was so close that he tossed the
gun up with his nose. so that th9
bullet went high In the air. His fierce
stroke almost tossed Lord Stafford.
but luckily the force of it was spent
in. knocking the gun from his hands
Lord Stafford tried to fall back
ward. but did not do so quickly
enough. Inc lett SEOuIQer OF tne
enormous animal hit him in the chest
and he came to the ground. 1t
knocked the wind out of him and he
lay helpless beside the trail.
The rhino might have returned and
finished him had not the luckiest
thing that could be imagined hap
pened. The two gunbearers had
taken to their heels and flown down
the trail The wind was blowing
from them to the rhino. SO that he
never hesitated. but went on at full
speed down the trail after them.
Spotting a small tree they dropped
their guns. each jumped and grabbed
a limb and pulled himself up into
the branches as the rhino passed un-
der them and on down the ravine.
The gunbearers picked up their
guns and ran back to see what had
happened to Lord Stafford. AS they
approached he managed to sit up and
in a short time returned to the safari.
much excited. 1t was his second
close call by a rhino. He was pos
sibly frightened at the time, but If
he was it soon wore OF, as in the
DAYS that followed he was both per-
sistent and eager in his search for
danxerous game.