Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
BY DANIEL w. sTREETFR.

II AVE IuIlubSS 1IOLn CdIup we
- crossed the trails Of our first
rhino-two of misunderstanding
Il from the river to the thicker
bush that skirted the mountains
The size of these impressions disturbed
me. They were bigger than soup plates,
while the weight of the animals was
evidenced by the fact that they were
impressed 3 or inches into the I'M
responsive ground.
Here Gregg left us. "You follow
these blighters," he said. "I'm going
down the valley after buffalo"
In and among the clumps of bushes
we steadily followed the tracks. Then
was peering across little glade at
two colossal gray bodies. It was all
so matter of-fact and casual 1t seemed
preposterous. Above them fluttered
some small birds. "Rhino birds, !" whis-
pered Flint. The sun was just peeping
over the mountains, Transforming the
steely light into warmer tones The
doves still hurled their soft challenge
to the dawn.
My knees began to shake like couple
of aspens. Great wabbly shivers ran
up and down my spine. It was not
precisely what I had expected There
was sinister insolence about the huge
bodies that filled me with foreboding.
"Shoot-shoot," Kissed Flint.
do you really think I ought TOP" I
whispered. Opening hostilities in this
cold-blooded way seemed little short of
counting death.
well, what-the-deuce did you come
down here for?" he whispered back.
I shot.
Afterwards I realized I had merely
pulled the trigger, holding the gun In
my hands like the nozzle of hose. The
rhinos relieved themselves of two very
authentic snortS and vanished They
were just as frightened as I was.
Sorry" said to Flint.
Garry on he answered land next
time don't use that rife as, though it
was a bean-blower."
Through series of small grassy
glades we cautiously picked our way
Then Flint grabbed my arm and
pointed. There. on the opposite side of
a small open space, stood another pair
OF these slab-sided angels. They
seemed as plentiful as rabbits. In dis
lance they were % yards from where
we stood. Afterwards measured it.
Alert, noses in air, they posed, intent
on locating the danger some instinct
warned them was approaching.
Now" whispered Flint.
They're nothing but big bluffs" I
murmured, and pulled the trigger.
The bullet struck one in the chest
could see the spot. With snort that
sounded like dozen engines exhaust
ing steam. 1t whirled with the agility
of a cat and charged straight at US.
From that moment my actions were
guided by forces over which I had no
control I threw down my gun and
ran. The rhino appeared to be on top
of me. In fact he was-right on top
of me. Twenty-seven and half inches
of horn was thirsting for my blood. !
ran. In three strides I was tangled
inextricably in a thorn-apple tree.
abundantly decorated with needlelike
thorns an inch and a half long. I
will it enter first?" wondered. How
will it feel?" Oh! Jeptha, Judge Of
Israel, how scared was! For what
seemed an age I doundered.
Then Flint said: Hes gone. Badly
wounded. Come on"
With difficulty managed to unlock
myself. indicating my running away,
Flint remarked, 1.-THE very worst thing
you could dc"
TT was natural and spontaneous, at
| any rate" answered unashamed--it
seemed the better policy.
WELL" he said, "the next time it
happens try not to be natural"
X " n
' X7E followed the spoor in and out
! w among the bushes. Then, as we
| stood in the shadow of thicket, the
! terrible explosive snort Of the wounded
, rhino filled the air on its opposite side.
! Again, the impulse to run was we'll
| nigh irresistible, but this time I con-
! trolled 1t. There was no place to run
Cautiously we edged around the bush.
! The head and shoulders of the beast
! became visible through the leaves. 1t
was very sick rhino. Flint and
| both shot. Without sound. 1t sank
! to the ground-dead.
To see monumental animal full of
vibrant life dashing about in a frenzy
! of rage one moment, and the next,
| abruptly sinking to the earth, an inert
| lifeless mass, Is shocking. The world
became suddenly still with the dra-
matte stiffness that follows a catas-
trophe.
From various dingles and copes the
boys appeared full Of delight Here were
| tons of meat. The boys were turned
loose on the cadaver. Like a group of
first-year medical students they leapt
upon it.
AS Flint and sat in the shade watch
| ing. boy burst through the bushes
breathless and exhausted. The muscles
| of his legs were taut. His knee-caps
trembled ridiculously. His mouth work.
| ed and grimaced uncontrollably. Clear
ly he had Travelled fast, and the memory
OF something disturbing still fingered