n's eyes, ready to press
trigger at the first forward movement, however slight. Thus we took
several exposures in the two cameras. Unfortunately one of the cameras
fell in the river the next day. The other contained but one exposure.
While not so spectacular as some of those spoiled, it shows very well
the erect mane, the wicked narrowing of the eyes, the flattening of the
ears of an angry lion. You must imagine, furthermore, the deep rumbling
diapason of his growling.

We backed away, and B. put in the finishing shot. The first bullet,
we then found, had penetrated the kidneys, thus inflicting a temporary
paralysis.

When we came to skin him we found an old-fashioned lead bullet between
the bones of his right forepaw. The entrance wound had so entirely
healed over that hardly the trace of a scar remained. From what I know
of the character of these beasts, I have no doubt that this ancient
injury furnished the reason for his staying to attack us instead of
departing with the other three lions over the hill.

Following the course of the river, we one afternoon came around a bend
on a huge herd of mixed game that had been down to water. The river,
a quite impassable barrier lay to our right, and an equally impassable
precipitous ravine barred their flight ahead. They were forced to cross
our front, quite close, within the hundred yards. We stopped to watch
them go, a seemingly endless file of them, some very much frightened,
bounding spasmodically as though stung; others more philosophical,
loping easily and unconcernedly; still others to a few-even stopping for
a moment to get a good view of us. The very young creatures, as always,
bounced along absolutely stiff-legged, exactly like wooden animals
suspended by an elastic, touching the ground and rebounding high,
without a bend of the knee nor an apparent effort of the muscles.
Young animals seem to have to learn how to bend their legs for the most
efficient travel. The same is true of human babies as well. In this herd
were, we estimated, some four or five hundred beasts.

While hunting near the foothills I came across the body of a large eagle
suspended by one leg from the crotch of a limb. The bird's talon had
missed its grip, probably on alighting, the tarsus had slipped through
the crotch beyond the joint, the eagle had fallen forward, and had never
been able to flop itself back to an upright position!

XXI. THE RHINOCEROS

The rhinoceros is, with