pwind.

We laid very low, hoping that, as before, he would change his mind as to
direction. But now he was no longer looking, but travelling. Nearer
and nearer he came. We could see plainly his little eyes, and hear
the regular swish, swish, swish of his thick legs brushing through the
grass. The regularity of his trot never varied, but to me lying there
directly in his path, he seemed to be coming on altogether too fast
for comfort. From our low level he looked as big as a barn. Memba Sasa
touched me lightly on the leg. I hated to shoot, but finally when he
loomed fairly over us I saw it must be now or never. If I allowed him to
come closer, he must indubitably catch the first movement of my gun
and so charge right on us before I would have time to deliver even an
ineffective shot. Therefore, most reluctantly, I placed the ivory bead
of the great Holland gun just to the point of his shoulder and pulled
the trigger. So close was he that as he toppled forward I instinctively,
though unnecessarily of course, shrank back as though he might fall on
me. Fortunately I had picked my spot properly, and no second shot was
necessary. He fell just twenty-seven feet-nine yards--from where we lay!

The buffalo vanished into the blue. We were left with a dead rhino,
which we did not want, twelve miles from camp, and no water. It was
a hard hike back, but we made it finally, though nearly perished from
thirst.

This beast, be it noted, did not charge us at all, but I consider him
as one of the three undoubtedly animated by hostile intentions. Of the
others I can, at this moment, remember five that might or might not have
been actually and maliciously charging when they were killed or dodged.
I am no mind reader for rhinoceros. Also I am willing to believe in
their entirely altruistic intentions. Only, if they want to get the
practical results of their said altruistic intentions they must really
refrain from coming straight at me nearer than twenty yards. It has been
stated that if one stands perfectly still until the rhinoceros is just
six feet away, and then jumps sideways, the beast will pass him. I never
happened to meet anybody who had acted on this theory. I suppose that
such exist: though I doubt if any persistent exponent of the art is
likely to exist long. Personally I like my own method, and stoutly
maintain that within twenty yards it is up to the rhinoceros to begin to
do the dodging.

XXII. THE RHINOCEROS-(cont