When we
remounted, every man was well laden.
We were thus leisurely returning home through alternate plains
and low open forest of mimosa, when Taher Sheriff, who was
leading the party, suddenly reined up his horse, and pointed to
a thick bush, beneath which was a large grey, but shapeless,
mass. He whispered, as I drew near, "Oom gurrin" (mother of the
horn), their name for the rhinoceros. I immediately dismounted,
and, with the short No. 10 Tatham rifle I advanced as near as I
could, followed by Suleiman, as I had sent all my gun-bearers
direct home by the river when we had commenced our circuit. As I
drew near, I discovered two rhinoceros asleep beneath a thick
mass of bushes; they were lying like pigs, close together, so
that at a distance I had been unable to distinguish any exact
form. It was an awkward place; if I were to take the wind fairly,
I should have to fire through the thick bush, which would be
useless; therefore I was compelled to advance with the wind
direct from me to them. The aggageers remained about a hundred
yards distant, while I told Suleiman to return, and hold my horse
in readiness with his own. I then walked quietly to within about
thirty yards of the rhinoceros, but so curiously were they lying
that it was useless to attempt a shot.
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