The instant that I
fired, he whisked sharply round, and looked upon all sides for
the cause of his wound. I had taken the precaution to kneel down
immediately after firing, and I now crouched close to a rock
about two feet high, with which my brown blouse matched exactly,
as well as my skin-covered hunting-cap. For a few moments he
sought upon all sides for an enemy, during which I remained like
a block of stone, but with my finger on the trigger ready for the
left-hand barrel should he charge. Taher Noor was lying on the
ground behind a stone about five yards from me, and the
rhinoceros, having failed to discover us, walked slowly past me
within less than ten yards, and gained the summit of the
inclination, where the ground was level. As he passed, I reloaded
quickly, and followed behind him. I saw that he was grievously
wounded, as he walked slowly, and upon arrival at a
thickly-spreading mimosa he lay down. We now advanced towards the
tree, and I sent Taher Noor round to the other side in order to
divert his attention should he be able to rise. This he quickly
proved by springing up as I advanced; accordingly, I halted until
Taher Noor had taken his stand about eighty paces beyond the
tree.
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