174 IN BRIGHTEST AFRICA 
of the Tana below. But the rhino stopped ten or 
fifteen feet from me, gazed at me stupidly, and settled 
down with the apparent intention of going to sleep. 
I took hope when the thought crossed my mind that 
this new terror might settle down with the same in- 
tention as the old rhino, leaving me to my own re- 
sources quite unharmed. So I told my audience the 
story of the rhino, the ice was broken, and I fear I 
nearly talked them to death before the lecture ended. 
Since that time I have talked far and wide. I hope 
I have given some pleasure and entertainment to the 
good people who have listened. I hope also that I 
have created in the minds of my hearers a background 
that will help the art of taxidermy and its practition- 
ers in the future. More especially I hope that I have 
contributed something to the study of natural his- 
tory and that I have stimulated a decent attitude 
toward wild life. 
