ATTACKED BY RHINOS 151 



rhino had been there. Had we been there yesterday, 

 there would have been rhino." 



"I suppose they were beautiful rhino then." 

 "Ah, Bwana, fine rhino, the biggest you ever 

 saw," so expostulated the rascals, though the game 

 may have been quite ordinary; then, — "Do not be 

 angry with us. You want good rhino and we only 

 want to help you see good rhino." 



With such childlike good nattire and naive philoso- 

 phy we had constantly to contend and it all added 

 much to the countless other difficulties of the expedi- 

 tion. However, it afforded some amusement, on 

 calmer reflection, and relieved the tedium of some of 

 our journeys. And often I tried to soimd the boys 

 out, to delve into the dark chambers of the brains 

 of these people, who have been sunbaked for cen- 

 turies into indolence and stupidity and who have been 

 rendered hopeless by constant oppression from 

 Northern tribes and too often from the white traders, 

 to say nothing of generations of slave hunters before 

 them. It is not all their fault. 



At times I think the rhino work got a bit on my 

 nerves. The creatures themselves were stupid. The 

 heat was often terrific. And the boys, like children, 

 had their temperamental ups and downs in the most 

 unexpected fashion. 



I recall one morning in rhino country when I 

 especially instructed the boys to remain together as 



