LION HUNTING ON THE KAPITI PLAINS 61 



beast left him and ran off into the darkness. In spite of his 

 torn hand the major was determined to get his assailant, 

 which he felt sure would soon return. Accordingly, he 

 went back to his bed, drew his cocked rifle beside him, 

 pointing toward his feet, and feigned sleep. When all 

 was still once more, a dim form loomed up through the 

 uncertain light, toward the foot of the bed; it was the rav- 

 enous beast returning for his prey; and the major shot and 

 killed it where it stood. 



A few months ago a hyena entered the outskirts of 

 Nairobi, crept into a hut, and seized and killed a native 

 man. At Nairobi the wild creatures are always at the 

 threshold of the town, and often cross it. At Governor 

 Jackson's table, at Government House, I met Mr. and 

 Mrs. Sandiford. Mr. Sandiford is managing the railroad. 

 A few months previously, while he was sitting, with his 

 family, in his own house in Nairobi, he happened to ask 

 his daughter to look for something in one of the bedrooms. 

 She returned in a minute, quietly remarking, "Father, 

 there's a leopard under the bed." So there was; and it 

 was then remembered that the house-cat had been showing 

 a marked and alert distrust of the room in question very 

 probably the leopard had gotten into the house while try- 

 ing to catch her or one of the dogs. A neighbor with a rifle 

 was summoned, and shot the leopard. 



Hyenas not infrequently kill mules and donkeys, tear- 

 ing open their bellies, and eating them while they are still 

 alive. Yet when themselves assailed they usually behave 

 with abject cowardice. The Hills had a large Airedale 

 terrier, an energetic dog of much courage. Not long before 

 our visit this dog put up a hyena from a bushy ravine, in 



