114 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



his African Travels, illustrates this fact no less ele- 

 gantly than correctly. " Our pack of dogs," says 

 that enterprising naturalist, " consisted of about 

 five-and-twenty, of various sorts and sizes. This 

 variety, though not altogether intentional, as I was 

 obliged to take any that could be procured, was of 

 the greatest service on such an expedition, as I ob- 

 served that some gave notice of danger in one way, 

 and others in another. Some were more disposed 

 to watch against men, and others against wild 

 beasts. Some discovered an enemy by their quick- 

 ness of hearing, others by that of scent ; some for 

 speed in pursuing game ; some were useful only for 

 their vigilance and barking, and others for their 

 courage in holding ferocious animals at bay. So 

 large a pack was not, indeed, maintained, without 

 adding greatly to our care and trouble, in supplying 

 them with meat and water, for it was sometimes 

 difficult to procure for them enough of the latter ; 

 but their services were invaluable, often contri- 

 buting to our safety, and always to our ease, by 

 their constant vigilance, as we felt a confidence that 

 no danger could approach us at night, without be- 

 ing announced by their barking. No circumstances 

 could render the value and fidelity of these animals so 

 conspicuous and sensible, as a journey through re- 

 gions which, abounding in wild beasts of almost every 

 class, gave continual opportunities of witnessing 

 the strong contrast in their habits, between the fe- 

 rocious beasts of prey which fly at the approach of 

 man, and these kind, but too often injured, com- 



