8 THE NATURAL HISTORT 



are recorded by Mr. Bruce in Ms Travels. " I do 

 not think/ he observes " there is any one who has 

 hitherto written of this animal, who ever saw the 

 thousandth part of them that I have. They were a 

 plague in Abyssinia in every situation, both in the 

 city and in the field ; and 1 think surpassed the 

 Sheep in number. Condar was full of them, from 

 the time it turned dark till the dawn of day, seeking 

 the different places of slaughtered carcases, which 

 this cruel people expose in the Streets without bu- 

 rial, and who firmly believe that these animals are 

 tulasJ:a from the neighbouring mountains, transfor- 

 med by magic, and come down to eat human flesh 

 in the dark in safety. Many a time in the night, 

 when the King had kept me late in the palace, and 

 it was my duty not to lie there, in going across the 

 park to the King's house, not many hundred yards 

 distant, ] have been apprehensive that they would 

 bite me in the leg. They grunted in great num- 

 bers about me, though I was surrounded by several 

 armed men, who seldom pass a night without 

 wounding or slaughtering some of them. One night 

 in Maitska, being very intent on observation, I 

 heard something press behind me towards the bed ; 

 but upon looking round could perceive nothing. Ha- 

 ving finished what I was then about, I went out of 

 my tent, resolving directly to return, which I did, 

 'when J perceived two large blue eyes, glaring at 

 me in the dark. I called up my servant with a light, 

 and we found an Plyaena standing near the head of 

 the bed, with two or three large bunches of candles 

 in his mouth. To have fired at him would have 



