Curious Native Customs 
shoot the dog. On arriving at the tent I dis- 
cussed the question with the man, but did not 
at once notice that the dog had followed me. 
When I discovered the fact, I told the man to 
tie an empty can to a piece of string whilst I 
caught the dog. This done, I tied the string 
to the pup’s tail. The man shouted at—shall I 
say both of us? for his shriek nearly made me 
jump a yard, but the effect on the dog was 
simply magnetic, for away he tore, with the 
empty can banging and hurtling behind him, 
straight back to the house. Unfortunately for 
the dog’s peace of mind—or piece of tail ?— 
he passed too close to a post that was a fixture in 
the path. The tin violently hit this, which 
frightened the poor brute more than ever: he 
made one wild dash for the dog-kennel and 
curled up within it, tin and all. A movement, 
and the tin rattled! Like lightning out he 
rushed round the house twice. Hunter, who 
had opened the door to see what the commo- 
tion was about, gave the pup his chance to rush 
into the house and lie down, panting, under my 
bed. I coaxed him out and took off the string. 
He was a very chastened little dog after that. 
The experience did him no harm, but never 
again would he venture within yards of the 
Yankee’s tent. He put the trick down to the 
man with the shriek, whereas he should have 
given my brutal self the credit for the fright. 
R 241 
