CHAPTER XVIII 



THE HYAENA 



I HAVE among the " Wild Beasts " to bring in this low-caste 

 creature. It is not worthy of a position among sporting animals, 

 as it is a mere scavenger, useful in its repulsive habits as a four- 

 legged vulture, to remove impurities from the surface. The pig 

 would no doubt indulge in the same propensities, only that, being 

 omnivorous, it is not exclusively a carrion feeder. 



There are two varieties of hya3na, the stripped and the spotted. 

 The latter is the larger, but both have the same habits. 



The bone-cracking power of this animal is very extraordinary. 

 I cannot say that it exceeds the lion and tiger in strength of jaws, 

 but I can safely assert that both those giants of the feline tribe 

 will leave bones unbroken which a hysena will bite in halves. Its 

 powers of digestion are unlimited ; it will swallow a large knuckle- 

 bone without giving it a crunch. It will crack the thigh-bone of 

 a wild buffalo to obtain the marrow, and will swallow either end 

 immediately after. 



Natives of all countries despise this animal as the greatest of 

 all cowards, although in some places it is declared that they have 

 been known to carry away children and the calves of cattle. I 

 have been nine years in Africa, but I never actually experienced 

 any attack on the part of these creatures, either against my 

 people or my animals, nevertheless we heard exceptional tales of 

 depredations committed against goats, children, and such harm- 

 less young things, that could not defend themselves. I remember 

 once that a hyasna came into our tent at night ; but this was 

 merely a friendly reconnaissance, in the hope of securing some 

 delicacy, such as our shoes, or a saddle, or anything that smelt 

 of leather. It was bright moonlight, and the air was calm, 

 there was not a sound to disturb the stillness. I was awakened 

 from sleep by a slight touch upon my sleeve, and my attention 



