n8 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



cerned believes, and ever afterwards states, that he 

 has had a most narrow escape. These stories lose 

 nothing by repetition, hence the blood-curdling tales 

 which are sometimes related both verbally and in 

 print . 



It is, of course, quite possible that in a starving con- 

 dition wild dogs might prove as dangerous to human life 

 as wolves elsewhere. Like domestic dogs, they are prone 

 to chase anything that runs away from them ; but what- 

 ever they may, collectively, be capable of, I know no 

 beasts of prey, which, singly, show less disposition to 

 turn upon their enemies. I have seen a great number 

 of wounded ones dispatched with a stick, and, though 

 they have sometimes bitten the weapon used against 

 them, I never knew one of them make the slightest attempt 

 to revenge itself upon a human adversary, nor, in fact, 

 do anything except try to escape. There is no gleam 

 of rage in the large brown eyes, such as is always ap- 

 parent in those of cats in similar straits ; but rather the 

 appealing and frightened look worn by a domestic dog 

 when injured. Nor do they display much pugnacity, 

 so far as my experience has gone, when tackled by 

 courageous dogs ; though one of the latter, should his 

 heart not be quite in the right place, may hesitate to go 

 in at his sinister-looking cousin, as, wounded and unable 

 to escape, it faces him in grim silence. We have had 

 instances in the Reserve, however, of Hunting Dogs 

 having been pulled down without much difficulty when 

 resolutely attacked, and I recollect at Sabi Bridge a large 

 rough mongrel seizing by the throat and worrying one 

 without meeting with any resistance. On the other 

 hand, a party of Hunting Dogs would probably chase 

 and kill any single domestic dog which was unfortunate 

 enough to cross their path. 



