132 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



down, as it often did in the dry hot season in a mass of 

 gorgeous colours, the hyaenas would wake up and begin to 

 wander about. They must find their staple diet of dry 

 bones a rather unsatisfying meal, so when a lot of meat falls 

 in their way they make up for lost time. They will eat 

 anything, but, indeed, many of the natives are quite as bad, 

 and I have seen them relish meat that was positively 

 moving with maggots. But it does not seem to do them 

 much harm. 



A robust negro will put away a good lolb. of meat in an 

 evening, and probably fill up the vacant spaces with ufa 

 porridge and sweet potatoes as well, and yet he will 

 appear quite fit next morning, and ready to repeat the 

 dose. Their digestive organs must be wonderful in their 

 working mechanism, and Nature has been kind to them in 

 this respect. 



Crocodiles were very plentiful in the Luangwa, and on 

 two occasions they left the water at night and took game I 

 had left on a sandbank. I shot a good many, and then 

 they got very cunning, and it took good stalking to get 

 within range at times. More than half of those hit got 

 into the water, and doubtless died soon afterwards of their 

 wounds, or were probably eaten by their fellows before 

 they had time to die, for I believe crocodiles are quite 

 capable of cannibalism. One. day a cow went into the 

 river to drink and was seized by a crocodile, which was 

 frightened off by the herd boy. However, as its udder had 

 been dreadfully torn, I shot it to put it out of its misery. 



When the river was low I used, instead of using an old 

 dugout canoe, to cross the river where the water was about 

 up to one's waist. I was returning one day with two men 

 who were carrying an impala ram I had shot, and we had 

 got to the river when the boy who was carrying the 

 cartridge bag stayed behind. The men with the impala 

 and myself had crossed the river at the ford, and were 

 going along a path parallel with the river, when we heard 

 a yell, which seemed to come from the direction of the 

 ford. I got the men to lay down the buck, and we all 



