74 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



by all manner of savage beasts. I knew enough of these 

 gentry to prevent me from placing much reliance on his 

 statement ; however, we had no better amusement in view, 

 so we rode off to his place, and had platforms again made in 

 trees. I was posted in the bed of the river, and was close to 

 the village ; but the chief assured me that that was the 

 principal resort of all the tigers in the country. A goat was 

 tied up below me, but he seemed to consider himself in no 

 danger, and after watching for some hours I fell asleep. I 

 was awoke by the goat moving about and bleating, and on 

 peeping out I saw a large hysena walking round him, and 

 apparently in doubt as to whether he should make a meal 

 of him. As there was no prospect of nobler game, I thought 

 I might as well make game of him, and, as he seemed much 

 inclined to rush at the goat, I fired and shot him through the 

 loins, disabling his hind quarters. Hearing some of the 

 chief's people above me in the village, I called out and told 

 them to knock the hysena on the head and take him away, in 

 the hope that, as morning was still far off, some other beast 

 might come. Three or four men at once came running down 

 the hill, and I could see their swords gleaming in the moon- 

 light ; when they found that there was nothing 'more formi- 

 dable than an old hysena, they went in at him with the most 

 determined courage. Next morning, when we came down 

 from our trees, I found the ground covered with blood, and 

 all the marks of a great struggle. 



My companion had seen nothing, so we went up to the 

 village to get a drink of warm milk. The first thing we 

 observed on coming up to the house was a cart, upon which 

 was lashed the ignoble carcass of the hysena, in order, as the 

 villagers said, that we might take it to our own camp in case 

 we wished to preserve the skin. We went up to the spot 



