130 After Big Game in Central Africa 



its master, who loves it, or in his canoe. The 

 African wolf alone undertakes singly to overcome an 

 antelope the size of an ass ; it follows it at full speed, 

 generally attacks it in the stomach, and, by biting it 

 almost in the same place, ends by disembowelling it. 

 One day I was present at the end of one of these 

 hunts, in which a female wolf had just killed a water- 

 buck. After dashing it to the ground, its enemy had 

 strangled it; then, hanging out its tongue, the wolf lay 

 down to rest by the side of its victim. The water- 

 buck was in a state which indicated a long race ; the 

 poor animal's coat was entirely plastered down with 

 perspiration ; the under portions of its four limbs 

 were spotted with blood ; and its open stomach left to 

 view the half-protruding intestines. For a moment I 

 thought of killing the wolf and taking her young ; 

 but where were these to be found? My men took 

 possession of the buck in spite of the growls of the 

 dispossessed vanquisher, who, with hair on end and 

 teeth showing, did not wish us to approach. She 

 moved away, however, upon seeing us walk towards 

 her. I required that a great part of her prey should 

 be left, since she had so well earned it. 



In the case of the zebra, which kicks and makes any 

 approach from behind dangerous, wolves go to work 

 differently ; they pass it and try to attack it in front 

 by biting at its knees and breast. Once the zebra 

 is kneeling down with a cut tendon, it is lost. 



The lion and the leopard are great hunters; but 

 they hunt by craft and by watching, whilst the wolf 

 backs its speed in full daylight against that of the 



