CARNARIA. CARNIVORA. 69 



within a few months not fewer than forty instances 

 came to his own knowledge, wherein that beast had 

 made most dreadful havoc. * To show clearly,' he 

 says, ' the preference of the wolf [Hyaena] for human 

 flesh, it will be necessary to notice, that when the 

 Mambookies build their houses, which are in form 

 like bee-hives, and tolerably large, often eighteen or 

 twenty feet in diameter, the floor is raised at the 

 higher, or back part of the house, until within three 

 or four feet of the front, where it suddenly termi- 

 nates, leaving an area from thence to the wall, in 

 which every night the calves are tied, to protect 

 them from the storms, or from wild beasts. Now it 

 would be natural to suppose, that should the wolf 

 enter, he would seize the first object for his prey, 

 especially as the natives always lie with the fire at 

 their feet. But notwithstanding this, the constant 

 practice of this animal has been in every instance to 

 pass by the calves in the area, and even by the fire, 

 and to take the children from under the mother's 

 kaross, and this in so gentle and cautious a manner, 

 that the poor parent has been unconscious of her 

 loss, until the cries of her little innocent have reach- 

 ed her from without, when a close prisoner in the 

 jaws of the monster. To give all the instances I 

 could adduce would tire your patience ; I will there- 

 fore give only two, with which we have been more 

 immediately concerned ; and which, while they shew 

 how much they want who want the gospel, will also 

 shew that the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 

 " The first I shall mention is that of Dapa's great 



