MY THREE SEA-COWS. 63 



river, for we heard his cries from that direction. An 

 animal poisoned by strychnine invariably goes to water. 



I wanted a hyaena skin for foreslock (i.e., point of whip- 

 lash), so taking torches we went down to the reeds. 

 Four-and-six rushed in and began barking furiously. 

 We made our way to the place, and on holding up the 

 torches saw a large hyaena lying on its flank, but still 

 alive. I borrowed an assegai from a CafTre, and drove it 

 into him. He turned his head and gave a snap at the 

 shaft, crushing it into splinters, and the dents of his teeth 

 were visible upon the iron spike of the blade which fits 

 into the socket of the shaft. The hyaena has an almost 

 incredible power of jaw, and will crack the largest bones 

 without hardly an effort. 



The hyaenas follow the lions and finish the carcase 

 the moment the lions have had enough. Sometimes, 

 however, the hyaenas are rather too eager, and annoy the 

 lions by approaching and stealing bits of meat while the 

 lions are still at their feed. 



I have been told that the lion rids himself of the 

 nuisance in the following way. He throws a piece of 

 meat aside. When the lion is looking the other way 

 the hyaena dodges in and rushes off with the meat. 

 Presently the lion throws another piece of meat, this 

 time a little nearer The hyaena takes that also. At 

 last the lion throws a piece very near indeed. The 

 hyaena, having become reckless, makes a dash at this 

 also, but the lion wheels round and lays him low with a 

 pat of his paw and a growl of annoyance. 



I remember at the Usutu on one occasion hearing 

 at night time the cries of a hyaena in pain, mingled 

 with an occasional short growl from a lion. This went 

 on for about twenty minutes before it ceased. 



