•rm* 



, 



ili 



it 



244 



GIRAFFE HUNTING. 



animals with the impotcncy of men to resist them, and, 

 as in many other cases, familiarity leads to contempt. 

 This is not only noticeable among the nobler species 

 odhe /era natiira, but even among the foul-feeding 

 and generally cowardly hyaenas, for here the large 

 spotted variety does not hesitate to carry off children, 

 but even to attack, in open daylight, mature women 

 and men, particularly if they are suffering from sick- 

 ness and overtaxed strength. I saw an example of 

 the bloodthirstiness of these marauders to-day. A 

 bushman that we encountered on our treck had lost 

 nearly the entire part of one of his cheeks, laying bare 

 the bone and grinding teeth of his left jaw, leaving a 

 most unsightly scar. I had the curiosity to ask how 

 the disaster occurred, and was informed that the un- 

 fortunate was returning to his home from the Diamond 

 fields, when he had the bad luck to " stake " one of 

 his feet, so was unable to keep up with his companions. 

 Having made a fire and put up a temporary shelter, 

 he fell asleep, when the marauder stole upon him 

 during the night, and seized him by the cheek, and 

 tore it off before the victim had time afforded him to 

 make resistance. However, we were favoured with a 

 quiet night — a good moon one portion of it, and star- 

 light the other — so we were vouchsafed no adven- 

 tures, except the loss of a dog, and, as usual, one of 

 the pluckiest I possessed. The poor beast — although 

 I had purchased him from a native, was very much 

 attached to me — was unfortunately white, and to that 

 I in no small degree attributed his misfortune. Take 

 my advice, reader, if you propose wandering in the 

 wilds of South Africa, if it be possible to avoid it, 

 never take with you a white horse or dog, or you will 

 be certain to have occasion to rue it. I suppose white 

 is more conspicuous at night than coloured would be, 

 so sooner attracts the attention of predatory carni- 

 vorous animals. 



The dog in question was doubtless seized by a 



