THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIRE 39 



1 Carnivora. 



' Carnivora are very scarce in the Reserve. There are a few 

 lions on the Singwitsi and on the Stendi Rivers ; such few as 

 there are are dangerous, from hunger, no doubt. 



' No Wild Dog. 



' There are, so far as I can ascertain, no wild dog. Leopards 

 a nd cheetahs are distributed in the usual proportion. 



' Effect of Entire Disappearance of Game. 

 ' To show the effect of the entire destruction of game : 

 between the Livubu and Limpopo Rivers, outside the Reserve, all 

 game has been completely killed off, the natives having finished 

 what the white man left. The result is that two lions, relies of the 

 days when the land was well stocked, now wander about the 

 country in a starving condition, and subsist entirely on the 

 natives' goats, lying up boldly close to the villages. No doubt, 

 when the goats are all eaten, they will prey on the people. The 

 natives (Knobnose tribe) are so utterly casual and indifferent 

 "flat not only do they take no steps towards combining against 

 these animals — though most of them are, no doubt, either in 

 actual possession of guns, or in the way of easily obtaining them 

 7~but they do not even fence in their goats at night, except with 

 just enough small branches to keep the animals from straying. 



' Chief Mhinga on Papuri Biver. 



' A Swiss missionary, Mr. Rosset, lives on the south-west part 

 of the Livubu River. The neighbouring chief, Mhinga, the head 

 °f the surrounding tribe, I found, to be both drunken and insolent, 

 he and his indunas adopting a most offensive and sneering attitude 

 When I visited him and told him what my business was. I think 

 he ought to be put right on the subject ot manners towards white 

 nion, quite apart from their being officials of the Government. 



' The greater part of the Singwitsi Reserve bears the appearance 

 °f being very unhealthy, especially in the north. 



'Pongolo Game Reserve. 



' Game. 



' There are two or three troops of impala, a good many duikers 

 and steinbuck, some twenty waterbuck, and seven or eight kudu 

 ln this Reserve, together with a good head of game birds, including 

 guinea-fowl. This game migrates to and from Swaziland. 



' Carnivora. 



' There is a small troop of seven or eight wild dogs, besides 

 jackals and wild cats, but no lions or hyaenas. The wild dogs 

 do not confine themselves to the Reserve, but hunt equally in 

 Swaziland and across the Pongola, in Natal territory. 



' Major Eraser was in charge of this Reserve with a staff of five 



