African Hunting-Dog 605 



are lions or leopards. I have seen them sweep through a herd of goats, 

 tearing and mangling the whole flock in an incredibly short space of time. 

 They hunt in packs, two or three, or sometimes only one, doing the run- 

 ning ; these, being relieved at intervals by others from the following pack, 

 at once fall back. I have actually witnessed these dogs pull down (though 

 the words inaccurately describe what occurred) a big heavy waterbuck bull. 

 They raced it out of the bush, and along an open river-bank towards my 

 camp, whence I saw the chase capitally. When first sighted, three dogs 

 were running in at intervals and snapping at the bull, the rest of the pack 

 — eighteen or twenty — being fully 30 yards behind. Within 150 yards 

 of the camp the bull turned into the long reeds towards the river, closely 

 followed by the dogs, and I ran along the bank in hopes of witnessing a 

 final struggle in the water. To my surprise, however, about 200 yards 

 beyond, the bull came back up the bank (the dogs evidently having headed it 

 from the water) running very groggily, and lathered in sweat. There were 

 now three dogs on each flank, snapping furiously at frequent intervals ; and 

 I distinctly heard the clash of their jaws now and then as they missed their 

 spring. Suddenly the bull stood, wheeled round, lowered his head as if to 

 strike, then fell exhausted amongst the fierce pack. Each barrel of my rifle 

 accounted for a dog, and with some difficulty I drove the other brutes away, 

 then killed the waterbuck with a merciful bullet. He was fearfully 

 mangled, being completely emasculated (donkeys and cattle are usually thus 

 attacked), while his entrails were protruding from either flank ; there were 

 apparently no wounds elsewhere. I also nearly witnessed a koodoo bull 

 similarly done to death. The dogs — twelve or fourteen in number — raced 

 it within 100 yards of me, two biting on one flank, three on the other. 

 Unfortunately I was unable to get up in time to see the bull actually fall, 

 though I saw the dust of the scuffle, so I cannot say whether he was really 

 pulled down or fell from exhaustion. These antelope, however, — waterbuck 

 and koodoo — are not fighters like the sable, and the unique instance related 



