THE HUNTING DOG 209 



look at me, some of the rearmost animals balancing 

 themselves on their hind legs to get a better view. 

 My startled dusky companions, evidently the 

 victims of their fears, now protested that they 

 were upon the point of returning to attack us, so 

 I gave them two more barrels, which I know did 

 some, though I never knew how much, damage, as 

 on this they went off. The dog I shot on this occa- 

 sion was a large and, judging by his teeth and other 

 indications, somewhat elderly beast . He was, how- 

 ever, a fine sturdy animal weighing, so far as 

 I could judge, not less than 60 or 70 lbs. Not 

 unlike a smaU hyena in structure, his shoulder 

 height fell away to the tail, the head being broad 

 and disproportionately short. 



As I have stated, the demeanour of these 

 animals was very bold ; they seemed, indeed, in 

 nowise inclined to give groiind, but I suppose this 

 was due to the fact that in such a remote portion 

 of the country they were unused to human in- 

 trusion and practically undisturbed — certainly 

 their behaviour was quite imlike that of another 

 pack which I met some time before in Shupanga 

 Forest. These, consisting of ten or a dozen indi- 

 viduals, took instantly to flight, not even giving 

 me sufficient time to get in a shot at them. 

 Although they are conunonly slow to retreat 

 before man, I have never yet heard of human 

 beings suffering attack by these animals, which, 

 if this were their habit, would probably become 

 a more serious and formidable scoxu'ge than any 

 of the existing man-eating species. Woe would 

 indeed betide the solitary forest wayfarer who 



