THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 91 



from an attack on domestic animals when close up to a wagon ; but 

 as its strong perfume is likely to cause a stampede during the night, 

 its presence is always a source of great annoyance to travellers. 

 Hyenas, as a rule, will not venture to assault a full-grown healthy 

 ox ; but they will make short work of such as are sick or weary, or 

 which may have strayed away any distance in the darkness from an 

 encampment. All smaller animals should be securely kraaled 

 or fastened close up to the fires, donkeys especially so, as they are 

 sure to engage special attention ; and in this connection it may be 

 remarked that there is no more distressing and heartrending sound 

 in the world than that uttered by a donkey when struggling in the 

 deadly grip of these brutes, who generally seize it underneath the 

 anus the more easily to disembowel it. It may therefore be readily 

 imagined that they deserve little and receive no consideration, 

 traps, spring guns, and poison being used indiscriminately in their 

 destruction. Any sort of high-smelling offal will do as a bait for the 

 trap, which should be set inside a strong, thick, but narrow thorn 

 fence, one small opening being left, which, if entirely free, the 

 chances are ten to one that a Hyena will sneak the bait without 

 being pinned. It is, therefore, necessary to close up the one 

 entrance with bushes to a height, say, of 2 feet, which obstacle an 

 animal must jump to arrive at the bait, and if the trap be properly 

 set on the ground, it is almost certain that the inarauder will land 

 right on the top of it and its capture secured. As an attraction, it 

 will be found useful to trail some meat (the more it stinks the 

 better) for a considerable distance from the lure. Suitable tigrc 

 gins may be obtained at any of the large ironmongery establishments 

 in the Colony. 



Two or three good dogs will be sufficient to keep Hyenas at a 

 respectful distance when darkness sets in. Their howl is most 

 dismal, commencing in a prolonged moan and ending in a weird 

 shriek, and it is only when in the enjoyment of a hearty meal that 

 they " laugh." The Hyenas of South Africa do not appear to be so 

 much addicted to human flesh as they are said to be in other 

 portions of the world, and it is not uncommon to find an unburied 

 corpse remain untouched by them night after night, even in places 

 where they are numerous. This may be accounted for owing to 

 their dread of the smell of man, but among such tribes as the 

 Matabele (who are accustomed to cast the dead bodies of those who 

 have been executed for witchcraft outside their kraals), the Hyenas, 



