TRAVELS IN AFRIC4, 
they are able to mafter. They will kill dogs, ahd afles, even 
within the inclofure of the houfes, and fell; not to affemble 
wherever a dead camel or other anirnal is thrown,' which, adling- 
in concert, they fometimes drag to a prodigious diflance ; nor 
are they greatly alarmed at the fight, of a man, or the report of 
fire-arms, which I have often difcharged at them, and occafion- 
ally with efied. It is related, that upon- One of them being 
wounded, his companions inftantly tear him to pieces- and de- 
vour him ; but I have had no opportunity of afcertaining this- 
facft. The people of the country dig pits for them, and lying 
in ambufcade, when one is entrapped, ftun him with clubs, 
or pierce him Vv^ith their fpears. The jackal is- harmlefe, but 
his uncouth cry is heard far off, and wherever there are rocks 
to fhelter them, their howling community dwells undifturbed. 
In the countries bordering on the empire of Fur, where wa- 
ter is in greater abundance, the other animals mentioned are 
very numerous, and much dreaded by travellers, particularly 
on the banks of the Bahr-el~Ada. To thofe already enume- 
rated, may be added, the elephant, the rhinoceros, the camelo- 
pardalis, the hippopotamus, and the croco'dile. 
The elephant is feen, in the places he frequents, in large 
herds of four or five hundred, according to report. It is even 
faid that two thoufand are fometimes found together j but I do 
not fufpeft the Arabs of extreme accuracy in counting. Thefe 
people hunt him on horfeback, having fmgled out a ftraggler 
from the herd; or aim at him with fpears from the trees; or make 
pits 
