DIXAN 
499 
" When the inhabitants came out to us last night, on hearing 
the report of Captain Ruclland's gun, they were accompanied by 
several of their dogs, which, as soon as they perceived the hyaena 
stretched out and roaring on the ground, fell upon him, and seized 
him with great fury ; but, as I have already mentioned, these two 
animals, in ordinary circumstances, though mutually inimical, 
seldom venture on a contest. We have more than once observed 
their passing and repassing, each snarling, but neither venturing 
to begin an attack ; and, one evening, both were seen feeding on 
the same carcase. The hyaena, however, always retires from the 
presence of man ; and the dogs, by barking, give notice to their 
master of its approach. 
" While we were touching and skinning the hyaena, the inhabi- 
tants looked on with evident signs of horror and disgust; the 
Babarnegash, however, begged the liver of the animal, which, 
forms one of the ingredients of an ink in which charms are 
written, that are worn round the arms as amulets from all evil. The 
man who was sent for the liver seemed as much afraid of it as of a 
snake, and carried it away with great caution on the end of a long 
stick. 
" After we had skinned the hyaena, we left him on the grass 
about one hundred yards from our hut, where he remained un- 
touched by the dogs or vultures during the whole day ; but as soon 
as it became dusk, the carcase was dragged off and devoured by 
other hyaenas. 
" Having finished these observations, we took a walk of about 
three or four miles, but met with little worthy of observation. We 
killed a lizard of a light blue colour, of which I made a drawing, 
VOL. II. 3 s 
