WILD ANIMALS. 
91 
come a sore." I begged that the skin might be allowed 
inside the village ; no, not the skin even, nor its tail, 
so I could only sketch the animal. By -and -by a na- 
tive caravan, carrying loads of salt, arrived, and the 
men were glad to get it to eat. Our Seedees said it 
was called the "bawala"in their country, and was 
never eaten ; but to look at, it was as nice as any 
antelope I had ever seen. The smaller animals were 
N'geeree, a pig which the Wezee is very fond of : 
wells are dug by them in the forests. Another animal 
of the same size, but which it is not customary to eat, 
is the N'grooweh; and from the description given of 
it, it must be an antelope, having no tusks, but teeth 
like a goat and hair like a buffalo. There are also 
wild-cats, deep brown, and barred across — very bold, 
fearless-looking creatures. Troops of that beautiful 
little animal the mongoose, which becomes so tame 
in the house, we saw searching for water : they are 
called "goozeeroo." Their dark bodies are barred 
across to the tip of the tail. On one of them being 
wounded by a bullet, another commenced to tear it 
with the greatest viciousness. 
Lions and lynxes are considered the sole property 
of the sultan, and form part of his right and revenue. 
When carried in, lashed on a frame on men's shoulders 
and placed at his door, drums are beat, the women 
shout, great excitement prevails, and a dance usually 
takes place about the carcass. I had the curiosity to 
measure the length of one lion, and found it was three 
steps from the root of the tail to the nose, and in passing 
round it I was said to have subjected myself to a fine 
of two fathoms calico ; but this I refused, and never 
did pay, because I had not stepped over it. The putrid 
