154 
•Ihe Savannah Dog. 
roost, with its accompanying butcliei-y among the same, takes, place so 
noiselessly, that the despoiled owners generally first discover their loss 
only at break of day. The thieves never tear tlieir prey to pieces where 
strangled, but always first of all in tlie forest or some particular lurking 
hole. 
S7'2. The Indians set a^ especially high value on the Maikang for 
tlie reason that the hunting-dogs resulting by crossing it with their own 
dogs are in great request. The mongrels incline in shape rather to the 
dog than to the Maikang, are uncommonly slim, always hold their ears 
up, and surpass every other dog in respect of endurance, and in the 
rapidity and craft with which they seek out and hunt game. A mongrel 
like this trained for hunting deer, pekari, or tapir generally costs 10 to Iii 
pounds sterling in Georgetown. 
373. A tamed Maikang is consequently one of the most highly prized 
possessions of the Indians, but it must be always kept "on the chain'' 
because no amount of breaking in will wean it of its thieving propensities 
which are liberally indulged on the master's fowls so soon as its owner 
neglects to tie it up properly. Cooked flesh, fisli and fruit, besides 
ri^x' ])lantains are the food that the Indians give it. Belly and breast 
are a dii ty white, tlie rest of the l)ody on tlie contrary, except for 
I he ears and snout which are very near black, being dark buli'-coloured . 
if it also does ditter from a fox in the bushiuess, fulness, and length of 
(ail, it nevertheless ])ossesses the hitter's cunning to a marked degree. 
On (Mil- ictnrn from Eoraima. one was caught that I ke])t for a long 
time. From tip of snout to root of tail, it measured I'ft. l!in. wliile tlic 
length of tail amounted to lOj: in. On account of the pi-ice fixed by 
mc for a Maikang dead or alive, the assemlded Iixlimis got u]) l»ig drix-es 
almost daily in the lowlands and dales around Torong-Vauwise. during 
wliich the gi*asSi over the area to be retrieved was each time set on fire. 
Althougli this imposing sight liad for a long time past lost tbe chai'ui of 
novelty, it was always renewed here on account of the wonderful illumin- 
ation that it spread over the lovely and romantic valleys and mountain- 
clefts, when the columns of fire rolled themselves in one continual 
cliange over hill and mountain, over dale and ravine. On one of these 
hunts, wlien all the oases and boulder-rocks were being searclied, a tigei'- 
cat (Fclifi parddlis) was distur-bed in its lair, and driven by the wihilv 
cheering hunters into the open where, being surrounded, it Avas soon hii 
witli an arrow that stopyjed its further progress without fatal injury. 
In spite of all attempts to defend itself from its captors, they managed to 
bind its feet and bring it in triumph to the settlement where it was tied (<> 
n post with a strong cord when it was relieved of its fateful arrow, and 
its feet fi'ced from their bonds. The fury of the beast was boundless, 
now that it was free to move and yet felt itself captive. It was only on 
the evening of the second day that it first took the food thrown to it, but 
if anyone ap]>roached, its unbridled rage broke out afresh and kept every- 
one at a respectful distance. As under the circumstances we could not 
lake it with us lo Horaima, it had to be cared for here until our return. 
374. Among birds, tliere were only the parrots and red Araras 
[Psittacus Aracagna) which now and again visited the rich maize-fields 
