MISCELLANEA. 
235 
attention to the Khama, which was soon overtaken and seized by 
the hind leg. It turned round to defend itself, and then started off 
till again seized by the wild dog. As we had, in a measure, re- 
tarded the speed of the pack, about thirty in number, the single 
dog, which was engaged baiting the Khama, looked round, and 
gave a piteous howl for his companions to come to his assistance. 
When they overtook the poor animal, they fell upon it with one 
accord, and instantly brought it to the ground. One of my men 
ran off in order to secure a piece of the skin, of which he wanted 
to make shoes ; but by the time he reached the spot nothing re- 
mained but bones, and those well picked : these the poor people 
afterwards collected for the sake of the marrow. On farther in- 
quiry, I found that these people are in the habit, when they see 
an antelope, or even an ostrich, pursued by the wild dogs, of en- 
deavouring to frighten them away, that they may come in for a 
share of the prey. One of the men, with much feeling for him- 
self and companions, said, patting his hand on his stomach, “ Oh! 
I am glad you did not shoot the dogs, for they often give us a 
meal.” At another place, the poor people were very glad, on the 
same account, that we had not killed the lion which had been 
troublesome to us during the night. These children of the desert 
very promptly described the manner of the wild-dog chase, which 
I have since had opportunities of witnessing. When the dogs ap- 
proach a troop of antelopes, they select one, no matter how it 
may mingle with others on the dusty plain : the dog that starts 
never loses scent, or, if he does, it is soon discovered by the pack, 
which follow after, as they spread themselves the more readily to 
regain it. While the single dog, who takes the lead, has occasion 
to make angles in pursuit of his prey, the others, who hear his 
cry or short howl, avoid a circuitous course, and by this means 
easily come up again, when a fresh dog resumes the chase, and 
the other turns into the pack. In this way they relieve each other 
till they have caught the animal, which they rarely fail to ac- 
complish, though sometimes after a very long run. Should they 
in their course happen to pass other game much nearer than the 
one in pursuit, they take no notice of it. These dogs, of which 
there are two species, never attack man, but are very destructive 
to sheep and goats, and even to cows, when they come in their way. 
On another occasion we had passed the night without food ; and 
after a long day’s ride, the sun was descending on us with little 
prospect of meeting with any thing to assuage the pains of hunger, 
when, as we were descending from the high ground, weak and 
weary, we saw, at a distance, on the opposite ridge, a line of dust 
approaching, with the fleetness of the ostrich. It proved to be a 
spring buck, closely pursued by a wild dog, which must have 
