198 
HYiENA. 
creatures paid Mr. Bruce, he describes in the fol- 
lowing words : 
“ One night in Maitsha, being intent on ob- 
servation, I heard something pass behind me to- 
wards the bed, but upon looking round could per- 
ceive nothing. Having finished what I was then 
about, I went out of my tent, resolving directly to 
return ; which I immediately did, when I perceived 
two large blue eyes glaring at me in the dark. I 
called upon my servant with a light ; and there 
was the hyaena standing nigh the head of the bed, 
with two or three large bunches of candles in his 
mouth. To have fired at him, I was in danger of 
breaking my quadrant or other furniture ; and he 
seemed, by keeping the candles steadily in his 
mouth, to wish for no other prey at that time. 
As his mouth was full, and he had no claws to tear 
with, I was not afraid of him, but with a pike 
struck him as near the heart as I could judge. It 
was not till then he showed any sign of fierceness ; 
but upon feeling his wound, he let drop the candles, 
and endeavoured to run up the shaft of the spear to 
arrive at me ; so that, in self-defence, I was obliged 
to draw out a pistol from my girdle and shoot him, 
and nearly at the same time my servant cleft his 
skull with a battle axe.” 
This gentleman assures us, that in Barbary the 
hyaena is such a coward in the day-time, that the 
hunters, when his cave is large enough to give them 
admittance, take a torch in their hand, and go 
straight to him ; when pretending to fascinate him 
