CHAP. XVIII 
THE HYAENA 
147 
Natives of all countries despise this animal as the 
greatest of all cowards, although in some places it is 
declared that they have been known to carry away 
children and the calves of cattle. I have been nine 
years in Africa, but I never actually experienced any 
attack on the part of these creatures, either against 
my people or my animals, nevertheless we heard 
exceptional tales of depredations committed against 
goats, children, and such harmless young things, that 
could not defend themselves. I remember once 
that a hyaena came into our tent at night; but this 
was merely a friendly reconnaissance, in the hope of 
securing some delicacy, such as our shoes, or a 
saddle, or anything that smelt of leather. It was 
bright moonlight, and the air was calm, there was 
not a sound to disturb the stillness. I was 
awakened from sleep by a slight touch upon my 
sleeve, and my attention was called by my wife to 
some object that had just quitted our tent. 
I took my rifle from beneath the mat upon which 
I lay, and, after waiting for a few minutes sitting up 
in bed, I observed a large form standing in the 
doorway preparatory to entering. 
Presently it walked cautiously, until partially 
within, and immediately fell dead, with a bullet 
between the eyes. This proved to be a very large 
hyaena, an old and experienced depredator, as it 
bore countless scars of encounters with other strong 
biters of its own race. 
Cuvier describes this animal thus : — “ The 
hyaenas have three false molars above, and four 
