78 
SOLDIERING AND SPORT IN MASHONALAND. 
attention is paid to the direction of the wind, as they are very short¬ 
sighted, but if they “ get your wind " they stampede, and woe betide 
the hunter if he should be in their way and cannot get up a friendly 
tree, for his rifle will be no use in such a case, with a herd of buffalo 
galloping in a mass he has little chance of escape. But more commonly 
the danger lies in following up a wounded animal, as he will frequently 
lie in ambush in a clump of bush and charge out on his pursuer when 
he least expects it. 
Quagga and giraffe are very common in many parts of the country, 
especially the former, which are seldom shot, unless their meat is par¬ 
ticularly wanted. 
Leopards are not frequently seen in the daytime, and, as a rule, are 
only shot when they chance to cross the path of the hunter, though a 
wounded leopard is a dangerous animal, and will provide very fine 
sport for those who think the chief attraction is the danger. But, as 
a rule, inhabitants of that part of the world consider they have sufficient 
of that particular class of sport in defending themselves and their 
animals from the attacks of the lion at night, without putting them¬ 
selves out much to look for it in the daytime. 
Wild pig of the species known as “ wart hog " are common through¬ 
out the country (being usually found in marshy ground), and are much 
sought after for the sake of their meat, pork being a pleasant change 
from the usual buck's meat. The tusks of these pigs, which curl 
upwards from the upper jaw, and in an old boar nearly meet over the 
snout, are much longer than those of the wild boar of India, which, 
moreover, grow from the lower jaw. 
Hyenas make night hideous with their howling, but are useful as 
scavengers when the horse sickness or tsetse fly is carrying off the 
animals in a camp, the labour of burying the carcasses being saved by 
these animals, assisted by the “ asvogels," who are always ready to 
devour any quantity of dead meat. On one occasion at Fort Victoria, 
groans being heard during the night, investigation was made, when it 
was found that they proceeded from a bullock which had fallen down 
outside the enclosure, and, being too weak to move, had been attacked 
by hyenas, his hind-quarters and entrails having been partially eaten, 
whilst he was still alive. After he had been put out of his misery with a 
bullet, the meat was poisoned with strychnine, and in the morning a 
hyena was found dead some 400 or 500 yards away. This instance is 
quoted to illustrate the difference between the habit of these cowardly 
beasts and that of the lion, who will invariably kill his game right out 
before proceeding to devour him. 
The larger rivers of the country abound with hippopotami, commonly 
known in South Africa as “ sea-cows." These huge animals are much 
valued by the Boer hunter for their hides and tusks, as well as the 
large quantity of fat obtained from them ; this latter being an article 
in much demand in a country where the slaughter oxen, having usually 
been driven in a wagon until they were past work before being killed, 
are generally rather lean, not to say tough. Hippopotami usually 
remain in the water during the day, and come out on the banks after 
sunset to feed. They may be shot from the bank when they show 
