VIII 
SOME BEASTS AND INSECTS 
In one respect our compound was unfortu¬ 
nately situated. The belt of dense forest that 
surrounded the town was the home of many 
wild animals including leopards, hyenas and 
tiger cats. The house was located near a crum¬ 
bling portion of the town wall and these animals 
would enter the town at night and prowl about 
our premises making it impossible for us to keep 
any domestic animals excepting horses. It was 
even dangerous for any one to walk about the 
yard of a dark night after the people had left the 
streets. In one corner of our front yard, we had 
a small compound for the use of such natives as 
were connected with the mission domestic estab¬ 
lishment,—and for a Liberian who was allowed 
to have a sleeping place in our yard. Whenever 
I had occasion to go out to this compound, I 
thought it prudent to take some kind of weapon 
in my hand. During our stay in Ejahyay, the 
visits of these animals led to some exciting inci¬ 
dents, but none were really serious. 
Although my wife knew that they could not 
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