In Afric’s Forest and Jungle 
wife had retired for the night, and everything 
about the house was so still that the slightest 
sound was audible, when I distinctly heard the 
rattling of claws on the floor of the back piazza. 
But the window shutter, as well as the door, was 
closed, and the animal could not get into the 
room. Presently the door was shaken with con¬ 
siderable violence. I sprang forward and held it 
until all was quiet again, and then slightly opened 
it to see what the creature was. The strong 
odor told me and I instantly closed and locked it. 
1 tapped the alarm bell and called in my inter¬ 
preter from the other side. He opened the door 
while I stood ready with my gun; but though 
we searched the entire back yard, we did not see 
our visitor. He had thought best to retreat. 1 
found that one of the shutters of the back piazza 
had been left open, and the beast had boldly en¬ 
tered in search of prey. 
Some adventures with smaller animals led to 
much fun. About daybreak on one occasion, 
we were startled by the loud report of a gun on 
the premises. Mr. Phillips hastened out and 
found the Liberian greatly frightened. He de¬ 
clared that he had just seen the devil and, not 
knowing him at the time, had fired on him. He 
said that a long, black beast was up the tree 
72 
