That night they were not disturbed by lions, but the hyenas contrived to crawl under the wagons, and, having severely bitten one of the oxen, succeeded in carrying off one of the sheep.  They had been so often annoyed by these animals, that we have never mentioned them; but on the following morning it was found that the ox had been so seriously injured that the leg-bone was broken, and they were obliged to destroy the animal.

“Were the courage of the hyena equal to his strength, it would be a most formidable animal,” observed Swinton; “but the fact is, it seldom or never attacks mankind, although there may be twenty in a troop.  At the same time, among the Caffres they very often do enter the huts of the natives, and occasionally devour children and infirm people.  But this is greatly owing to the encouragement they receive from the custom of the Caffres leaving their dead to be devoured by these animals, which gives them a liking for human flesh, and makes them more bold to obtain it.”

“They must have a tremendous power in their jaw,” observed Alexander.

“They have, and it is given them for all-wise purposes.  The hyena and the vulture are the scavengers of the tropical regions.  The hyena devours what the vulture leaves, which is the skin and bones of a dead carcass.  Its power of jaw is so great, that it breaks the largest bone with facility.”

“Are there many varieties of them?”

“In Africa there are four:—­The common spotted hyena, or wolf of the colonists, whose smell is so offensive that dogs leave it with disgust after it is killed; its own fellows will, however, devour it immediately.  The striped or ferocious hyena, called the shard-wolf, and another which the colonists call the bay-wolf, and which I believe to be the one known as the laughing hyena.  There is another variety, which is a sort of link between the hyena and the dog, called the venatica.  It hunts in packs, and the colonists term it the wild honde.  It was first classed by Burchell the traveler.  This last is smaller, but much fiercer, than the others.”

“I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet fallen in with one.  Are they dangerous?”

“The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation it becomes a formidable antagonist.  I recollect very well two boors having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws.  The other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and attempted to shoot the animal through the head.  He missed, and the leopard left the first man, sprang upon him, and, striking him on the face, tore his scalp down over his eyes.  The hunter grappled with the animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff.  As soon as the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his friend, but it was too late.  The animal had seized him by the throat, and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable and all that the man could do was to avenge his comrade’s death by shooting the leopard.”