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."

"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with."

"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and,
in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals--the
quaggas--which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounte