| Show DANGER AND ANNOYANCE TO TRAVELERS python abnormal appetite at the expense of tethered scats hyena at once a pest am a most arrant coward during several ears spent in cen bial africa we were for the greater part of the time dependent on goats for our fresh milk supply writes a returned traveler the goat kraal was made very strong proof against lions leopards and other but a python entered between tho poles though they were spaced three aiches apart one night killed all the goats in the compartment by ling them swallowed loved and was found gorged sluggish and self trapped aitho the 1 raal in the morn ing the swellings of his body where the two goats were prevented him from escaping between the as he had come in to 1001 at the snake s small head and slender neck it seemed impossible for mm to swallow anything larger than a rat but by dia locating bis jaw and stretching his skin he accorn pl shed the apparently limpos ible teat of gastronomy gasti onomy the goats were cut out of him intact by boys who evidently considered that premature burial in the python aid not affect the edible qualities ot the meat as within halt an hour it was all roasted and eaten another pest about a station is the hyena lions and leopards do a lot 0 damage but their sl ins if they are shot or trapped are some bompensa com pensa tion tor the loss they cause the aver age settler oe he farmer trader or of fickal rather welcomes their presence rear his camp for the sal e of the ex cit ement which they afford and very few men would hesitate to sacrifice a bullock or several head of goats or sheep for the sake of bagging a lion but the sl in of the hyena Is worth less and there is no credit whatever la shooting him as he is an arrant cow ard he mal es the night hideous with his howls and in the dark be is very daring and will enter compounds and huts and carry off almost anything nothing is too old or tough for him horns skins old boots anything Is grist to his mill he is death to sleeping dogs no matter how big or strong they are and he has keener jaws than any other of the we used to set traps for hyenas round the station a skull or a piece ot rotten meat tied to the muzzle of a gun the trigger being fixed to a pin in the ground the etting of one or two of these traps gives one something to do and there is a pleasurable feeling of expectation waiting for the bang of the gun after dinner sometimes a leopard comes to the trap but oftener a miserable na tive cur from the nearest village montreal herald |
