superiority
to some wild animals, for they have been seen to chase a tiger up the
hills, bellowing as if they enjoyed the sport. Lions never go near any
elephants except the calves, which, when young, are sometimes torn
by them; every living thing retires before the lordly elephant, yet a
full-grown one would be an easier prey than the rhinoceros; the lion
rushes off at the mere sight of this latter beast.

In the country adjacent to Mashue great numbers of different kinds of
mice exist. The ground is often so undermined with their burrows that
the foot sinks in at every step. Little haycocks, about two feet high,
and rather more than that in breadth, are made by one variety of these
little creatures. The same thing is done in regions annually covered
with snow for obvious purposes, but it is difficult here to divine the
reason of the haymaking in the climate of Africa.*

* 'Euryotis unisulcatus' (F. Cuvier), 'Mus pumelio' (Spar.),
and 'Mus lehocla' (Smith), all possess this habit in a greater
or less degree. The first-named may be seen escaping danger
with its young hanging to the after-part of its body.

Wherever mice abound, serpents may be expected, for the one preys on
the other. A cat in a house is therefore a good preventive against
the entrance of these noxious reptiles. Occasionally, however,
notwithstanding every precaution, they do find their way in, but even
the most venomous sorts bite only when put in bodily fear themselves, or
when trodden upon, or when the sexes come together. I once found a coil
of serpents' skins, made by a number of them twisting together in the
manner described by the Druids of old. When in the country, one feels
nothing of that alarm and loathing which we may experience when sitting
in a comfortable English room reading about them; yet they are nasty
things, and we seem to have an instinctive feeling against them. In
making the door for our Mabotsa house, I happened to leave a small
hole at the corner below. Early one morning a man came to call for some
article I had promised. I at once went to the door, and, it being dark,
trod on a serpent. The moment I felt the cold scaly skin twine round a
part of my leg, my latent instinct was roused, and I jumped up higher
than I ever did before or hope to do again, shaking the reptile off
in the leap. I probably trod on it near the head, and so prevented it
biting me, but did not stop to examine.

Some of the serpents are par