San Andreas independent., 1856-11-01
T III e H u ENA.
BIZ DOW, JR.

!
Ladies and gentlemen! The subject to
be considered this evening, is the Hyena
One of the most ferocious-looking crea-
lures in the whole animal empire, kingdom,
republic, or whatever term is most applica-
bic. There is as nearly as much size in
his make as in that of wolf, which ami
NAL he somewhat initiates in the shape of
his head and body. The head, at first
shot of the eye, does not appear to be
greatly different, except that the ears of
the hyena are about thumb nail longer,
and more short ont for hair; but, by wi
ping your spectacles, and putting your nose
little closer, you shall find the head
broader, the nose smashed fatter, and less
epigrammatically pointed. The eyes are
not placed obliquely, but more like those
of dog, or potato. The legs-partic-
ularly those that support the rear-are
longer than either the dogs or the VOLTS,
and different from almost all other quad
rupeds whatever, in having but four toes,
as on the fore feet as on the hinder His
hair is dirty presenting anything
else than venerable aspect-daubed with
black, streaking it in narrow streams down
his body, like tar down the side of barrel.
/ His tail is short-as all interesting tails
should be-and, no doubt, it contains a
good moral but [ have never had the
time nor the disposition to search for it
1t is covered with pretty long hair; but by
no means, with hair that is both pretty
and long. His manner of holding the
head is not little remarkable; somewhat
like dog smelling after bones, with his
nose skimming the ground. The head
being held thus meanly low, gives the back,
by contrast, proud and elevated appear
ance, like that of hog, which with
long bristly row of hair that runs allalong
from stem to stern, gives good deal the
air of that celebrated domestic animal
But, ladies and gentlemen, common die
tionary words are too debilitated to give an
adequate idea of the hyena's figure, fierce
ness and physical deformity. More saw
age and untameable than any other beast
that ever stood upon, or played at, all fours,
he is forever in state of uncomfortable
restlessness-rage is constantly efervescing
within him-rapacity betrays itself in his
every look and motion, and he is forever
growing, like miser at hard times
When receiving his food, it is then that he
presents a most frightful picture in the
portfolio of nature! His eyes flash red
ightning-from his thorax rolls the loud,
live thunder, such as Byron heard among
the Al ps at midnight-the bristles on his
back are all up in arms, and looking six
ways for shadows-his head hangs lower by
several degrees than usual-and his ivory
is exhibited in the most unpleasant man.
ner imaginable. Stand little back, spec
tator, if you please, at such a critical mo-
, ment Under all circumstances, 'Discre-
ton is the better half of valor;' but, at
such a time, her Importance is enhanced an
hundred fold. The cry of the hyena is
different from all other cries. 1t is not
like the cry of the child; nor of the COM
mon cry of the times;' nor of the town.
crier; nor of 'hot corn;' nor of char-r-r-
coal;' nor of 'petatees;' nor of any cry
ing evil extant. No; its beginning re-
sembles the voice of boiling hot metho-
dist moaning in prayer-time, and the latter
part as If the animal were making vio-
lent effort to throw up Junk of undi-
gested wrath that had got stuck corner
wise in his gullet As it is loud and fire.
quent, it might perhaps, have been some
times mistaken for the voice of man
suffering with an attack of wind collie, and
given rise to the accounts of the ancents,
who tell us that the hyena manufactures
such moan purposely to attract unwary
travellers, and then make mince-meat of
them. However this may be, it is, GER
tainly, one Of the most uncheering noises
that mortal man ever heard in the woods
after sun-down. For his size, [ can't say
that he is good, for he is the most terrible
of all other quadrupeds; nor does his
courage fall half an inch behind his natu-
raj ferocity. He can defend himself
against any base attack of the lion; is more
than match-two matches for the panther;
will attack the ounce as quick as he would
drachm and [ verify believe, that while
digging open the grave of a stock gambler,
he would whip the devil himself in fair
Fl ght for possession of the body.
The hyena, ladies and gentlemen, is a
solitary animal, and is only found in the
most undiscoverable, gloomy, desolate, un
cultivated and uncultivatable corners Of
creation. He resides in the dark caverns
, Of awful mountains, and sees by the fire
that he flashes from his eyes. Sometimes
he abides temporarily in the clefts of huge
, rocks, or in subterranean dens that hi
!, forms for himself at an astonishing deptl
, under the surface of the earth. Though
} taken ever so young, he can never b.
J tanned; he never wears out his native
} wlldness-it being just as good as new tc
the last day of the animals life; and his
ferociousness is equally as durable. Tame
him, no.