Afterwards, in commenting on this strange fact, he came to the conclusion that it was caused by a combination of two things: the animals had not been fed recently, and were almost crazy for food; and then, he learned that Harkness had ever been a cruel despot, using a black-snake whip with a long cutting lash to quiet his pack in their enclosure, whenever their howling annoyed him--always keeping well out of the reach of their fangs when plying the whip, it may be understood; for he had a species of "pulpit" built out far above the pen, in which he was free to swing that instrument of keen torture.