THE CAPE BABOON OR BAVIAN 



sary to come to close quarters, so we pressed forward 

 at a gallop. The baboons were making for the edge 

 of the cliff, but were still several hundreds of yards 

 from it when we overtook the troop. Realising the 

 extremity of the danger, the five big males, with 

 loud coughing barks, turned and faced us. In an 

 instant they were joined by a full score of others, 

 also adult, but not so large as the five who were 

 evidently the leaders of the clan. They ranged 

 themselves in a row a few feet apart, and grimly 

 awaited our assault. Our horses were galloping 

 at full speed, and being unable to rein up in time, 

 we swerved to right and left in a semicircle, having 

 no wish to be torn from our saddles and disem- 

 bowelled. One of our number, whose horse had 

 got out of hand, failed to sw^erve sufficiently, and 

 as the horse swept past, two of the leaders dashed 

 out to meet him. He fired at random with both 

 barrels, crippling one, and headed his horse at the 

 other, after casting away his gun. The baboon 

 endeavoured to avoid the collision by swerving and 

 at the same time attempting to throw himself on 

 the rider. The horse's shoulder, however, struck 

 the ape with a sickening thud, and next moment 

 the rider, horse, and ape lay in a confused mass on 

 the ground. By this time we had pulled up our 

 horses, dismounted, and were hurrying to the rescue, 

 firing and shouting as we ran. The noise terrified 

 the baboons, for they at once fled, and presently 

 vanished over the edge of the cliff. The one which 

 VOL. 1 33 3 



