NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



some neighbouring boulders and bark threateningly. 

 Becoming bolder after a time, they drew nearer, 

 but were intimidated by the women casting stones 

 at them. One day, however, they became very 

 threatening, and barking loudly to keep up their 

 courage, they advanced. The women fled scream- 

 ing, leaving their calabashes and earthenware water- 

 vessels behind. The baboons contented them- 

 selves with smashing the utensils. 



On the following day they were bolder and ad- 

 vanced from their rocky retreat the moment the 

 women appeared. After this it was necessary 

 for the women to be escorted by some men armed 

 with kerries and assegais. Sometimes boys did, 

 escort duty. The baboons realising their little 

 game was up, retired high up the hill and barked. 

 This escorting of the women became irksome, and 

 a strong desire to wipe out the Imfena, as they 

 termed the baboons, took possession of them. On 

 inspection of the locality we came to the conclusion 

 that nothing short of shelling the bush with artillery 

 would dislodge them. We taught those interfering 

 baboons a lesson, however. Creeping up under 

 cover before daylight, we lay hidden until sunrise, 

 which was the time agreed upon for the women to 

 come to the spring for water. Talking and laughing 

 loudly to attract the attention of the baboons, they 

 approached the water ; but like spectres, the en- 

 tire troop of baboons appeared upon the boulders 

 which jutted out from the tangled masses of vegeta- 



46 



