NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



baboon never failed during his many years of work ; 

 and on several occasions he acted in a manner simply 

 astounding to those v^ho have not had personal 

 experience of the high degree of intelligence 

 possessed by these animals. 



After nine years of good and faithful service, 

 Jack developed tuberculosis, and, after six months' 

 illness, died on April 9, 1890. Wide was broken- 

 hearted over the death of his one and only friend, 

 and although he is still alive (Dec. 1918), the memory 

 of his old companion and friend is as green as ever. 



I obtained all the information possible about Jack 

 the Signalman from a number of old Uitenhage 

 residents, and then interviewed Mr Wide, who 

 corrected my notes and suppHed additional facts. 



When telling me the story of Jack's life, from the 

 time he purchased him when half-grown until he 

 died nine years later, the old man was repeatedly 

 overcome by his feelings. Tears streamed down 

 his careworn cheeks, and he sobbed aloud in the 

 intensity of his grief when recalling the various in- 

 cidents of what, he declared, was the happiest time 

 of his life, when he and Jack were chums whom 

 nothing but cruel death could separate. 



There are many who wiU doubtless in their 

 superior wisdom disbelieve much of what I have 

 related, but nevertheless the account is absolutely 

 true, and has been set down without any embelHsh- 

 ments. There are many residents in Uitenhage still 

 living who remember Jack and his wonderful exploits. 



66 



