300 HUNTING FAVOURITES 



able ? No ! I say, for our connoisseurs and stay-at- 

 home authorities upon such matters would unhesi- 

 tatingly condemn it as unnatural. Once in New 

 York I was charmed and delighted with a painting, 

 which in no way exaggerated the marvellous colours 

 of American autumn foliage. A noble lord, closely 

 allied to a house reputed to possess one of the finest 

 collections of paintings in England, actually walked 

 past this acknowledged irreproachable work of art 

 with the remark, " Preposterous ! Colour was cheap 

 when that was done." 



But as I advance to the front of my waggons, a 

 short, sharp click attracts my attention. Again and 

 again the sound is repeated, each time more impa- 

 tiently than the first. " All right, old man, all 

 right," I call out; "no need of hurry, old man;" 

 and in a moment after I confront the cause of the 

 noise, a very large baboon, sitting on the top of the 

 waggon tilt just over the front box. This is Boan- 

 erges, so called from the depth of his bass voice, 

 which, when heard, is not easily forgotten. He is 

 sociable and kindly, although a wee bit selfish with 

 his master, dislikes black men as an American does 

 an Indian, and assuredly would be dangerous to 

 native women and children if they were unpro- 

 tected. With the quadrupeds he is on fairly- 

 good terms, but his disposition to play tricks 

 or take liberties often causes a break in the 

 entente cordiale that ought to exist. Moreover, he 



