Return to Fontesvilla 
need hardly say that I had no intention of really 
firing at the poor brute. I think that these 
particular monkeys had been subjected to a 
fusillade from time to time by those people 
who had stayed at this wayside house, and were 
therefore painfully conscious of the effect of 
rifle fire. I have heard from residents in this 
country that these baboons will attack a man if 
any of their number are molested. I cannot 
vouch for the truth of this statement, for I 
never even shot at one—they looked so 
human, but I can quite imagine that a man 
would have no chance whatever if he were 
set upon by an angry crowd of these apes, and 
would be torn to shreds in next to no time. I 
have passed quite close to them often, but they 
have not offered to molest me in any way, so 
perhaps I was, after all, the subject for chaff. 
The next day after my failure to get a shot at 
lions I went to Chimoio, intending to take the 
train back to Fontesvilla. I had worn large holes 
in my pair of veldt schoon. These are soft-tanned 
and easy-fitting Dutch boots. I was just going 
to throw them away, but catching sight of 
Cooe’s grinning face, tossed them to him, think- 
ing he might like to try them on. He was hugely 
delighted, promptly putting them on his feet, 
and commenced swaggering about in front of the 
house, to the envy and admiration of his less 
fortunate companions. 
103 
