58 THE MONKEY TRIBE 



will raid the maize crops of the farmers with as much 

 organised method as a foraging party of soldiers would 

 obtain food supplies. Led by an old male, the whole 

 Baboon settlement moves at once, with the females and 

 the young ones in the middle, and the vanguard, rearguard, 

 and flankers under strict discipline. Scouts are thrown out 

 to prevent the party being surprised, and when the scene 

 of operations is reached, sentries are duly posted to keep 

 a sharp look-out on every side. The marauders eat their 

 fill and then retire with as much plunder as they can carry ; 

 and even if they are disturbed there is no disorder in their 

 retreat. The sentinels take no part in the actual foray, from 

 which it is evident that the rest of the band make due 

 provision for their needs. 



Dogs are usually employed by farmers to hunt the apes, 

 who sometimes terrorise over a whole district. Individually 

 a dog is no match for a Baboon, who will seize its 

 enemy by the hind legs and whirl it round and round 

 until it is too giddy and stupefied to take further part in 

 the hunt. At close quarters the animal's teeth make it a 

 dangerous foe ; when pressed, it will retreat and cast stones 

 at its opponents. 



In captivity the Baboon is equally cunning, mischievous, 

 and revengeful. Its keeper is never safe from its jealous, 

 vindictive temper. In one instance, a menagerie attendant 

 was playing with a neighbouring animal, when a Baboon in 

 a paroxysm of fury forced asunder the bars of its cage and 

 grasped the unfortunate man by the neck. Before the sinewy 

 hands could be removed the man was strangled to death. 



Everything that has been said of Baboons in general, 

 or the Chacma in particular, is applicable to the Yellow 

 Baboon. Its coat is mainly yellowish in colour ; the face 

 and any bare parts are bluish black. Its tail is of greater 

 length than in most other species of the genus. 



Baboons are also found in Arabia, Persia, and the 

 mountains of Abyssinia. It was probably the Thoth, or 

 Abyssinian Baboon, that was viewed by the ancient Egyp- 

 tians with a certain amount of reverence. There appears 

 to be no real proof that it was actually worshipped. It is 

 true that its figure is often found depicted in sculptures, 



