GOO NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Plundering gardens Attacks on travellers. 



In Southern Africa, and among the mountains 

 at the Cape of Good Hope, these animals asso- 

 ciate in troops ; and when any person approaches 

 their haunts, they set up a horrible cry for a mi- 

 nute or two, and then conceal themselves in their 

 fastnesses, and keep a profound silence. They 

 seldom descend to the plains, except for the pur- 

 pose of rohbing the gardens that lie near the foot 

 of the mountains; and on those occasion:; they 

 have the precaution to place centinels to prevent 

 being surprised. They break the fruit into 

 pieces, and cram it into their cheek-pouches, in 

 order, afterwards, to eat it at leisure. The cen- 

 tinel, if he see a man, gives a loud yell, which 

 lasts for about a minute ; and the whole troop 

 retreats with the utmost expedition, and in a 

 most diverting manner, the young jumping on, 

 and clinging to the backs of their parents. They 

 also feed on several kinds of bulbous plants, 

 which they dig up and peel with great address. 



They are so numerous among the mountains 

 of Africa, as sometimes to render it dangerous 

 for travellers to pass them, as they not only roll, 

 but frequently throw down large stones from the 

 tops of the rocks. In these cases a gun is gene- 

 rally of great use, in driving them to such a dis- 

 tance, that the stones thus thrown may do no 

 injury. 



Kolben relates, that when these baboons disco- 

 ver a single person resting and regaling himself 

 in the fields, if great care be not taken > they will 



