SOUTHERN AFRICA. 159 



that there was a larg'e herd of elephants on the opposite 

 side of the mountains^ out of which he had speared a j'oung- 

 one the day before. We proceeded under his g'uidance^ and 

 threading" a pass in the mountains formed by the dry channel 

 of a ravine, through which a wao-o-on mig-ht be brouo*ht with 

 little difficulty^ sat down to breakfast by a refreshing- moun- 

 tain rill. A larg-e colony of pig-faced baboons* shortly made 

 their appearance above us, some slowly advancing* with an 

 inquisitive look, others deliberately seating* themselves on 

 the rocks, as thoug'h debating* on the propriety of our un- 

 ceremonious trespass on their domains. Their inhospitable 

 treatment at length obliging" us to make an example, we 

 fired two shots among" them. Numbers assembled round 

 the spot where the first had struck, scraping* the lead with 

 their nails, and scrutinizing* it with ludicrous g'estures and 

 g-rimace. The second, ho^^ever, knocked over one of their 

 elders, an enormous fellow, who was strutting" about erect, 

 laying' down the law — and who, judg-ing" from his venerable 

 appearance, must have been at least a gTeat-gTand-sire. This 

 national calamity caused incredible consternation, and many 

 affecting- domestic scenes. The part}^ dispersed in all 

 directions, mothers snatching- up their infants, and bearing" 

 them in their arms out of the reach of danger with an impulse 

 and action perfectly human. 



Conducted by an elephant path, we descended throug-h 

 the forest to a secluded dell on the northern side of the 

 rang-e. Beyond, the whole plain was studded with detached 

 P3^ramidical stony hills, among-st which we could perceive 

 the extensive remains of cattle enclosures and ruins, similar 

 to those we had passed in the morning-, testifying- of ^' cities 

 long* g*one by." The tracks of the elephants leading* back 

 ag-ain to the mountains, we re-ascended by a steep path 

 considerably to the west\^'ard of the defile throug-h which we 



* Cyvocephalus Porcarius. 



