136 BABOONS AT HOME. 



giving another hoarse cough, that evidently told a tale of 

 consumptive lungs; he snatched up something beside 

 him, which seemed to leap on his shoulders, and then he 

 scampered off up the ravine on all fours. Before half this 

 performance was completed, I had discovered my mistake, 

 the little old man turned into an ursine baboon, with an 

 infant ditto, who had come down the kloof to drink. 

 The " old man's " cough was answered by a dozen others, 

 at present hidden in the fogs ; soon, however, 



" Uprose the sun, the mists were curl'd 

 Back from the solitary world 

 Which lay around;" 



and I obtained a view of the range of mountains gilded by 

 the morning sun. 



A large party of the old gentleman's family were 

 sitting up the ravine, and were evidently holding a debate 

 as to the cause of my intrusion. I watched them through 

 my glass, and was much amused at their grotesque and 

 almost human movements. Some of the old ladies had 

 their olive-branches in their laps, and appeared to be 

 " doing their hair," while a patriarchal-looking old fellow 

 paced backwards and forwards with a fussy sort of look : 

 he was evidently on sentry, and seemed to think himself 

 of no small importance. This estimate of his dignity did 

 not appear to be universally acknowledged, as two or 

 three young baboons sat close behind him watching 

 his proceedings; sometimes with the most grotesque 

 movements and expressions they would stand directly in 

 his path, and hobble away only at the last moment. 

 One daring youngster followed close on the heels of the 



