THE URSINE BABOON. 63 



turned, after being pursued by us. Sometimes 

 they allowed us to approach so near, that I was al- 

 most certain of seizing them. But when I made 

 the attempt, they sprung, at a single leap, ten 

 paces from me, and mounted trees with equal agili- 

 ty, from whence they looked at us with great in-~ 

 difference, and seemed to derive pleasure from our 

 astonishment. Some of them were so large, that 

 if our interpreter had not assured us they were 

 neither ferocious nor dangerous, our number would 

 n<3t have appeared to be sufficient to protect us from 

 their attacks. As it could serve no purpose to kill 

 them, we did not use our guns. But tlie captain 

 levelled his piece at a very large one that rested on 

 the top of a tree, after having fatigued us a long 

 time in pursuing him : this kind of menace, of 

 which the animal, perhaps, recollected his having 

 Eometimes seen the consequences, terrified him to 

 6uch a degree that he fell down motionless at our 

 feet, and we had no difficulty in seizing him. But, 

 when he recovered from his stupor, it required all 

 our dexterity and efforts to keep him. We tied 

 his paws together ; but he bit so furiouslv, that wc 

 were under the necessity of binding our handker- 

 chiefs over his head *." 



In confinement these Baboons may be rendered 

 docile, yet they always retain the disposition to re- 

 venge an injury. At the Cape they are often taken 

 young, and brought up with milk ; and Kolben tells- 



* Voyajje of Robert Lade. 



