^4 THR tTRSINE BAI300K-. 



US, that they will become as watchful over their 

 master's property, as the most valuable house-dog 

 in Europe. Many of the Hottentots believe they can 

 speak, but that they avoid it lest they should be 

 enslaved, and compelled to work. Though not natu- 

 rally carnivorous, they will eat meat or fish that is 

 cooked *. Ihey are generally kept fastened by 

 means of a chain to a pole ; and their agility in 

 climbing, leaping, and dodging any one that offers 

 to strike them is almost incredible. Though one of 

 these animals was thus tied up, still it was impossi- 

 ble, at the distance of a few yards, to hit him with 

 a stone. He would either catch it, like a ball, in 

 his paw, or else he would avoid its blow in the most 

 surprising and nimble manner -f. 



They are about five feet high, and are able, in 

 spite of resistance, to drag the strongest man along 

 with them. — They are sometimes caught with dogs, 

 but it is necessary to have a tolerable number to sub- 

 due one of these animals. A single dog or two can 

 seldom catch one of them, for if the Baboon, which 

 is surprisingly agile, can but get a dog by the hind 

 feet, he will swing it round till it is perfectly giddy. 

 With their immense teeth they also bite very vio- 

 lently, and by means of them are able to defend 

 themselves with the utmost obstinacy:!:. — When 

 enraged by any person, even in a state of domestica- 

 tion, they attempt to lay hold of the ears ; and they 

 will sometimes bite one of them off as close as if it 

 had been cut with a razor It. 



* Kolben, ii. 120. t 'i"Ininl)cr;^, i. '285. ^Thuntipra;, il. p. Il6. 

 !1 IVun. Ciuad- i. J VI. 



