62 THE CHACMA. 



nance ; so that a grimace on the part of the gallant owner was immediately reproduced, or 

 rather, represented by a grin on the part of the baboon. 



There is a well-known story of a monkey who literally "plucked a crow" which had been 

 in the habit of stealing his food, and curiously enough, the scene was re-enacted by this very 

 animal, with the exception of one or two slight differences. 



He was chained to the pole because he was rather too mischievous to be left entirely at 

 liberty. He had been already detected in eating a box of wafers, studying practically the 

 interior construction of a watch, and drinking a bottle of ink — in this last exploit displaying 

 similar tastes with the siamang described in this volume. His age was only two years at the 

 time when the account of his performances was written. 



Captain Drayson has very kindly furnished me with the following original anecdotes of 

 this tame Chacma : 



' ' A young baboon which had been reared by his owner from infancy resided for some 

 months near my tent, and often served to while away an idle hour. 



"Sometimes a stout earthen pot, which had just been emptied of its contents of good 

 English jam, was submitted to the mercy of 'Jacob,' as this animal was named. The neck of 

 the pot would not admit even a hand to be inserted, and it was most amusing to watch the 

 manoeuvres which were practised to procure some of the remnants of the sweets. If a stick 

 were near, the jam was scooped out ; but if not, the pot was elevated high above Jacob's head, 

 and then flung to the ground with great force. 



' ' The earthen pot was stout and strong ; but upon one occasion, by good luck, the pot 

 struck a stone, and was fractured. Great was the delight of Jacob, but not unmixed with 

 suspicion ; for he appeared to think that the bystanders had been merely waiting to take 

 advantage of his skill in projectiles, and that they would now purloin his fragments. Cram- 

 ming his pouches full of bits of the jam-pot, he then seized the largest remaining piece and 

 retreated to the top of his pole to enjoy the licking. 



"He was always fully occupied for some hours after these feats ; for the jam adhered to 

 his body, and he had to contort himself to lick off all the particles. 



"There is almost as much expression in the tail of a baboon, as there is in his face. The 

 alteration of the curve in which it is usually carried, or the lowering of this appendage, 

 having a special meaning, according to the character of the individual. 



' ' The baboon is perfectly aware of the dangerous character of the snake, and when he 

 approaches a clump of bushes for the purpose of feasting upon the young shoots or ripe berries, 

 he invariably peeps suspiciously amongst the underwood in search of his dreaded foe. 



"In consequence of Jacob's detestation of the serpent race, a cruel trick was frequently 

 played upon him, but which was one that gave great amusement. This was to frighten him 

 with a dead snake. 



"Serpents of every description were here very common; and sometimes when one had 

 been killed, it was laid across a stick and taken towards Jacob. The instant his persecutor 

 came in sight, the snake was sure to be seen ; Jacob would then wrap himself up in his 

 blanket and turn over an old box, under which he would hide. This retreat soon failed 

 Mm, as there was a small knot-hole in the box, through which the tail of the snake was 

 insinuated. 



"Finding that this artifice had failed, he would upset the box, and spring away ; a little 

 dodging would then take place, and Jacob would be hemmed in so that the snake was brought 

 close to him. Then, indeed, things required a desperate remedy, and with great presence of 

 mind, he would seize the tail — invariably the tail — of the snake, and would fiing the reptile to 

 a distance. He would then at once rush towards his persecutor, and sit down beside him, as 

 though to intimate that he wished to be friends. 



"There was only one method from which there was no escape ; this was to tie the snake 

 loosely around the upper part of Jacob's chain, and then hold it so that a little shaking caused 

 the reptile to slide towards him. 



" After several jumps and grimaces, he would appear to be convinced that escape was use- 

 less, and would then resign himself complacently to his fate. 



