24 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



Such a band of baboons is very disagreeable in the neighbour- 

 hood of the South African colonists, for they are most accom- 

 plished robbers, and make constant raids upon the corn-fields and 

 orchards. These expeditions are generally conducted by night, 

 and the animals are so stealthy and cautious in their movements, 

 that very often their presence is not suspected even by the dogs 

 which have been set to watch. 



When the baboons intend to rob an orchard, they wait for a 

 dark night, and then set off for the scene of operations. Arrived 

 at the spot, a number of sentinels are told off to keep watch, while 

 a few of the older animals scale the fence, climb the trees, and 

 gather the fruit. The rest of the band do not enter the orchard, 

 but form themselves into a long line outside. As soon as the 

 baboons within the orchard have filled their cheek-pouches, they 

 hand down the fruit to their companions below, who fill their 

 own pouches in like manner, and pass on what they cannot carry 

 to others. In this way the whole band is soon supplied, and the 

 thieves, laden with spoil, make their way homewards as silently as 

 they came. 



The traveller Alfred Brehm, in his book From North Pole to 

 Equator, tells a little story that illustrates both the intelligence of 

 the baboon and its affection for its young. While passing through 

 a rocky valley, the traveller, who was accompanied by a number of 

 dogs, came across a band of baboons that were crossing from one 

 side to the other. The dogs at once gave chase, but only the 

 females of the band took to flight. " The males", says Herr Brehm, 

 " turned to face the dogs, growled, beat the ground fiercely with 

 their hands, opened their mouths wide and showed their glittering 

 teeth, and looked at their adversaries so furiously and maliciously 

 that the hounds, unusually bold and battle-hardened, shrank back 

 discomfited, and almost timidly sought safety beside us. Before 

 we had succeeded in stirring them up to show fight, the position of 

 the monkeys had changed considerably, and when the dogs charged 

 a second time nearly all the herd were in safety. 



"But one little monkey about half a year old had been left 

 behind. It shrieked loudly as the dogs rushed towards it, but 

 succeeded in gaining the top of a rock before they had arrived. 



