NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



krantz. They are equally expert in climbing up 

 or down these krantzes. 



When chased in rocky country it is quite im- 

 possible to follow a troop of baboons, so swiftly 

 do they glide over and amongst the rocks ; and 

 woe betide the dog which ventures after them in 

 their stony retreats. 



In Natal I once startled a large troop of baboons, 

 digging up bulbs out upon the flat open ground, 

 some distance from the foot of a krantz which was 

 about a thousand feet in height, and quite perpen- 

 dicular. The baboons, with loud bark-like cries of 

 alarm, fled. Seeing us starting off in pursuit, the 

 warrior males, about six in number, fell to the rear, 

 glancing every minute or so over their shoulders 

 at us, and barking defiance. Reaching the krantz, 

 the troop swarmed up, and in an incredibly short 

 space of time not a baboon was to be seen. They 

 simply vanished from sight in the face of the preci- 

 pice. Taking out my field-glasses I carefully 

 scanned the face of the cliff and discovered the 

 reason of this mysterious disappearance. Here 

 and there in the sides of the krantz were cavities, 

 large gaping cracks and ledges. One of these 

 cavities was packed full of baboons, huddled up, 

 and clinging tight to each other like bees. On 

 jutting rocks and ledges, others were flattened out, 

 lying as still as the rocks on which they lay. A big 

 male with shaggy neck was lying hidden in a cavity, 

 the top of his head and eyes alone being visible. 



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