THE CAPE BABOON OR BAVIAN 



The written statements of twenty-five of these 

 ladies and gentlemen have been filed in the Port 

 Elizabeth Museum for future reference, should 

 doubt be thrown on the accuracy of their story. 



Like other animals, the Chacma Baboon, when 

 hard pressed by hunger or thirst, loses its dread of 

 man, or rather overcomes its fear of him when faced 

 with death from starvation or thirst. I have known 

 of several cases of native women having been driven 

 from the mealie and Kafir corn-fields by troops of 

 hungry baboons. A friend, when trekking with an 

 ox-wagon, was accompanied by his wife and a Hot- 

 tentot woman. He had occasion, early one morning, 

 to go out after a herd of game, taking his two native 

 men with him. In about half an hour's time a large 

 troop of baboons came into view from a barren, stony 

 ridge, and, barking furiously to keep up their courage, 

 they advanced on the wagon. The lady and her 

 servant walked a few paces in their direction, and 

 threw some stones at them. The old leader, how- 

 ever, steadily advanced, followed by his hesitating 

 troop. The women grew alarmed, and, retreating 

 to the wagon, entered the tent with which it was 

 provided, and laced up the ends. Seeing them 

 retreat in alarm, the baboons now lost all sense of 

 fear, and came down with a run. Surrounding the 

 wagon, they overturned everything in their eager- 

 ness to find food. Discovering hah a sack of mealie 

 meal, they squabbled and fought over it, each doing 

 his utmost to fill his cheek-pouches with the meal, 



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