68 



THE BABOON. 



itself to the mountains. Its master was severely 

 bitten, and did not recover for some weeks. As 

 soon, however, as he was well he sallied out with 

 his gun, determined to have revenge upon his 

 former pet. 



After seeking it for some time in vain, it was 

 discovered among some of its fellows, peeping at 

 its master over a crag. Instantly the gun was 

 aimed at the offending animal, which, however, im- 

 mediately withdrew its head, and held forward 

 one of its comrades as a target, completely 

 shielding its own body ; and so cunning and suc- 

 cessful was it in its manoeuvres that the man was 

 obliged to give up his desire to punish it, and to 

 return home completely foiled. 



Baboons resent the appearance of any new- 

 comer into their domain, and express their dis- 

 approbation by various methods, cliief among 

 which are grimaces and hoarse shouts. A trav- 

 eler says : " Their inhospitable treatment obliged 

 us on one occasion to make an example for public 

 edification, and we answered the challenge of an 

 insolent detachment with two rifle-balls. Num- 

 bers assembled round the spot where the first 

 had struck, scraping off the lead with their fin- 

 ger-nails, and analyzing it with ludicrous gestures 

 and grimaces. The second missive happened, 

 however, to upset one of their elders, an enor- 

 mous ' man,' as the Hottentots termed it, fully 

 the size of a Newfoundland Dog, which was 

 strutting about erect, laying down the law upon 

 the abstruse science of projectiles, and which, to 

 judge from its venerable appearance, toothless 

 gums, and white whiskers, must have been at least 

 a great-grandsire. This national calamity did 

 not fail to cause incredible consternation, and 

 there ensued many affecting domestic scenes, 

 which made us almost question the nature of the 



act we had committed. With prodigious whoops 

 and bowlings off trooped the party in all direc- 

 tions — mammas snatching up their babies, press- 

 ing them to tlieir maternal bosoms and bearing 

 them away in their arms beyond the reach of 

 danger." 



The Baboon is very bold, and fights desper- 

 ately when attacked. The old males are very 

 savage, and inflict terrible wounds with their 

 long canine teeth, which project considerably be- 

 yond the jaws, and have the inner edges sharp as 

 a knife. They strike these into any animal that 

 provokes them, and grasping it with their arms, 

 thurst it away from them, making a long deep 

 gash. Some of the long-armed Apes have been 

 known to kill frequently in this way other Mon- 

 keys which had offended them and fallen into 

 their power. But, like all wild creatures, these 

 animals have also their dreaded foes, against 

 the wiles and stealthy approach of which even their 

 great cunning avails but little. The Leopard is the 

 one they hold most in fear, and he often succeeds 

 in snatching an individual from the midst of its 

 companions. Great is their consternation and 

 indescribable the commotion occasioned among 

 them. at such an event. Rage and fear possess 

 them at the same moment, and to the desire for 

 revenge at the loss of one of tjieir number is ad- 

 ded the reluctance to approach too near their 

 sharp-clawed adversary, which exhibits the most 

 supreme indifference to their movements. Hav- 

 ing gained a comparatively safe place of retreat, 

 they make all kinds of hideous grimaces at their 

 feline admirer, howling their anger, and making 

 a liberal exhibition of their white teeth. 



At such times some important individual 

 strides up and down before the rest, conspicuous 

 for his exhibition of impotent rage, and occasion 



