48 WOLF'S WILD ANIMALS. 



These animals are generally very much afraid of snakes, and avoid them on 

 every occasion by getting upon some limb of a tree or on a high rock at a safe dis- 

 tance, where they chatter forth their anger and disgust at the crawling reptile beneath 

 them. Once upon a time a native of one of the African tribes possessed a tame 

 Baboon, and for amusement twisted a dead serpent round its neck. The animal sat 

 for a long time motionless, trembling in deadly fear, not daring to touch the repulsive 

 necklace that encircled it in many folds; and it was only when the object of its 

 terror was removed that it crept timidly into its master's hut, and hid itself away 

 in a corner. On being called to scratch its owner's head, as it was in the habit 

 of doing, the animal refused to move ; and, when struck for its disobedience, flew 

 at the native. A severe struggle ensued, and nothing could be seen of either 

 combatant through the clouds of dust that were raised, and the cinders that were 

 struck out of the fire which was burning in the centre of the floor, until suddenly 

 the Baboon appeared outside the hut, and immediately betook himself to the 

 mountains. His 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 him for some time in vain, he was 

 at last discovered among some of his fellows, peeping at his master over a crag. 

 Instantly the gun was aimed at the oifending animal, which however immediately 

 withdrew his head and held forward one of his comrades as a target, completely 

 shielding his own body; and so cunning and successful was he in his manoeuvres, 

 that the man was obliged to give up his desire to punish him, and to return home 

 completely foiled. 



Baboons resent the appearance of any new comer into their domain, and 

 express their disapprobation by various methods, chief among which are grimaces 

 and hoarse shouts. A traveller 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. Numbers assembled 

 round the spot where the first had struck, scraping oif the lead with their finger 

 nails, and analyzing it with ludicrous gestures and grimaces. The second missive 

 happened, however, to upset one of their elders, an enormous ' man,' as the 

 Hottentots termed him, fully the size of a Newfoundland dog, who was strutting 

 about erect, laying down the law upon the abstruse science of projectiles, and who, 

 to judge from his venerable appearance, toothless gums, and white whiskers, must 



