44 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



WE GAVE HIM A GOOD SCARE 



Not far from where we lived, another tribe of our folk 

 inhabited a krantz. They were down in the valley one 

 day digging up bulbs and soft roots. The folk of this 

 clan were noted for their boldness, and on several occasions 

 they had defied the natives who sought to drive them off 

 when they were helping themselves to mealies and pumpkins. 

 There were seven or eight strong warrior baboonfolk in 

 the clan, who had immense eye teeth. One day we saw 

 one of those wise humanfolk come along on a horse. The 

 baboonfolk I have just referred to were sunning them- 

 selves on the rocks not far ahead. The horseman, seeing 

 them, urged his horse into a canter, expecting to see the 

 baboonfolk scatter in terror. Not a single one budged. 

 Instead they sat sullenly glaring at him, with lips drawn 

 back and teeth glittering. The canter soon subsided into 

 a walk, but still the baboonfolk stood their ground. Sud- 

 denly the leader uttered a succession of fierce barks, and 

 the rest joined in and advanced menacingly. In an instant 

 that horseman had wheeled his horse, and, digging his spurs 

 into its flanks, fled away in terror. 



A BACK-VELD FARM 



Our clan live away in the Lydenburg district of the 

 Transvaal. Away below the rocky hills where we have 

 our home, there is a Dutchman's farm. We have a view 

 of this farm and all the surrounding country for miles. 

 On this farm a long-bearded Boer lives. His elder son 

 has a beard almost the length of that of his father. The 

 other son was a beardless youth. The lady of the house, 

 who is known as a Vrouw, was very fat. You see, the 

 healthy country life, free from cares and worries, gives 

 them a good healthy appetite, and as these ladies don't do 



