66 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



and some dogs. Many of my folk were shot and killed and 

 I was overtaken by the dogs and captured. The dogs 

 would have killed me, but the menfolk came up just in time 

 to save my life. I was sent to the Port Elizabeth museum. 

 They put me into a nice cosy cage with four other young 

 baboons, two of whom were about six months older than 

 I am ; one was my age, and the other was only a year 

 and a half old. 



A man used to come into our cage every day to clean it, 

 and give us fresh water and food. The youngest of us, 

 whom we were very fond of because of his loving ways, 

 used to climb all over the man when he came into the 

 cage. One day when he was cleaning out the cage, our 

 little chum cHmbed on to his back when he was stooping, 

 and playfully pulled his hair and ears. He, somehow, 

 either pinched the man's ear, or pulled it too hard, and the 

 man was in a bad temper anyhow, as could be seen by his 

 face. Anyway, he struck our little friend severely on the 

 head with his hand, sending him headlong to the floor, 

 where he lay screaming. Our tempers rose instantly at 

 this gross cruelty, and, without hesitating for a single second, 

 we pounced upon that cruel man. I sprang upon his head, 

 another got him by the neck, a third round one leg, and 

 the fourth by the other leg. We were not very strong, 

 nor were our teeth large, but we bit and scratched him 

 severely. He bawled out with all his might, and struck 

 out at us and did his best to shake us off. We clung to 

 him like leeches, until two of his friends came and rescued 

 him. 



We baboonfolk are not vindictive or treacherous. We 

 like fair play, and we hate bulHes. Besides, we are always 

 ready to risk death to help any of our clan who may be 

 in danger. 



