72 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



spread themselves out within touch of each other in a 

 single line reaching from the bush to the mealie garden. 

 I will enter the mealie field accompanied by two or three 

 experienced friends. We will rapidly collect the mealie 

 cobs and pass them on to the nearest baboon. He, in turn, 

 will without delay pass the cobs on to his neighbour, 

 who will do Ukewise. 



" In this way the provender will be rapidly passed along 

 the entire line and taken charge of by those at the far end. 

 If no danger threatens, well and good. We all retire silently, 

 collect the cobs, and make for home. If we should be 

 surprised, then, being unencumbered by mealie cobs, we 

 can make good our escape, and seize the cobs as we enter 

 the bush. Even if the enemy should steal upon us unawares, 

 it will be those in the mealie garden who will suffer most. 

 The others will have a lesser distance to run for shelter. 

 If a pack of dogs should attack us, we will keep them at bay 

 until the rest of the clan have retreated to safety. If it be 

 necessary that we should be called upon to sacrifice our 

 lives for the clan, then we must be ready to do it willingly 

 and cheerfully. It is better that a few should perish, than 

 allow the clan to run the risk of meeting with a grave 

 disaster. Besides, we, as the leading men of the clan, 

 should be prepared to take the lead and accept the post 

 of danger. I have spoken." 



Well, we duly carried the scheme into effect. It worked 

 grandly. Three times have we succeeded. We are not so 

 foolish, however, as to carry out this dodge every time 

 on the same mealie garden. We sometimes make excursions 

 for many miles, and make a sudden and unexpected descent 

 upon a mealie patch belonging to a distant farmer. 



Besides, we vary our plan a good deal, as well as the 

 time. 



We are not nearly so careful when we rob the Kafirs' 

 gardens. We are fully aware that few of them possess 



