86 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Three pitched headlong from the rocks, their bodies bound- 

 ing from the jagged edges of the face of the cHff. Instantly 

 we scattered, and retreated in the direction taken by our 

 chief. The rifles spat fire again and again, and many more 

 of our folk were killed or wounded. At last we reached a 

 portion of the krantz which was very high and bush-clad. 

 In this there was a secret hiding-place, where it was impossible 

 for humanfolk to reach us or to locate us. Many volleys 

 were poured into the bush where we were seen to disappear, 

 with the object, evidently, of dislodging us. We all crowded 

 closely into the rock shelter, and lay still. Three or four 

 random bullets reached us, killing one of our children, and 

 wounding three others. One of the bullets passed right 

 through a little boy's head and buried itself in my shoulder. 

 The blood gushed out of the wound. I held my fingers 

 tightly over the hole to stop the blood. Many more of our 

 number were suffering from wounds, most of whom were 

 also holding their fingers or the palms of their open hands 

 over the wounds. 



When the humanfolk had gone off, we cautiously crept 

 out of the small cave and gathered the leaves of a medicinal 

 plant, which we rolled up into pellets and stuffed into the 

 bullet-holes in our limbs or bodies. I suppose you think 

 we baboonfolk haven't got enough intelligence to do such 

 things, but I assure you we have. It would astonish you 

 to hear of the many things we know, which you imagine 

 only humanfolk can do. 



OUR NEW HOME 



Our wise men, or at least those of them who were still 

 alive, sat in solemn council during the afternoon, and eventu- 

 ally decided to lie low for a day or two, and then to retreat 

 silently to another part of the country. Two scouts were 

 meantime sent out to explore the country and report. 



