98 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



I must have touched a Puff Adder, for instantly there was 

 a loud, long-drawn-out hiss, and then a sickening thud, 

 and a horrifying yelL The snake had struck out into the 

 darkness, missed me, but buried his fangs in the flank of 

 one of the other baboonfolk. We all rushed in the wildest 

 terror out of the cave, and sat out in the open upon the 

 rocky ledge. The children cried and chattered incessantly 

 and clung about us. We grown-up baboonfolk were nearly 

 as terrified. We kept a strict watch on the mouth of the 

 cave in case the Puff Adder should come out. Hearing 

 moans of pain I looked over my shoulder and saw that one 

 of our womenfolk had been the snake's victim. She was 

 pressing one hand to the wound while she hugged her tiny 

 infant to her bosom with the other. All night she moaned 

 and groaned in agony. At break of day we all climbed 

 up to a higher ledge, helping her along. She was growing 

 very feeble and seemed to be dazed. Blood was slowly 

 oozing from her side, and there was blood and froth all about 

 her mouth. Slowly she sank, and her life seemed to be 

 slipping away by degrees. Then she was seized with con- 

 vulsions. One after another they gripped her. We tried 

 to take her infant from her, but she held on to it like a vice, 

 and even although she was at the point of death she rallied 

 sufficiently to implore us to let her die with her infant in 

 her arms. 



She hugged it to her breast with both arms, and, hanging 

 her head down over it, she died. 



We took it gently away, but the poor little thing was too 

 young to eat food. We were in despair and didn't know 

 what to do except keep it warm. However, by-and-by, 

 hearing our lamentations the rest of the clan came and 

 joined us. Seeing the state of affairs one of the other 

 mother baboonfolk, who had a little baby of her own, took 

 the hungry little orphan and adopted him. 



