114 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



could. The dogs were chasing those who were trying to 

 escape. After slaughtering all that were about the beach, 

 the farmer men began chasing those who were doing their 

 best to escape. When as many of those as could be over- 

 taken were disposed of, those dreadful men systematically 

 searched every bush in the vicinity, and hunted out and 

 killed any of our folk whom they found hiding. Never in 

 all my experience have I known such a calamity to befall 

 our folk. That frightful scene of slaughter has haunted 

 me ever since. 



THE WHY AND THE WHEREFORE 



The whole affair to us baboonfolk was a mystery. We 

 talked it over, and speculated and wondered. We consulted 

 the wise men of other clans, but no solution could we find. 

 It was clear that there was something wrong with the 

 mussels, but what it was we didn't know. We thought 

 that, perchance, one of the farmerfolk had put deadly 

 poison into their shells, but this wasn't likely, because the 

 farmer men didn't know we were about to visit that spot 

 just then. When I was telling this story to the humanfolk 

 fellow who understands our language, and who is taking 

 down in what he calls shorthand all we say, he smiled and 

 said he thought he could offer an explanation. 



Eager to know, I asked him to explain. 



" Well," said he, " you see, mussels and oysters are 

 usually very good and wholesome food, but when anything 

 poisonous gets into their bodies they cannot spit it out, 

 like you and I can. When the tide is high they open their 

 shells and start sucking in the sea water, and pumping it out 

 again. In this sea water there are myriads of tiny creatures 

 so small that you cannot see them except with a microscope. 

 When the stream of water passes through the stomach of 

 the mussel or the oyster, that wonderful stomach is like 



