236 N A R R A T I V E O F A N 



CHAP, howl, which they perform in chorus whole groupes to- 

 XXY. gether, and fb lovtd, that it may be heard above a mile 

 thefe difcordant concerts, the negroes told me, they ge- 

 nerally repeat, both night and day, at the time of high 

 v/ater, which, it is fiippofed, the baboons know by in- 

 ftindt.— When fpeaking of inftindl in animals, I cannot 

 omit relating the following lingular fa(5l ;. after which I 

 lhall return to the hiftorical part of my narrative. 



On the i6th I was vilited by a neighbouring gentle- 

 man, w^hom I eondu6ted up my ladder ; but he had na 

 fooner entered my aerial dwelling, than he leapt down 

 from the top to the ground, roaring like a madman with 

 agony and pain, after which he inftantly plunged his 

 head into the river ; but looking up, I foon difcovered 

 the caiife of his diftrefs to be an enormous neft of wild 

 bees or wajjee-wqlfeey in the thatch, diredtly above my 

 head, as I flood within my door; when I immediately took 

 to my heels as h© had done, and ordered them to- be de- 

 molifhed by my flaves without delay. A tar mop was 

 BOW brought, and the devaftation juft going to com- 

 rnence, when an old negro Hepped up, and offered to ron 

 eeive any punifhment I fhould decree if ever one of thefe 

 bees fhould fling me in per/on. " Maffera," faid he, " they 

 " would have flung you long ere now had you been a 

 ftranger to them ; but they being your tenants, that is 

 gradually allowed to build upon your premiiTes, they 

 " alTuredly know both you and your'is, and will never 

 "hurt either you o^them." I inftantly afiented to the 



propofition, 



