BAB 
BABOON. The Baboon, which compofes 
the fecond divifion of the monkey kind, is a 
large, fierce, and formidable race : and the human 
figure, as well as that of the quadruped, being blend- 
ed in it's conformation, it feems only to poflefs 
the defects of both; all the native petulance of 
the former, and all the ferocity of the latter. In 
man, the leading features do not always indicate 
the temper of the mind ; but, in animals, phyfi- 
ognomy is lefs liable to deceive: their difpofitions 
may be gathered from their looks, and their inter- 
nal propenfities from their external forms. View- 
ing the ape and the Baboon in this light, it will 
evidently appear that they confiderably differ in 
their difpofitions; and that the latter is infinitely 
more fierce, favage, and malicious, than the former. 
The ourang-outang, which fo nearly refembles 
man in it's figure, of all irrational animals, ap- 
proaches the neareft to him in the gentlenefs of 
it's manners, and the docility of it's temper. The 
Barbary ape, which is the moft diftant of all it's^ 
tribe from the human form; and, with refpedl to 
it's face, approaches nearer the dog; bears alfo, in 
it's nature, a ftrong refemblance to the brute, be- 
ing wild, reftlefs, and impetuous, in all it's mo- 
tions : while the Baboon, which is flill farther re- 
mote from it's fimilarity to man, in having a tail, 
a prominent face, and iliarp claws, approaches alfo 
nearer to the favage tribe in it's manners, and is 
extremely fierce, indocile, and mifchievous. 
The Baboon, properly fo called, grov/s from 
three to four feet in height, is very ftrong built, has 
a thick body and clumfy limbs, with canine teeth 
of a difproportionate magnitude. It has large cal- 
lofities behind, which are quite naked and red; it's 
tail is thick and crooked, and about feven inches 
long; it's fnout (for it can hardly be confidered as 
a face) is long and thick ; and it has a pouch on 
each fide of it's cheeks, in which it depofits the re- 
mainder of it's provifions after having gorman- 
dized fufficiently. It's hair, which is of a reddifh 
brown colour, is pretty uniform over it's whole 
body. It very feldom afFefts an erecft pofture; 
and, inftead of broad round nails, like thofe of 
the ape, it's hands, as well as feet, are armed with 
long fharp claws. « Thus formed for ftrength, and 
furnifned with dangerous natural weapons, this 
animal, in it's native haunts, proves itfelf to be 
one of the moft for midable of the favage race. 
In this ft-ate, it appears to be afluated by two 
very oppofite paffions; an averfion to men, and 
a libidinous defire for women. Thefe ftrange 
contrarieties in it's difpofition might appear veiy 
queftionable, if they refted on the teftimonies of 
only one or two naturalifts ; but, as they are 
authenticated by the moft credible and uhbi- 
afled, as well as the moft inquintive, obfervers 
of nature, we cannot rciufe them our affent. 
From fuch authorities we learn, that thefe animals 
'often attack v/omen in bodies, and force them 
into the woods, where they confine them ; and, if 
refraftory, put them to death. We are informed 
by the Chevalier Forbin, that, in Siam, whole 
troops of thefe Baboons will often faliy forth from 
their native woods, and attack the women of a 
whole village, when they know the men are ab- 
BAB 
fent on any expedition, or engaged in the rice liaf- 
veft. On fuch occafions, they feem aftuated by 
defire, as well as by hunger ; and not only plun- 
der the houles of what provifions they can find, 
but alfo endeavour to violate the woirien. The 
latter, however, as the Chevalier humoroufly re- 
lates, difliking either the manner or the figure of 
their beaftly gallants, boldly ftand on the defenfive, 
and with clubs, or whatever arms they can provide, 
inftead of meeting their carefTes, foon compel them 
to retreat. The Baboons of Africa are certainly 
lefs formidable than thofe of Siam; their ftrength 
being inferior, and their power of doing mif- 
chief confequently lefs. At the Cape of Good 
Hope they feem under a kind of natural difcipline, 
performing whatever they undertake with furpriz- 
ing Ikill and regularity. When they fet about 
plundering an orchard or a vineyard, they do not 
go individually to work, but in large companies, 
and with preconcerted deliberation. On fuch occa- 
fions, while fome enter the inclofure, one isftationed 
as a centinel, and the reft ftand without the fence, 
and form a line reaching to their rendezvous, which 
is generally in fome contiguous craggy mountain. 
Every meafure being thus fettled, the plunderers 
within the orchard throw the fruit to thofe who are 
without, as quick as they can gather it; which being 
pitched from one Baboon to another, ^11 along the 
line, with furprizing expedition, it is fpeediiy de- 
pofited in their head-quarters. While this bufi- 
nefs is carrying on, the moft profound filence is 
obferved among the whole fraternity ; and if the 
centinel, who continues affiduoufly on the watch, 
and is extremely anxious and attentive to every mo- 
tion, perceives any enemy approaching, he inftantly 
fets up a loud cry, at which fignal the whole com- 
pany precipitately retreat. They are not, how- 
ever, on any account inclined to leave the place 
empty-handed, but carry oif as much fruit as they 
conveniently can in their mouths, their handsj and 
under their arms. If the purfuit is continued, and 
they are in danger of being overtaken, they firft 
drop the fruit which is lodged under their arms; 
next, that which is in their hands; and, lafcly, what 
they have concealed in their mouths. 
Thefe animals, however, are by no ir.eans inca- 
pable of being tamed, and rendered fubfervient to 
fome beneficial purpofes. The natives of the Cape 
of Good Hope fometimes catch them v/hen young j 
and, feeding them with fheep and goats mJlk, ac- 
cuftom them to guard their houfes; a fervice diey 
perform with extraordinary punftuality and fide- 
lity. But thofe which we have feen imported into Eu- 
rope are ufually head-ftrong, rude, and untraftable. 
Animals in general, when they have committed any 
mifchief, indicate their fenfe of it, by running away; 
but thefe, feemingly caielefs and infenfible, never 
aooear ccnfcious ot having- acted amifs. 
BufFon sives us the following defcriotion of an 
animal of this kind. ' It was not (fays he) re- 
markably ugly, and yet it's afpeft excited horror. 
It continually appeared in a ftate of favage fero- 
city, gnafliing it's teeth, darting at the fpe6lators, 
and furioullv reftlefs. It v/as obliged to be con- 
fined in an iron cage, the bars of which it forci- 
bly attempted to break; fo that fpeftators v/cre 
filled 
