76 
SAVAGE SUDAN 
Heaven, this night is over and pain gradually lessening; 
but I’m swollen all over like a putrid rhino—cheek-bones, 
knuckles, and such-like landmarks have ceased to exist; 
eyes entirely bunged up, and feeling stiff and sore from top 
to toe—but no fever, Gracias a Dios." Even eight days 
later I had not entirely recovered the use of my left eye. 1 
What the larger monkeys were remains unproven ; but 
shortly thereafter I had opportunity of making acquaint¬ 
ance with the other kind under the following (less parlous) 
circumstances :— 
Grivet Monkey. 
Some elephants had been feeding on a spiny cactus-like 
plant that abounds in these forests—the sort that grows 
in half-disconnected sections and is often parasitic, hanging 
in festoons from tree to tree. The incident had occurred 
weeks before, during the rains ; yet great husks of fibrous 
substance, chewed and disgorged, lay scattered around. 
This cactus-growth stretched in a belt right across 
our course. We were seeking a passage through the 
barrier when, in a tree just beyond it and not 20 yards 
away, appeared a startled black face—strangely human. 
For one instant our eyes met, and by the white eyebrows 
and bushy whiskers I recognised a grivet. In a flash the 
creature had sprung from sight. Quickly we found a way 
through the obstruction and saw, across an open beyond, 
two monkeys bounding away. Off dashed my Baggara 
like greyhounds, forcing the greybeards into the nearest 
clump of trees. With wondrous agility they leaped from 
tree to tree, but were presently at fault and I shot both ; 
indeed, three monkeys fell, for, unbeknown to me, the 
female had a young one clasped around her neck and 
breast. They proved to be grivets (Certhopithecus 
1 Cases have occurred when both men and donkeys have been killed 
outright by bees. An instance of their ferocity and power is amusingly 
related in Schweinfurth’s Heart of Africa , i., pp. 73-75 and 81. See also 
Deuteronomy , i. 44. 
