Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-02-26
BabOOn Life.

I NNAeO%~1 -
i Africa in smaller numbers than abou
a hundred in a troop. They move
! in manner similar to an army in the
r field that is, they are apparently
conducted by some fixed rules o.
discipline: as, for instance, when
detachment descends from the hills
to the plain in search of food, some
of the largest are separated from the
main body, and sent to occupy the
outposts, to watch Gt may be sup
posed) the approach of an enemy.
!. Should they observe a human being
advancing towards them, they give
notice, in a very sonorous voice, to
their comrades, calling out distinctly,
"YahOo!' This cry can be heard at
: so great a distance, that it's gener-
ally the first intimation which the in
ltruder receives Of his vicinity to their
quadruped army. On receiving this
signal, the foraging party returns
to the main body, and the whole
troop rapidly re tires toward their
Businesses in the mountains--the
most able-bodied acting as rearguard
to cover the retreat of their weaker
brethren. Once in the mountains,
they defy all pursuit, for they skip
from rock to rock like mountain deer;
and, should a dog overtake their
rearguard, he is certain to be torn in
pieces in an instant.
Balloons are uncommonly sagacious
in their manner Of robbing gardens;
and this they do as often as they can
find an opportunity, especially in the
fruit season, when they occasion great
destruction. They usually make
their incursions while the family are
at dinner, or taking their siesta; and
if a slave be placed to watch the gar
den at those times, he usually goes
to sleep on his post, overcome partly
by the heat, and partly by habit
Therefore these misc hievous animals
could not by any possibility select a
period better adapted ID to their pur-
pose; and | am told that it is truly
laughable to see then at those times
hopping off with their respective
prizes-carrying, perhaps, a melon
or pumpkin under an arm, as they
go gibbering away to luxuriate at
leisure.
There cannot be a doubt that these
creatures have law 5 by which they
regulate their comm mlunity, and nhict
punishment upon transgressor$.-|
This opinion is substantiated by an
incident to which a friend of mine
and his wife we're eye-witnesses.-E
Some months previous to the period /
Of the event | am about to mention,
the gentleman had requested a gar
'dener to procure for him a baboon
Of the largest size; but on account of
the difficulty in capturing one of that
description, his wishes we're still un-
fulfilled, when one day, as he and
his wife, were riding towards the gar
dener's house, their attention was at
tracted by loud shrieks from the side
of a hill, and they perceived, drawn
out in order, two parties of balloons,
atabout sixty yards distance from
each other. Midway between these
parties stood d a particularly large ami
NAL, apparently culprit in the act
of receiving punishment; for, while
my amazed friends looked, they saw a
baboon advance alternately from
each troop, and, after each had bitten
the prisoner, pass on to be followed
by others in like order. At each in
Fiction the offender screamed hideous-
ly, but with the most imperturable
gravity the punishment went on; and
my friends pursued their ride while
the ceremony was yet in operation,
not, however, without hazarding
many conjectures as to the probable
nature of the culprit's offence. 1t
was not long before sufficient grounds
arose for a belief that he had been
guilty of negligence on his watch;
for the gardener came forth to state
that he had at length captured a
ba5oon, but that he could not accom-
plish his design until he had shot the
animal. My friend here believed
that there was sufficient authority for
his convictions respecting their or
ganized principles Of action, as well
as that the scene he had witnessed |
arose out Of the destruction of the