Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-04
STORIES ABOUT BABoONs.
A Pet with Some Undesirable TricAr.
Bot Easily Controlled,

| brooklyn Eagle.
"When on the voyage TO my post Of
duty in the United States steamer Mo.
nacacy,p said the Colonel, 1--WE called at the
Cape Of Good Hope. l made pedestrian
trip down the coast, covering thirty to
| forty miles. While travelling along and
making observations which would in any
way aid me in the study of natural history
| came across Scotch missionary named
Captain Miller who was the only white
man for many miles, his neighbors being
all Hottentots. He showed me about the
place, and when he came to his garden
said that it was unfortunate that all the
vegetables and fruit had been carried
off by the balloons. He made up his mind
at one time to put stop to their depreda-
tions, and so he erected thatched hut
overlooking the garden and placed a
man in it with n loaded rifle. The
balloons, however, were very cute. They
would watch until the man went to dinner
and then they would post sentinels while
others of their number would seize as
many ripe vegetables as they could carry,
and make off with them to their mountain
retreats. One day the baboons, having
become careless by success, were filling
their cheek pouches with pumpkins, when
the man crept back to his lodge. and,
firing, wounded one which stood about four
feet high. Captain Miller told me that
the scene which followed the shooting was
so painful to him that he made up his
mind that he would never let another one
of the animals be killed if they ate up all
his vegetables. He said that the death
agonies of the creature were exactly like a
human being. He looked up pitifuIly
into my face said Captain Miller, while
his cries for help were so pitiful that
| felt rs if | had been a party
TO the commission of MURDER a short
distance from the house was a high
bluff, and at the request of the mis-
sionary | walked out there to witness
what he termed wonderful sight. which
truly il was. At distance we could see
company Of balloons at play By looking
through our glasses every movement was
distinctly discernible The little ones
were sliding down a chute like those made
by passing logs down mountain side.
They would slide down on their posteriors.
while the older animals, probably their
parents, would stand with big sticks in
their hands, apparently enjoying the sport
hugely. | saw in this same country
monster baboon belonging to soldier in an
English regiment. lie had been taught
many tricks by the soldier, one Of which
was to draw the cork from q wine bottle
and drink the contents. They provided a
uniform for him, in which he was usually
arrayed. He lived too high, however, be-
came very much bloated, and died Of an
affection of the liver. While / was sta
toned at Port Louis, French officer
gave me baboon, which he considered
quite pet. He was silver-gray in
color and very glossy. / never could
ascertain the exact species to which he
belonged, and he was certainly
great curiosity. lie swas quite Young
when captured. but grew TO be about four
feet high and very stout. As he became
older he became a more dangerous fellow
to have round; for instance, he would 90
up into the bread trees and pelt people
whom he didn't know with the bread
fruit. He would also take up large stones
and hurl them with great force and accu-
racy. | could always control him by
merely shaking my finger at him and call
ing his name, which was Jean Louis, but
for safety's sake | placed an iron band
around his waist and tied him up when |
was not on hand to watch him. He would
feel in my pockets for fruit when | came
home, and when he found any the least
bit bruised or dirty he would reject it. He
was a great imitator. Sitting by my side
while writing, he would take up the pen
when | had gone, dip it in the ink, and
scratch the paper, making i sorry mess of
whatever came in his way. He, too, would
draw cork and drink the contents of the
bottle, be il wine or brandy, but he was es-
pecially fond of the latter. He saw me
bore hole with a gimlet and Immediately
initiated me, and the same with driving a
nail l had suit of clothes made for him,
intending to bring him to America with
me, had not sad fate overtakeu him.
One day he took stone and hammered
the links Of his chain until they were
broken. He then wandered forth on
marauding tour. Coming to the ca
thedral, which was frame building, he
loosened the clapboards and commenced to
rip them off one by one Getting into
the building, he went into the chancel and
proceeded to tear up the Bible. The sex
ton came in, intending, if possible, to save
the property from destruction, but the
balloon picked up hymn-booIs and pelted
him with such force that he was glad to
retreat. Finally Mr.. Baboon got upon the
roof and began to tear off the shingles.
The police at this iuncture leveled their
revolyers at him and poor Jean Louis fell
To the parth dead hahoonv