The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-05-21

Jne edge OF the Cleft the firat babo0l
we had seen that morning. The brut'
gave q bark and vanished. ThrustinJ
the handkerchief into my breast, / go
my feet against the cliff and scrambled
up as hard as could go. l knew tina
we had no time to lose, for the babooI
would quickly alarm the others.
gained the cleft. 1t was mere archet
passage cut by water, ending in {
gully which led to a wide open spac,
OF some sort. looked through the
passage and saw that the gully wal
black with balloons. On they came by
the hundreds. | unslung my elephant
gun from my shoulders and waited, call
ing to the men below TO come up with
all possible speed. The brutes streamed
on down the gloomy gulf towards
me, barking, grunting and show
ing their huge teeth. waited till
they we're within fifteen yards. Then
fred the elephant gun, which was loaded
with slugs, rightinto the thick ofthe In
that narrow place the report echoed like
cannon shot, butts sound was quickly
swallowed in the volley of piercing
human-sounding groans and screams
that followed. The charge Of heavy
slugs had plowed through number
Of the baboons, Of which at least a
dozen lay dead or dying In the passage.
For moment they hesitated, then they
came on again with a hideous clamor.
Fortunately by this time Indaba-zimbi,
who also had gun, was standing by my
side, otherwise ! should have been torn
to pieces before could reload. He fred
both barrels into them. and again
checked the rush. But they came on
again, and Notwithstanding the appear
ance OF two other natives with guns, which
they let Of with more or less success, we
should have been overwhelmed by the
great and ferocious apes had not by
this time succeeded in reloading the
elephant gun. When they were right
on TO us fred, with even more deadly
effect than before, for at that distance
every slug told on their long line. The
howls and screams Of rage and fury
were now something inconceivable.
One might have thought We were doing
battle with host Of demons; indeed in
that light-for the overhanging arch Of
rock made 1t very dark-the gnashing
snouts and somber, glowing eyes of
the apes looked like those OF devils as
they are represented by monlfish fancy.
But the last shot was too much for them;
they withdrew, dragging some Of their
wounded with them, and thus gave us
time TO get our men up the cliff. In
few minutes all were there, and we ad-
vanced down the passage, which pres
emily opened into rocky gully with
shelving sides. This gully had water
way at tho bottom OF 1t; 1t was about
hundred yards long, and the slopes on
either side were topped by precipitous
cliffs. / looked at these slopes; they
literally swarmed with baboons, grunt-
ing, barking, screaming and beating
their breasts with their long arms In
fury. looked up the waterway; along
1t, accompanied by mob, or, as II were,
q guard OF baboons, came Hendrika, her
long hair flying, madness written on her
face, and in her arms was the senseless
form Of little Tota.
She saw US, and foam OF rage burst
from her lips She screamed aloud. To
me the sound was mere articulate cry,
but the balloons clearly understood 1t,
for they began TO roll rocks down on
to US. One bowlder leaped past me and
struck down Kaffir behind; another
fell from the roof OF the arch on 10 a
mans head and killed him. Indaba-
zimbi lifted his gun to shoot Hendrika;
l knocked 1t up SO that the shot won't
over her, crying that he would kill the
child. Then | shouted TO the men TO
open out and form q line from side to
side OF the shelving gully Furious at
the loss OF their two comrades, they
obeyed me, and keeping in the water
way myself, together with Indaba-zimbi
and tho other guns, gave the word to
charge.
Then the real battle began. 1t is
difficult TO say who fought the most |
hercely, the natives or the baboons.
The Kaflrs charged along the slopes,
and as they came, encouraged by the
screams OF Hendrika, who rushed TO and |
fro holding the wretched Tota before
her as shield, the apes bounded at
them in fury. Scores were killed by the
assegais, and many more fell beneath
our gun-shots; but still they came on.
Nor did we 60 soathelesa Occasionally
a man would slip. or be pulled over in
the grip Of baboon. Then the others
would fing themselves upon him like
dogs on rat and worry him to death.
We lost five men in this way, and 1 my
self received bite through the fieshy
part OF the left arm, but fortunately q
native near me assegaied the animal be-
fore ] was pulled down.
At length, and all Of sudden, the
balloons gave up. A panic seemed to
seize them. Notwithstanding the cries
Of Hendrika they thought no more of
light, but only Of escape; some even did
not attempt TO get away from the as
'egais OF the Kaffirs, they simply hid
heir horrible faces in their paws, and,
moaning piteously, waited 10 be slain.
Hendrika saw that the battle was
ost Dropping the child from her arms,
The rushed straight at us, very picture
II horrible insanity. lifted my gun,
'ut could not bear TO shoot After all
The was but mad thing, half ape, half
woman. SO l sprang TO one side, and
he landed full on Indsba-zimbi, knock
ng him down. But she did not stay TO
10 any more. Wailing terribly, she
ushed down the gully and through the
'rch, followed by many OF the surviving
'aboons, and vanished from our sight
[To RE Continued.