Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-07-31
A USEFUL BABOON.
He Does the Work of a Man VERY
Well.
HIS MASTER HAS LOST BOTH LEGS
He Also Keeps House and Attends to His
Masters Comfort Generally-A
Gifted Family.

Masters Comfort GenePally-A
Gifted Family.
1t is pleasure to present to the
readers of the Sunday World pic
ture of baboon who is rendering use
full service to the community.
The baboon here depicted is in the
service of the Cape Government Rail-
way Department. Cape Colony, the
principal British colony in South
Africa, owns the railroads within its
borders and therefore the baboon is
one of the great army of officials in
the British Empire.
He is stationed at point on the
railroad between Port Elizabeth and
Mitenhage. He assists, or perhaps it
would be better to say, is assisted by
an old switchman. who has lost both
legs. This man is his master, and the
support him in his misfortune.
The baboon may be seen here in the
act of turning the points in order to
send an approaching train in the right
direction. His master sits behind him
smoking his pipe, and giving him a
few words Of direction. The man
wears general air of confidence which
speaks volumes for the capacity of his
baboon. The animal goes about his
work in quiet and businesslike way.
1t is evident that he makes the switch.
man as comfortable as he can be with
out legs.
The baboon does all the work of a
competent switchman and much more.
No one who knows him believes that
he will ever be found negligent in his
responsible duties. The corporation
of himself and the man is a valuable
assurance of safety. The routine part
of the work has become so familiar to
the baboon that he would be incapable
of forgetting things where the man
might do SO through mental preoccu-
patton.
The baboon not only switches the
trains, but he flags them. He under
stands perfectly when told to exhibit
red, white. or green signal.
He does many other things that will
seem incredible to people who have
never met members of his family under
favorable conditions. 1t should be re-
membered that monkeys of the better
class seldom visit this country. The
few who do are quickly enfeebled in
health by the climate and are then in
no condition to exhibit their talents.
This baboon belongs to the chacma
family of South Africa, and conse-
quently has very high standing for
intelligence among apes The doings
of his family. not always admirable.
are recorded both in natural history
and in novels and they are very inter-
esting reading.
The switchman's baboon, pushes
little trolley from his masters little
hut to Port Elizabeth for the purpose
of fetching tolls, provisions and other
things. He cleans his masters house,
prepares his food, spreads the table for
him, al waits on him and generally
lightens the burden of his lonely life.
It may we'll be thought that the
baboon must have given striking proof
of his ability before government de-
partment consented to his occupying
this position. The master was very
faithful and efficient workman, and
lost his legs in an accident upon the
road.
In consideration of bis good service
and the fact that he met with disaster
on the railroad. he was allowed to
take his old place when he got WELL
At first he struggled about and did his
work on two wooden legs. but it was
terribly wearing and he felt he could
not stand it long.
Then his pet baboon put a most
beautiful and encouraging idea into his
head. The animal was always at his
side. and displayed the greatest willing
ness to help. Could he possibly be
trained to do the work of the lost
legs? The man set to work to train
him, and was delighted at the quick
ness with which the baboon learned
his duties
Shortly after the baboon assumed
the active work of the switch station,
the head Of the railroad department.
came that very way ON little tour of
inspection. He surprised the baboon
on duty, and was naturally surprised
himself. He did not discharge him
at once. as some would have done, but
gave him little attention. The re-
suit was that the baboon demonstrated
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