The sun., 1897-05-16
BABOON HUNTS IN AFRICA.
WAR TO THE DEATH WAGED BY AZ
RIKANDERS UPON MONKEYS.
Extraordinary IntciiiEenc" Attributed to the
Mischievoua Bensts-DamnEo Done by Them
to settiers--PoIson Useless Against Them
Danger Natives Meet In tho Hunts.

their lions and elephants, but they have not yet
been ablo to get the better Of the balloons. A
baboon, although somewhat like q dog, has all
thcsmischievousncss Of n man. IL is the ugllcst
animal in all creation. The Beers call him
Adonis and mover designate him under tho off,
cial name that has been given to him by science.
Now, this creature is the curse OF the Cape
Colony. lie commits depredations for the love
of the thing. Any imprudent tomcat that ven-
lures too far away from home Is sure to he cap
tured and strangcd for fun by a baboon. Nearly
all the Angoras, the choicest and most costly
animals imported by the colonsts, have been
destroyed by these huge monkeys. Even tho
dogs share tho same fate. Tho bravest and
most pugnacious OF the English canine breeds
arc unable to cope with advcrsarics armed with
just as powerful jaws, and with the immense ad.
vantage of having four hands instead OF four
hibits his surgical aptitudes the baboon bIccds
his enemy IN tho throat, and In less than minute
When the shepherd is away and The dog has
been disposed Of the flock is left without de.
upon lizards and beetles, he does not dcspise a
seated on the back of his living victim. Unfor.
By heso When 1dons hs
appetite fully satisfied he enjoys at little dis.
saenty % attacks cows o but s never I aempts 5s
to get into close quarters with bull. The
ostrich thanks TO It's extraordinary speed. can
easily get away from the baboon, but II Is very
on hearing his bark. 1t, is noteworthy that
head Of dog but also the voice of dog. All
birds that arc not remarkable for their intclli
gence have an insurmountabe dread Of the
cynocephalus.
Ono Of the principal amusements of these big
monkeys is to gambol around the wire fences
that protect the tame ostrchcs just to terrify
them. The panic among them is so great that
they often break their legs in their wild rushes.
enjoy hugely. 1t is known that a broken leg
for an ostrich means death sentence;
OF P ali % n nc po"i
ground for the mortal terror which Adonis in
spires among some Of the negro women of South
cynocophali is often merely pretcxt among tho
young Zulu and Basuto bellies to get the escorts
The baboon is very bad fellow and an intolcra-
BILE neighbor, but he should not DO slandered.
sixty. They always keep out Of gun ] shot i range
and watch for chance to do mischief in the alb
sepce of shepherds or guards. To get rid OF tho
ugly marauders the colonists some time ago es-
sidized by the British authorities. All the old
were tried, but they proved worthless. A hungry
panther or 3ackal might easily enough swallow
placed in piece Of raw meat, but a baboon is
never deceived by so simple n method. He
is "A delicate and refined fellow, accustomed
and different kinds OF Insects. He becomes
carnivorous at rare intervals only. and appar-
emily. in some degree. at least, for the pleasure
OF torturing the unfortunate domestic animals
that may fall into his clutches. His infallible
ernr presen go
scent that might we'll do honor to professional
expert he detects the presence Of a mineral or
vegetable poison in the quarter OF mutton that
he finds by chance as he travels along. More
over. he is thoroughly aware of the fact that
from Europe should never swallow pills.
These animals are possessed OF almost human
in the day time, and at night during their hours
OF repose they are al ways surrounded by
don Of sentinels, whose. vigilance is absolute.
At the slightest indication of the approach OF
an enemy one Of the sentinels yells out, Yah
houl Yah hou!' And in an instant the whole
dictionary OF the language OF monkeys Mr.. Gar.
neE does net give us the exact derivation of
1t is also noteworthy that tho baboons never
attempt to ny II the man who comes to trouble
their repEse is not armed with gun Although
by instinct the average range of a rife and eau
tiously keep out of the way, they exhibit no fear
confronted by settler with no means of defence
except hunters knife they send a shower OF
to retreat before battalion of cynoCcphaii that
hurl projectilcs at him while keeping. at dis.
never entirely loses his prestige among baboons.
1t is In the darkness OF the night that the Cape
ocoonists prepare their war Of revenge against
these enemies whose depredations ruin in few
moments the most tiourishing agricultural
establishments. a balloon hunt resembles, an
The farmers of region infested by balloons
commence by calling out the rear guard of their
agriculture are Kaffirs who in the baboon hunts
play a dangerous and often sclf.sacrifcing
part Before sunset they receive an order
covered with bushes and pear trees were
the balloons have established their camp. When
the men are at their post, they begin to march
with extreme slowness and caution manCruvring
In way to force the cynocephNli to close their
they are accustomed to take refuge in case OF
danger. The movement to bring about their
The animals must not be alarmed too much.
About midnight dozen or SO of horsemen
arrive, one by one at the farm where they have
European colonists Of South Africa are rifemen
that have no superiors on the face of the earth,
and that they can perform tours de force with a
pam Pa"ons s~ of BRaSs B"Rao Biz p'' Oh 'n' FAMOUS com
stantisl refreshments for which South African
hospitality is noted, the coonsts sleep two or
three hours and then start ont 3 for their baboon
Is collected. Each Ia separated from his
companion by an interval Of about 100 metres.
hill to cut of the retreat. These manpuvres
man is in the place assigned to him, he has
nothing more to DO except to light his pipe
fuSS So ws FOR of branch 1t ss
gives notice that the animals are waking up.
One OF them advances cautiously to see II there
Is anything suspicious in the horizon. Aftor
making about three or four PAGES he receives
bullet which sends him bounding into the air
with an almost human cry. Then the rest mp.
pear, and tho hunters blaze away. Few OF the
enemy escape. The hunters then advance. but
instead of taking scalps they cut Off tails which
furnish the evidence OF their prowcss and enttlo
them TO the reward fixed by the Government.
Each tail is worth about 75 cents.
An old Boer, on being asked II he was satisfied
with n recent hunt, replied:
" Perfectly. We had splendid sport. We
killed forty monkeys and two menl"
. That gives one an idea OF the dangers incurred
In the ,pastime. These unfortunate accidents
cannot be attributed to any want OF skill in tho
use of the rife. true Afrikander. as each
colonist of the Cape, OF the Orange State and OF
tho Transvaai calls himself, never miss a shot,
hut, before firing, he does not always take
time to reflect. II one OF the crack shots
In ambush ON tho high ground makes the slight
est movement, he runs tho risk OF receiving a
bullet in his head. But II Is among the natives
that the bullets OF the hunters make the most
victims, In the gray light which precedes the
dawn II is not always easy to distinguish a
babOon from Basuto.