Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-06-05
BABOON HUNTIN AFRICA.
WAR TO THE DEATH WACED BY
BOERS UPON MONKEYS.

Against Them-Danger Natives Meet.
The South African colonists have got
rid of their lions and elephants, but
they have not yet been able to get the
better of the balloons. A baboon, al
though somewhat like dog, has all
the mischievousness of a man. 1t is
the ugliest animal in all creation. The
Beers call him Adonis, and never des-
ignate him under the official name that
has been given to him by science.
Now, this creature is the curse of the
Cape Colony. He commits depreda-
tions for the love of the thing. Any
imprudent tomcat that ventures too far
away from home is sure to be captured
and strangled for fun by baboon.
Nearly all the Angoras, the choicest
and most costly animals imported by
the colonists, have been destroyed by
these huge monkeys. Even the dogs
share the same fate. The bravest and
most pugnacious of the English canine
breeds are unable to cope with adver-
saries armed with just as powerful
jaws, and with the immense advantage
of having four hands instead of four
paws. With dexterity that conspicu-
ously exhibits his surgical aptitudes,
the baboon bleeds his enemy in the
throat, and in less than minute the
duel ends in the death of the dog.
When the shepherd is away and the
dog has been disposed of the flock is
left without defence. Although the
baboon generally feeds upon lizards
and beetles, he does not despise few
mouthfuls of mutton, which he de-
YOURS seated on the back of his living
victim. Unfortunate are the goats
and sheep that are attacked by these
cynocephali! When Adonis finds his
appetite fully satisfied he enjoys at a
little distance the contortions of his
victim. He frequently attacks cows,
but never attempts to get into close
quarters with the bull. The ostrich,
thanks to it's extraordinary speed, can
easily get away from the baboon, but
it is very much afraid of him, and i'm
mediately runs off on hearing his
bark. 1t is noteworthy that nature
has given to the baboon not only the
head of q dog but also the voice of a
dog.
One of the principal amusements of
these big monkeys is to gambol around
the wire fences that protect the tame
ostriches just to terrify them. The
panic among them is so great that they
often break their legs in their wild
rushes. This is pastime which the
monkeys seem to enjoy hugely. 1t is
known that broken leg for an ostrich
means death sentence.
A baboon runs away from q man,
but he has no fear of woman.
The Adonises travel in packs of
about fifty or sixty. They always
keep out of gun-shot range and watch
for a chance to do mischief in the alb
sence of shepherds or guards. 10 get
rid of the ugly marauders the colonists
some time ago established poisoning
clubs, which were subsidized by the
British authorities. All the old poi
sons and the new discoveries of
chemistry were tried, but they proved
worthless. A hungry panther or
jackal might easily enough swallow n
few grains of arsenic or strychnine
pill placed in piece of raw meat, but
q baboon is never deceived by so sim
pie method.
These animals are possessed of al
most human intelligence. 1t is impos-
sible to get near them in the day time,
and at nights during their hours OF re-
pose they are always surrounded by a
Gordon of sentinels, whose vigilance is
absolute. At the slightest indication
of the approach of an enemy, one OF
the sentinels yells out, "Ynh hou! Yah
hou! And in an instant the whole
troop disappears.
1t is also noteworthy that the ba-
boons never attempt to fly if the man
who comes to trouble their repose is
not armed with gun. Although they
exhibit extraordinary power of meas
uring by instinct the average range OF
rifle, and cautiously keep out of the
way, they exhibit no fear whatever o.
cold steel. If they find themselves
confronted by settler with no means
of defence except hunters knife, they
send a shower of stones at him, ant
the lord of creation is obliged to retrea
before battalion of cynOcephali tina
hurl projecties at him while keeping
ut u distance, because man, ever
when he is beaten, never entirely lose:
his prestige among balloons.
1t is in the darkness of the nigh
that the Cape colonists prepare theil
war of revenge against these enemies
whose depredations ruin in few mo
ments the most fourishing agriculture
establishments. A baboon hunt re
sembles an expedition against trib
of Basutos or Zulus. The farmers O
region infested by balloons com
mence by calling out the rear guard O
their shepherds. These preciou
auxiliaries of African agriculture ar
Kaffirs who in the baboon hunts play
dangerous and often self-sacriicin!
part. Before sunset they receive Al
order to form circle around tn
ground covered with bushes and pea
: trees where the balloons have estah
4 | nSneu tHeiT Cdilp. "ueh tHo ihch Isl
, at their post, they begin to march wit
!. extreme slowness and caution, ma
n9uvring in way to force the cync
:, cephali to close their ranks and NOV
9 toward high ground, where they ar
accustomed to take refuge in case G
danger. The movement to bring abol
> their concentration requires prudenc
: and caution. The animals must nc
y be alarmed too much.
About midnight dozen or SO c
& horsemen arrive one by one at tn
farm where they have agreed to meet
r After having partaken of some of tn
+. substantial refreshments for whic
South African hospitality is noted, tn
e colonists sleep two or three hours, an
{ then start out for their baboon hum
;, They surround the hill where the Ell
n envy is collected. Each one is sepa
q ated from his companion by an intel
v val of about hundred metres, wit