The Meeker herald., 1914-03-14
HELD BY BABOONs
A Rash Adventure Wherein the
Hunter Was Hunted.
CLIMAX OF A CURIOUS BATTLE

the Jabbsrins orutss. Resolved ITSELF
lnts q Living Avalanche That Swept
Down Tire hhl-A Lucky Escape.
When was in South Africa, CORE
Dpondent writes. left Mangwe one
afternoon In company with couple Of
We rode at slow canter through the
long grass. for grass grows long in Al
rica, over your head very often. None
Of Us carried gun or even a revolver.
All We had were sjamboks, whips
made Of n single strip Of hippopotamus
hide and stout enough to MAIN II man
II the blow were well directed.
We were about mile below the only
pass in the south Of the Matoppo hills
that leads through to Bulawayo. Sud
denly we saw that the grass on our
left was being disturbed over pretty
wide area. and out of curiosity we rode
over. We found out that the grass
was simply alive with hundreds Of ba-
boons marching toward the hill.
There were brown balloons and gray
balloons and balloons almost black, lit
tie baboons, Big balloons. mamma ba.
boons, pickaninny balloons and old
sranddads almost white with age. We
refined in our horses and watched.
They showed no fear and no desire to
get acquainted with US. They looked
at rs over their shoulders. the man.
mas Rugged their babies tighter, and
they quickened their pace.
We ought to have let them pass, but
one Of the fellows suggested In spirit
Of mischief that we should help them
along. Before you could say knife"
the three Of US were in among them
and began to slash with our sjamboks
In all directions. The balloons jab-
bered and showed their teeth, but new
er attempted to attack US. We were
safe 70 long AZ we were mounted.
Pretty soon they came to a clump Of
trees. which they tried to climb. But
the trees were thorny and they had
to give It up. Then. they started for
the hills again.
We drove them right TO the foot OF
the hills. but there We had to stop, for
We could not take our horses over the
rocks. The balloons swarmed up like
acr0bats- I didn't stop to think, but
was Oh my horse and after them. Ny
friends called to me to stay where l
was. but was up that hill almost
a. quickly - the balloons were.
A black old man baboon was near
ct. and I made rush for him. He
didn't run. cut 1t him with the
whip. He only barred his teeth and
snarssd. I looked round. On every
side were big men baboons. and each
barsd his teeth a. caught his eye.
They had no intention to run away
from mo or to let me get away from
them.
1 lost my nerve and couldn't even
think OF q way out. All could do
was to back. up to a rock, keep the
balloons at bay with my sjambok
and walt there until my companions
could come to my rescue. Before I'd
gone two steps stones began to fly
stones Of NO small size. either. Luck
lily \ baboon Is not good marksmnn.
He makes jump as he throws. Those
balloons hit one another as often as
they hit me. --t.
Very slowly backed for the rock:
very slowly the balloons followed.
They were waiting for something.
That gave me hope. II they didn't
mean to rush me. why not back down
the hill until my companions could
reach mel
80 changed my direction and, amid
the fusillade of stones. approached the
brink Of the declivity. reached 1t at
last and began carefully to back down.
The stones fell thicker than ever. In
protection had to hold my arms
over my head. All the time there was
q hideous jabbering and screaming.
Presently was virtually underneath
who had FIRST faced me picked up a
rock as big as himself and dropped It.
lodged. stumbled over a rock behind
me and fell.
Then knew what they were wait
ing for. A score Of them were on me
In a moment. They tore and bit me
aercely. II there had not been so
many they would have got me at once,
but they got In each others way and
damaged themselves as much as they
did me.
I tried to keep their nails away from
my eyes and face and throat, and to-
gether we rolled over and over and
down the slope of the HILL was
scratched and bleeding in dozen
places and my clothes were torn to
shreds. but somehow was not bitten
very badly. Perhaps the pace was too
great for any accurate work!
30 we bumped and rolled downhill-
first / on top. then the balloons on top.
then at last a rolling ball Of balloons
with me inside. was too scared even
10 think Of death, although II had
been alone death was certain. All ut
once heard the sound Of hoofs that
scrambled over the rocks. shouts In the
Unvltah fnn0ue and NiambOks that