The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-05-28

HELD BY BABOONS
A Rash Adventure Wherein the
Hunter Was Hunted.
CLIMAX OF A CURIOUS BATTLE

Tho Conflict, Which Was Forced Upon
the Jabbering Brutes, Resolved Itself
Into Living Avalanche That Swept
Down the HiII--A Lucky Escape.
When | was in South Africa. Il CORE
spondent writes, left Mangwe one
afternoon in company with couple of
men who were travelling up country
We rode at slow canter through the
long grass, for grass grows long i'm AT
RIGA. over your head very often. None
of us carried II gun or even Il revolver
All we had were sjamboks whips
made of single strip of hippopotamus
hide and stout enough to main man
If 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 ont 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
a.
tie balloons. big balloons. mamma ba-
bOons, pckaninny balloons and old
granddads 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 us over their shoulders, the mann
mas Rugged their babies tighter. and
they quickencd 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 so long as we were mounted.
Pretty soon they came to IL clump of
trees, which they tried to climb. But
the trees were thOrny and they had
to give it mp. 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
iN' no hN BAnOVilH ~ az illtAl VII l4ht
acrobats. didn't stop to think. but
was off my horse and after them My
friends called To me to stay where
was, but was up that bill almost
rs quickly as the balloons were.
a black old man baboon was near.
est. and made rush for him lie
didn't run. | cut at him with the
whip. He only barred his teeth and
snarled looked round. On every
side were big men balloons. and each
( barred his teeth as | caught his eye.
They had 10 intention to run away
from me or to let me get away from
them.
lost my nerve aud couldn't even
| think of n way out. All could do
was to back up to rock. keep the
balloons at bay with my siambok
AMI wait 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 balloon is not good mdrksman
I He makes jump rs he throws Those
balloons bit one another MS often as
they bit me
Very slowly ! backed for the rock;
very slowly the bnbnnus followed
They were waiting FOR something.
! That gave me hope ~ hey didn't
mean to rush me- why not back down
the hin until my companions could
reach mef
So changed my direction AMI. amid
/ the fusilladc Of stouc<. arnrDarhrd the
brink Of the deolivity rc.cacI IL at
/ Inst au1 began carorr'- l-r gcwn
The stones fell thicker thnn eyer n
I protection haG iu loH my aru4
over my head. Au the time there wl4
n hideous iabbcring md scrcumuv
Presently ] was virtuully underneath
some OF them The old bucs fellow
who bad irst faced 400 picked up a.
rock as big as himself aud dropped 10.
J lodged, stumbled over rock behind
me ana fell
Then ] knew what they were whit
ing for a score OF them were on me
iu q moment They tore ana bit me
hereely VI 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 ass they
did me.
tried 10 keep their nails away from
my eyes and face and throat and ia.
geiber we rolled over aud over and