The Meeker herald., 1914-07-04
HELD BY BAB0ONs
A Rash Adventure Wherein the
Hunter Was Hunted.
CLIMAX OF A cuRlous BATTLE


ths Jsbtssses Dsutss. nssssvsd stss6
ints Living Avalanche That esspt
Down ths hhi-A Lucky Eseaps.
WHEN was In south Africa, q cosrs-
spondent writes, left Aangwe one
afternoon In company with couple Of
men who were travelling up country.
We rode at . slow cantef through the
long grass, for grass grown long In A.
rica, over your bead very often. Nons
Of NJ carried \ gun or even revolver.
All We had were sjamboks. whips
made Of single strip Of hippopotamus
hide and stout enough to main man
II the blow were well directed.
We were about q mile below the only
pass In the south Of the Aatoppo hills
that leads through to Bulawayo. Sud
denly We saw that the grass ON our
left was being disturbed over pretty
wide ARA, and out Of curiosity we rode
over. We found out that the grass
was simply alive with hundreds Of b.
boons marching toward the hill.
There were brown baboons and gray
baboons and baboons almost black, lit
tie baboons, blg baboons. mamma ba-
boons, pickaninny baboons and old
granddads almost white with age. We
refined in our horses and watched
They showed no fear and NO desire to
sst acquainted with N. They looked
at us over their shoulder, the mann
mas hugged their babies tighter, and
they 0uickened their pace.
We ought to have let them pass, but
ono Of the fellows suggested In 4 spirit
Of mischief that We should help them
along. Before you could say knife"
the three Of us werc In among them
and began to slash with our sjamboks
In all directions. The balloons 3ab-
bered and showed their teeth, but new
ef attempted to attack rs. We were
safe 10 long ~ We were mounted.
Pretty soon they came to 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
Ne could not take our horses over the
rocks. The baboons swarmed up like
acrobats. l 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
- quickly - the baboons were.
a black cd man baboon was near.
-. and / nads = rush for hin. he
Ajdnt run. cut at him WITH IL
whip. He saiy barred HI tsstA and
snaEied. looked round. On every
side were big man bAboons, and each
barred bis teeth - caught his eye.
They had NO intention to run away
from mo or to let me get away from
tham.
lost my nerve and couldn't even
think Of way out All could do
was to back up to . rock, keep the
baboons at bay with my sjambok
and wait there until my companions
could come to my rescue. Before I'd
gone two steps stones began to dy-
stones Of NO small size, either. Luck
Hy q baboon II not good marksman.
He makes jump a. be throws. Those
baboOns hit one another AZ often ~
they hit me.
Very slowly 1 backed for the rock:
very slowly the baboons 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
30 changed nay direction and. amid
tho fusillade Of stones, approached the
brink Of the declvity. l reached It at
last and began carefully TO back down.
The stones fell thicker than ever. In
protection I had to hold my arms
ever my head. An the time there was
Q hideous tabbering and screaming.
Presently was virtually underneath
some Of them. The old black fellow
who had frst faced me picked up q
rock ~ big ~ himself and dropped It.
lodged. stumbled over rock behind
ne and fell.
Then know what they were walt
ing for. A score Of them were ON me
b = moment. They tore and bit me
herceIy. II there had not been 70
}nany they would have got me at once,
INT they got I'm each others way and
tAmaged themselves a. much a. they
ia ne. :,
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 q dozen
places and my clothes were torn to
5hreds. but somehow l was not bitten
very badly. Perhaps the pace was too
great for any accurate work!
50 we bumped and rolled downhill-
frst on top. then the baboons on toy.
then at hast q rolling bali Of baboons
with me inside. was too scared even
10 think Of death. although IL had
been alone. death was certain. All at
snce ] heard the sound OF hoofs that
scrambled over the rocks. shouts in the