The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-03-06
HELD BY BABUONS
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 HiIl-A Lucky Escape.

~ NChil'Aig " iAl ~ tOuDlt W
men who were travelling up country
We rode at a slow canter through the
long grass, for grass grows long In AZ
rica, over your head very often. None
OF us carried gun or even revolver
All we had were sjambuks. 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 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 baboons almost black, lit
te balloons. big balloons. mamma ba-
| boons, pickaninny balloons and old
granddads almost white with age We
relned 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 hugged their babies tighter, and
they quickened their pace.
We ought TO have let them pass, but
one OF the fellows suggested in Il spirit
OF mischief that we should help them
along. Before you could say knife
the three of us were i'm among them
and began to slash with our sjamboks
in all directions. The babOons lab
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 clump OF
trees, which they tried to climb. But
the trees were thOrny and they had
to give ii up. Then they started for
the hills again.
We drove them right to the foot OF
the hills, but there we had 10 stop foI
We could not take our horses over the
rocks. The balloons swarmed up like
acrobats. didn't stop 10 think, but
was off my horse and after them. My
friends called TO me to stay where
was, but | was up that hill almost
as quickly as the balloons were.
A black old man baboon was near
est. and made rush for him. He
1idn'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 no intention to run away
from me or to let me get away from
them.
lost my nerve and couldn't even
think OF way out. All | could DC
was to back up to n rock, keep the |
balloons at bay with my sjambok |
and wait there until my companions
could come to my rescue. Before 10
gone two steps stones began to fly |
stones OF no small size. either. Luck
lily baboon is not a good marksman
He makes jump as he throws. Those
balloons hit one another as often as
they hit me.
Very slowly | backed for the rock;
very slowly the balloons followed
They were waiting for something
hat So't AiN hOBNs IL ilCg uiuh
mean to rush me, why not back dowL
the hill until my companions coulC
reach me?
So l changed my direction and amid
the fusilade of stones, approached the
brink of the decivity. | 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
a hideous jabbering and screaming
Presently | was virtually underneath
some of them. The old black fellow
who had first faced me picked up a
rock as bag as himself and dropped It.
lodged. stumbled over n rock behind
me and fell
Then | knew what they were wait
ng for. A score of them were on me
m moment. They tore and bit me
iercely. 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
lid me.
| tried to keep their nails away from
ny eyes and face and throat. and to
,ether we rolled over and over and
iown the slope of the hill | was
scratched and bleeding in dozen
places and my clothes were toru To
'hreds. but somehow | was not bitten
Tery badly. Perhaps the pace was too
great for any accurate work.
So we bumped and rolled downhill-
irst on top then the balloons on top.
hen at last n rolling bail of balloons
With me inside. was too scared even
% think OF death, although v | had
been alone death was certain All nj
,nce | heard the sound OF hoots that
'cra mbled over the rocks. shouts I'm the
English tongue and siambOks that
as they lashed round. Balloons
urned To tilmy things and took wing.
rs, saved. ! tainted. YOUTHS Com
Danion.