Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-27
BATTLE WITH eABooNs
Story of Miraculous Escape and Sur.
prising Anti. Climax.


When I was in South Africa, q
correspondent Of the Youths Compan-
ion writes, I left Mangwe one after
noon, in company with a couple Of mer
who were travelling up-country.
All we had were misunderstanding
made of a single strip Of the hippopot-
anus hide, and stout enough to MAIN q
man II the blow was well directed. Sud-
denly we saw that the grass on our
left was being disturbed over a pretty
wide area, and out Of curiosity we rode
over. We found out that the grass was
simply alive with hundreds Of baboons
marching toward the hill.
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 lash out with our SIAM
boks in all directions. The baboons
jabbered and showed their teeth, but
never 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 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 baboons swarmed up like
acrobats. l didn't stop to think, but
was off my horse and after them. My
friends called to me to stay where
was, but 1 was up that hill almost as
quickly as the balloons were.
A black old-man babvon was nearest,
and T made a rush for him. He didn't
run. I cut at him with the whip. He
only barred his teeth and snarled.
looked around. On every side were big
men balloons, and each barred his teeth
as caught his eye.
I lost my nerve and couldn't even
think of way out. All could do was
to back up to a 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 fly-stones Of no small
size, either. Luckily, baboon is not a
good marksman; he makes a jump as
he throws. Those balloons hit one an
other as often as they hit me.
Very slowly I backed for the rock;
very slowly the balloons followed. They
were waiting for something. That gave
me hope. If they didn't mean to rush
me, why not back down the hill until
my companions could reach me?
So changed my direction, and amid
the fusilade Of stones approached the
brink of the declivity. 1 reached it at
last, and began carefully to back down.
The stones fell thicker than ever. In
protection I had to hold my arms over
my head. All the time there was hid
eous jabbering and screaming.
Presently 1 was virtually underneath
some of them. The old black fellow
who had first faced me picked up a
rock half as big as himself, and drop
ped it. I lodged, stumbled over rock
behind me, and fell.
Then I knew what they were waiting
for. A score Of them were on me In a
moment. They tore at me and bit me
fiercely. If they had not been so many
they would have got me at once, but
they got in each others way, and dam
aged themselves as much as they did
me.
l tried to keep their nails away from
my eyes and face and throat, and to-
gether we rolled over and over down
the slope Of the hill. was scratched
and bleeding in dozen places, and my
clothes were torn to shreds; but some
how I was not bitten very badly. Per-
haps the pace was too great for any
accurate work!
So we bumped and rolled downhill,
first I on top, then the baboons on top,
then at last rolling ball Of baboons
with me inside. was too scared to
think even Of death, although IL had
been alone, death was certain. All at
once / heard the sound of hoofs that
scrambled over the rocks, shouts in the
English tongue and sjamboks that
whistled as they lashed round. Ba-
boons turned to filmy things and took
wing, the sky cleared and turned
bright blue, and went to sleep.