the river for some
distance, when they said we must be near the spot; and directly
afterwards we saw two creatures, one seated on a fallen trunk on the top
of the cliff, gazing out over the stream. I examined them with my
glass, which I then handed to David.

"Those are baboons," he said. "Their faces more resemble those of dogs
than of monkeys; and hideous-looking monsters they are. It was
fortunate you boys did not encounter them. You must take care and not
go unarmed so far from our Castle."

"I should say they were nearly as large as gorillas."

"Now the sun is shining on them, I can see their huge black faces. That
big fellow on the trunk has a hide of reddish brown colour, though his
head is shaded with light red, and his limbs are of a fawn colour. He
is, I suspect, the _Gynocephalus anerbis_. See! he is sitting down,
scowling round him maliciously, as if in search of an enemy, or
meditating on his own bad deeds. They always move over the ground on
all fours, and often descend in numbers on a plantation, and carry off
all the fruits they can lay hands on. We must take care to keep them at
a distance, for from what I have heard they are as daring as the
gorilla, and, though not so powerful, more mischievous."

"Let us see if we cannot frighten them," said Leo; and before we could
stop him, he rushed out, clapping his hands and shrieking loudly.

The baboons gazed at us with looks of astonishment, when several others,
scrambling out from the neighbouring rocks, assembled in a body. They
seemed to be consulting together whether they should advance, when Leo
and Natty again shouted. This seemed to decide them; and they began,
instead of running away, to approach us in a menacing attitude. I now
saw it was time to fire. I took aim, and hit the leader. He stopped
for an instant, and, giving forth a loud cry between a bark and a roar,
turned round, and with his companions made off into the rugged country
up the river. I must say I was very glad thus to be rid of them; for
although I had often seen baboons in captivity, when I thought them
disgusting-looking creatures, in their wild state as they had just
exhibited themselves they looked ferocious and terrible in the extreme.

David told us they often go hunting in packs like wolves, and on those
occasions do not hesitate to attack the largest wild animals. Sometimes
they will assault even elephants, while they without hesitation
encounter the leopa