spot of ground had been selected, only a few hundred yards from
the nwana-tree. It had been turned up with the spade, for want of a
plough, and the seeds planted at proper distances.

Many an hour had been given to the weeding and hoeing of it, and around
every plant a little hill of soft mould had been raised, to nourish the
roots, and protect them from the heat of the sun. The plants were even
watered now and then.

Partly on account of this attention, and partly from the richness of the
virgin soil, a splendid growth was the result; and the stalks stood full
twelve feet high, with ears nearly a foot long. They had almost
ripened; and the field-cornet intended in about a week or ten days to
gather in the crop.

Both he and all his people were anticipating pleasant feasts of
maize-bread, and "hominy," with "mash and milk" and various other
dishes, that with Totty's skill could be manufactured out of the Indian
corn.

About this time an incident occurred that nearly deprived them, not only
of their whole plot of maize-plants, but also of their valuable
housekeeper, Totty. It was as follows.

Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded a
view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far as the
bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about "house" affairs, when her
attention was called off, by some singular noises that came from that
direction. She parted the branches and looked through. A singular
scene was before her eyes--a spectacle of no common kind.

A body of odd-looking animals, to the number of two hundred or more, was
coming from the direction of the cliffs. They were creatures of
ungainly forms--in make and size not unlike large ill-shaped dogs--and
of a greenish brown colour. Their faces and ears only were black, and
these were naked, while their bodies were covered with harsh coarse
hair. They had long tails, which some of them carried high in the air,
and flourished about in a very eccentric manner.

Totty was by no means alarmed. She knew what sort of animals they were.
She knew they were _baboons_. They were of the species known as the
"pig-faced" baboon or "chacma" (_Cynocephalus porcarius_), which is
found in nearly every part of South Africa where there are high cliffs
with caves and crevices--the favourite dwelling-places of the baboon.

Of all the monkey tribe the baboons, or dog-headed monkeys
(_cynocephali_), are the most disgusting in form and fea