niency extended to himself; but, whatever the cause, he
shook the newcomers heartily by the hand, said he regarded them as next
door-neighbours, started the echoes of the precipices--which he styled
Krantzes--and horrified the nearest baboons with shouts of bass laughter
at every word from himself or others which bore the remotest semblance
to a joke, and insisted on as many of the strangers as could be got into
his house, drinking to their better acquaintance in home-made brandy.
The same deadly beverage was liberally distributed to the men outside,
and Groot Willem wound up his hospitalities by loading the party with
vegetables, pomegranates, lemons, and other fruits from his garden as he
sent them on their way rejoicing. Soon afterwards he followed them, to
aid in forcing a passage up the valley.

In return, as a slight acknowledgment of gratitude, Hans supplied the
giant with a little powder and lead, and Mr Pringle gave his family a
few Dutch tracts and hymn-books.

"Wonders'll niver cease in this land!" said Sandy Black to Jerry Goldboy
as they left the farm.

"That's true, Sandy; it's a houtrageous country."

"To think," continued the Scot, "that we should foregather wi' Goliath
amang the heeland hills o' Afriky; an' him fond o' his dram tae--Hech,
man! look there--at the puggies."

He pointed as he spoke to a part of the precipice where a group of
baboons were collected, gazing indignantly and chattering furiously at
the intruders on their domain.

The ursine baboon is not naturally pugnacious, but neither is he timid
or destitute of the means of defence. On the contrary, he is armed with
canine teeth nearly an inch long, and when driven to extremities will
defend himself against the fiercest wolf-hound. He usually grapples his
enemy by the throat with his fore and hind paws--takes a firm bite with
his formidable tusks, and tears and tugs till he sometimes pulls away
the mouthful. Many a stout baboon has in this manner killed several
dogs before being overpowered. It is said that even the leopard is
sometimes attacked and worried by baboons, but it is only collectively
and in large bands that they can oppose this powerful enemy, and baboons
are never the aggressors. It is only in defence of their young that
they will assail him.

The strong attachment of these creatures to their young is a fine trait
in their character. This quality has been shown on many occasions,
especially when the creatures h