phant had no effect upon the African species, except
by mere chance. I had taken so steady an
aim at the convexity at the root of the trunk,
that every advantage had been given to the bullet ;
but the rifle that in Ceylon had^been almost certain
at an elephant, had completely failed. It was
quite impossible to follow the animal through the
jungle of hooked thorns. On our way toward the
camp we saw tracks of rhinoceros, giraffes, buffaloes,
and varieties of antelopes, but none of the
animals themselves.
On the following morning we started, several
times fording the river to avoid the bends : our
course was due east. After the first three hours
ride through a beautiful country bordering the Set-
tite valley, which we several times descended, we
came in clear view of the magnificent range of
mountains, that from Geera could hardly be discerned
; this was the great range of Abyssinia, some
points of which exceed 10,000 feet. The country
that we now traversed was so totally uninhabited
that it was devoid of all footprints of human beings ;
even the sand by the river’s side, that like the
snow confessed every print, was free from all traces
of man. The Basé were evidently absent from our
neighbourhood.
We had several times disturbed antelopes during
the early portion of the march, and we had just
ascended from the rugged slopes of the valléy, when
we observed a troop of about a hundred baboons, whcv
were gathering gum arabic from the mimosas ; upon
seeing us, they immediately waddled off. “ Would
the lady like to have a girrit (baboon) ?” exclaimed
the ever-excited Jali: being answered in the affirmative,
away dashed the three hunters in full gallop
after the astonished apes, who, finding themselves
pursued, went off at their best speed. The ground
was rough,, being full of broken hollows, covered
scantily with mimosas, and the stupid baboons,
instead of turning to the right into the ragged and
steep valley of the Settite, where they would have
been secure from the aggageers, kept a straight course
before the horses. It was a curious hunt; some of
the very young baboons were riding on their mothers’
backs. these were now going at their best pace,
holding on to their maternal steeds, and looking
absurdly human ; but, in a few minutes, as we closely
followed the Arabs, we were all in the midst of
the herd, and with great dexterity two of the aggageers,
while at full speed, stooped like falcons
from their saddles, and seized each a half-grown ape
by the back of the neck, and hoisted them upon
the necks of the 'horses. Instead of biting, as I had
expected, the astonished captives sat astride of the
horses, and clung tenaciously with both arms to the
necks of their steeds, screaming with fear. The hunt
was over, and we halted to secure the prisoners.
Dismounting, to my, surprise the Arabs immediately
stripped from a mimosa several thongs of bark, and
liavmg tied the baboons by the neck, they gave
x 2