Embraced by a Baboon.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 44, 21 February 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

Embraced by a Baboon.

The officers of the man-o'-war Pensacola, which recently returned from South Africa with the scientists who went to observe the eclipse of the sun in December, take much pleasure in recalling many of the incidents connected with tho voyage, says the New York ' Tribune.' One that brings forth a laugh even ab bhe mosb serious moments, ia an 'experience that Professor Cleveland Abbe had at Barbadoes. He went, with a number of bhe officers, to visit the museum, and took copious notes of tho peculiarities of tho various species of monkeys there, especially the 'blue monkey.' The manager specially cautioned him againsb the danger of approaching too close to an immense baboon, because of his ' extreme playfulness' at times ; but the professor was over-conscious of his own powers of persuasiveness, and went toward the fellow with a cracker in his outstretched hand, and kindly asked, 'Tommy, want a cracker?' The baboon made a sudden spring, caughb Professor Abbe aboub the waist, and in a second was literally wiping the floor with the learned scientist The manager came to bhe relief of bhe professor, who as soon as liberated made a hasty retreat, and did nob push the inquiry into the habits of the baboon family any further.