THE BABOON BOY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 10

THE BABOON BOY.

STORY OF BRUTE LIFE. CAPTURE BY CONSTABLES. A story of a long chat with Souti Africa’s “ baboon boy " —Lucas —is relates by a correspondent of s' Sydney paper. The native was taken by baboons in babyhood from his kraal, and was cared for by a baboon foster mother for years, and spent a large span of his boyhood roaming the wilds with the troop. About 25 years ago two mounted constables of the old Cape police weie making their way through wild country in the South-East Cape Province, when Uiey came on a troop of baboons. For w< ut of something better to do, they bred a revolver into the midst of the atutnals. 4t the sound of the shot the troop scampered off, but one monkey- was noticed to tail, off at the rear, apparently in distress'. Thinking him wounded. .n e pome troupers galloped up to the iaggaid, and, to their astonishment, found, instead ot a baboon", a well-grown native boy, t-a----w-ounded, and laoonuusly hopping, i iong o all fours after his departed associates. The troopers determined to -apt ire the boy, wnu, uowe.w, chattered .n.-ilv ac theni when they came to close quarter*, scratching and biting them fiercely when they laid hands on him, and putting up a considerable tight before being overpowered. His naked state made it exceedingly difficult for the troopers to get a secure hold on him. After a sojourn in- a mental hospital it was considered by the authorities that Lucas was, pui’ely a subject of twining, and, efforts* were made to-piace him witn someone who would undertake to try to make him a useful member of society. Fortunately, Mr G. H. Smith, owner ot a large farm in the Bathurst district of the Cape Province, heard of Lucas —and so, some 24 years ago, the “ baboon boy came into tbe hands- of his present employer. . A hen Mr Smith took over his unique charge he had grave misgivings,. but h.s fears soon fell away. During his stay In the mental asylum Lucas lost his violent antipathy to human beings—so mar-itcst in his first encounter with the trooper and it was a comparatively docile nan re boy. with oddly monkeyish manner-sms, that first took‘up his residence n Mr Smith's farm. ... On examining his charge Mr found him covered with scars, amommonly like bites. One leg had apparently been broken years before, and had set es-t-emelv w»’'. »•>•«'<. *'n • f I was a great semi circular scar, which

■)' u- tbe result ol a kuk from an ostrich. He was mischievous for a whiie ailei lie came to Mr Smith- —cats weie the special objects of his teasings—but to human beings be was a»..-ys obedient and kinaly. more especial.\ •.< children.

With the passage of years Lucas masV ered to some extent tne ait oi though even to-day he knows only English, since his duties have brougnt bun mostly into contact with his English master and:mistress. He is an absolute duffer at tire Kaffir language, and can barely make himself understood to other natives. To-day Mr Smith would not exchange his one-time doubtful bargain for any other two native workers, for Lucas, if not ahead of,, others in intelligence, most certainly leads in industry and reliability. He will work a lathe —turning yokes, etc. —untiringly, and run a 10-mile errand without a rest. At heavy work the “ baboon boy ” has no equal throughout the countryside, and he can lift and carry a couple of hundredweight.