the rocks?"

"Let them show themselves a little more, and we'll have a shot at them,"
replied Alexander, cocking his gun.

"Not for your life," cried Swinton; "you will be skinned and torn to
pieces, if they are numerous, and you enrage them. You have no idea
what savage and powerful creatures they are. Look at them now; they are
coming down gradually; we had better be off."

"I think so too," said the Major; "they are very angry; they have seen
Begum, and imagine that we have one of their herd in our possession.
Pray don't fire, Wilmot, unless it is for your life; we are too few to
make them afraid of us. Here they come; there are a hundred of them at
least--let us walk away slowly--it won't do to run, for that would make
them chase us at once."

The baboons, some of which were of gigantic size, were now descending
from the rock, grunting, grinning, springing from stone to stone,
protruding their mouths, shaking their heads, drawing back the skin of
their foreheads, and showing their formidable tusks, advancing nearer
and nearer, and threatening an instant attack. Some of the largest
males advanced so close as to make a snatch at Omrah. As for Begum, she
kept behind the Major, hiding herself as much as possible. At last one
or two advanced so close, rising on their hind-legs, that the Major was
obliged to ward them off with his gun. "Point your guns at them," said
Swinton, "if they come too close; but do not fire, I beg of you. If we
only get from off this rocky ground to the plain below, we shall
probably get rid of them."

The ground on which they were formed a portion of the rocky hill upon
which they had taken shelter the day of the elephant-hunt; and within
twenty-five yards of them there was an abrupt descent of about four
feet, which joined it to the plain. They had gained half-way, parrying
the animals off as well as they could, as they retreated backwards, when
some of the baboons came down from the other side of the rock, so as to
attempt to cut off their retreat, their object evidently being to gain
possession of Begum, whom they considered as belonging to them--and a
captive.

Their situation now became more critical; for the whole herd were
joining the foremost; and the noise they made, and anger they expressed,
were much greater than before.

"We must fire, I really believe," said the Major, when at that moment
they heard a deep, hollow growl, followed up by a roar of some animal,
appar