It was a "blaau app," or blue monkey, which was tied to the tree. The
farmer's women had forgotten the poor beast when they went away and it
was pathetically glad to see me. It must have been very hungry, for it
had been eating oranges, as the skins strewn on the ground showed. It
was the first time I had ever heard of a monkey eating such food. When
I cut it loose, the poor thing jumped into my arms and I took it back
to the wagonette, where we fed it. Biddy and Snyman soon started an
argument as to what its name should be. The first wanted to call it
"Labotsibeni," but the other thought "Victoria," in memory of a
late-lamented Queen of England, would be a nice name. So, since it was
my monkey, I called her "Jennie," whereat the others upbraided me for
my lack of inspiration. To add to their iniquity, no sooner did we
unpack in Ermelo than they started a preposterous yarn about how I had
stolen "Jennie" from old Queen Labotsibeni. They said that the monkey
was her consolation in old age and that I had decoyed it away, thus
breaking the aged queen's heart.
This was not the last of "Jennie," however. The young doctor who had
taken over my practice was carrying on well, and he adopted the
monkey. She had the run of the place and was quite contented in her
new home until one morning we were awakened by a fearful row. The
peacocks next door were screeching at the top of their lungs and their
owner, a gruff old Englishman, was out on the lawn using very bad
language.
I ran out--and found "Jennie" up a tree with her hands full of the
long tail-feathers from several of the proudest peacocks! It took me
some time to pacify the Englishman, who demanded her life and was
calling for his shotgun. Finally I smoothed the troubled waters, but
"Jennie" was not allowed to run loose after that.
Having obtained the picture rights, I was anxious to have them taken
properly. I scouted about, but could not find the equipment or
camera-men I needed, so I decided to go to New York and get them. Oom
Tuys agreed to watch things in Swaziland and delay the coronation
until I could get back. I felt I could trust him to protect me, so I
started to make arrangements for my overseas trip.
[Illustration: THE STREAM THAT DIVIDES THE ROYAL FROM THE COMMON GROUND
It was on the banks of this stream that we camped awaiting permission
to enter the royal territory. This herd of cattle is being sent to the
royal kraal as payment for two Princesses whom a chief has purchased
as wives]
[Illustration: TYPE OF AFRIKANDER CATTLE
These cattle are the unit of value among the Swazis and enter into
every business transaction]
[Illustration: SWAZI WOMEN AT HOME
Fashion is as inflexible in Swaziland as anywhere, but the styles do
not change]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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