MOUNT BENGER.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2639, 2 August 1871, Page 2

MOUNT BENGER.

[from our own correspondent.] The mention ot the Provincial Treasuerer’a name reminds me that I have recently discovered that gentleman to have been the hero of one of the most thrilling adventures which ever fell to the lot of man. It augurs well for the hon. gentleman’s modastj that the story is so little known, ,is it would unquestionably be sufficient to make any man the pet lion of the London salons. My authority, Mr Donald Mautavish, f r many years a resident at the Cape of Good Hope, informs me that the inhabitants there are much annoyed by the ravages of the Bluenosed Baboon. Many years ago, when the honorable James Ben was an infant, some six months old, and all unconscious of future greatness, a number of these animals made an attack on the parental cornfields. They were warmly received, and among other losses an unlucky gunshot robbed a gigantic lady baboon of her offspring. The infuriated animal rushed to the verandah where the little James lay snugly in his cradle, and, to the horror of all prer sent, seized and made off with the future Treasurer of Otago. The pursuit was instant and incessant; but, alas! utterly unsuccessful. For months the infant was mourned as lost when wandering Boschesmen brought in strange stories of a female baboon having been seen suokling a white infant. At first these stories were received with ridicule ; but they were so strongly confirmed that a search party was organised and sent out. After innumerable adventures, they traced the blue noses to their den. There a strange

spectacle made them pause for a moment. The female baboon was seated with the infant in her arms; while a gigantic male gambolled about, apparently to the intense delight of the little innocent, who showed his joy by streams of ‘Da da da.” A shout, a rush, and the infant was rescued from its beastly foster parents, with whom it had sojourned over three months. It was in excellent health, and could howl a la baboon to perfection. Altogether it was a most singular instance of the dose connecting lin between (some) men and the monkey tribe, and, as such, is worthy of the attention of Mr Darwin. I leave to others to work out the psychological inferences. I am sorry to say that there are no sensational events to record from Mount Lenger. People are too busy to care much either for politics or their neighbors’ aff .irs. Hence a dearth of memorials and quarrels, irom a journalistic point of view this is no doubt to be deplored, but as a citizen, I must give my vote for peace and quietness. Lambing has commenced on the runs about here, ami judging from the vigorous c mdition of the large number I have seen, promises a good crop. The scarlet fever continues to rage at Tapanui, two more deaths having occurred. Mr Buntine has lost another child, aud iMr Ken’s family have also been visited. People here bt gin to enquire what has become of the investigation into the conduct of the health officer. If it has, like many other enquirii s, been burked in order to screen an influential offender, I prophesy a disturbance which will put all the bogus land agitations into the shade.