Odyssey From Africa 6d

CHAPTER 6 (d, continued) Several times he threw the wing-form With advice from Han succeeding To produce a soaring flight path  Then returning to his duties    As troop leader; now the females  Brought forth food they had collected And their business turned to feasting In the gentle rays of sunset   Several days and nights now followed With a corresponding pattern While the males patrolled the border Food was gathered by the ladies    Once, at evening, Han and Matto Lit a campfire in the clearing  Some gorillas stared in wonder Others, fearful, shrinking from it   Rosy the baboon attracted  Much attention from the young ones  Gleefully they played together  With the smaller fellow primate   One day as the shadows lengthened Afternoon becoming evening  There again was an encounter  With the saber-tooth cat hunters   Hoots and chest-thumps spread the warning Quickly through the pongid kingdom Moments later all were climbing  To the safety of the treetops   But the males were organising At the silverback's direction  Moving tree to tree like shadows  Taking up assigned positions   Down below them at ground level Several wild pigs were running While the saber-toothed pursuers Herded them with cold precision    Bringing back to Han and Kwona Their own recent chilling memories  Once again the prey were corralled To the stream to be surrounded    And again the mighty primates Lifted most of them to safety Up into the high tree branches As they loudly squealed in protest   Soon however acquiescing To the powerful limbs that held them In high branches safely rescued  From the predators below them   Han and Kwona both were baffled  By this very strange behaviour  What did the gorillas gain by Rescuing these hunted creatures?   Later they would learn the answer These intelligent gorillas  Sabotaged the set-piece chases Of the sabre-tooth cat hunters   With the aim of their departure  To some distant hill or valley There to carry out their orgies Of carnivorous destruction    Thus the humans and gorillas  Shared a while their lives' adventure  Han and Kwona and the children Filled the days with happy memories    There however came a morning  Han and Kwona spoke of leaving For the purpose of their journey  Lay yet unfulfilled before them   Pleasant though their habitation  With the pongid troop was proving This was not the sought for homeland For their family and descendants