The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-03-07

The Dsa and the Moukey.
In the year 1923, an English officer, who
was stationed with his regiment in the neigh
borhool oiKulladgee, in lndis-s region in
which monkeys abound in numberless. guam.
titles, and whose yells, shrieks. and hootings
were indescribably wild-was q witness Of
most extraordinary scene. which he has
thus sketched: 81 was one day, with ma.
tive for q companion, climbing one Of the
slsnting sscents of the Hunmuddle cliff, When
/ became aware that an unusual commolion
which had by this time got 90 familiarised
with my appearance, that they seldom con-
descended to honor me with Z Snafl, or q
bough flung towards me in sport. Creeping
round q rock, behind which they appeared
to congregate, and on which grew a large
gumarabic tree, completely golden with the
abundance of yellow blossoms which cevef.
ed il, at once found myself on the stage OF
q strange tragedy in simian life. In the
voluminous folds of a boa constructor was
being slowly inwrapped beautiful brown
monkey, whose last cries and struggles de-
noted that came too late, even had / been
prepared to do battle with the reptile in the
cause of oppressed innocence. The monkeys
in evident alarm, ran hither and thither, mob.
ing and mewing, and chatterng; but no one
advanced near the spot, where presently
their poor companion became almost quite
hidden from view in the embrace of its de-
stroyer. Determined to watch the process
of the affair, quietly sat down, until gradu.
ally the monkey had been moulded, AZ it
were, into proper condition Tor deglutition.
for could hear the bones crack a. they
broke beneath the pressure to which they
were subjected; and ere long, a. the serpent
begun to untwist its folds, could admire al
leisure the magniicence Of its gli,tering
scales, that shone like some richly variegat.
ed metallic substance. shuddered az
beheld its grand and awful head--the prom.
inent orbits Of the eyes-and the eyes them.
selves large, and luminous with fiery light
The creature was at least twenty feet in
length, and was apparently famished by q
long fast. Perfectly needless of the noise
made by the monkeys, it unwound its coili
till the victim, now an unrecognisable mass
lay before It fabricated aud fit to be received
into the destroyer's stomach. When the
reptile had fairly commenced its repast, ant
the before Aaccid body began to fill ant
swell, | retired from tho arena of conflic
and hall of banquet, DESTROYS of summonnl
my friend to assist me in capturing the satet
giant. l knew that when gorged to reple
ton, there would be no difficulty in making
q prize Of the serpent; and he entered int
my plans most willingly. Accompanied b.
4 stout, lascar, bearing strong cudgel an,
sharp knife, for slaughter and skinning, W,
lost little time in reaching the scene, where
however, fresh marvels were being enacted
proving that the passion Of revenge 10 no
confined to the human breast. Keepin,
aloof, we resolved not to mar by any interfer
ence the by no means mystifying operation
In which the monkeys were engaged. Tn
boa constructor lay, thoroughly gorged, an
like log Of wood, beneath the same projec,
ing mass Of cliff where had left it. On tn
summit Of the rock troop Of monkeys lai
assembled, and three or four of the Iarges
and strosgest were occupied in displacin
an immense fragment Of tie massive ston
already doosened BY time and the element
from the rest Of the ledge. This mass almos
, overshadowed the reptile. By enormous e.
ertions, made in silence that was rare wi.
them, they at last succeeded in pushing il OF
wards until il hung over the boa's head, whe
uttering . fierce yell, in which ever
separate voice mingled. BY vigorous move
ment they showed it sheer down. The neav
mass fell right on the serpent's head, crust
, ing it as IL it were cocoa-nut; and % I'll
reptile dashed its fearful tail about in tn
final struggles for life, we could not refrai
from joining in the singular chorus of rejois
ing with which the monkeys now celebrate
their accomplished vengeance"