Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-02-14
An Epie9de in Monkey Life.

Many years ago, in the year 1921, | happened
10 be with my regiment-a battalion of Madras
nntiye infantry-on the march from Bnngalole,
In Mvsore, to Kullndghce. i'll the Doab. We had
reached the hill forts of l'adaumy, in the prov.
ince of Beapoor, where we halted for day y;and
at any place more strikingly picturesque. we
had not stopped daring the three hundred aud
odd miles we had irayersed.
Iwas climbing one of the slantiDg nsccnts OF
the Runmundlo cliff when became aware that
an unusual oommotion roigned among my
friends the moDdeys, which had by this time
got 80 familiarised with my appenrunce,th that they
seldom condesoendcd to honor me with snarl
or bough flung towards me in sport. |
conscious that something went wrong with them,
aud rs knew that sentiments of superstition; if
not of humanity, preserved them from the per
sccutions of the natives, ! became curious
| In the cause of the prevalent excitement Creep
ing round rock, behind which they appeared to
| congregats, and on which grew large gumnra-
bic tree, completely golden with the abundance
of yellow blossoms which covered it, and which
like Tenny yson's lime tree, was in sooth
summer home of murmurous wings
| at once found myself on the stage Of strange
trngedy in smian life. In the voluminous folds
of an enormous boa constructor was being slow
" inwrapped beautiful brown monkey, whose
last erie and struggles denoted that came too
late, even had been prepared to do battle with
the reptile III the cause OF oppressed innocence.
The monkeys in evident alarm, ran hither and
thither moping and moving, and chattering: but
not advanced near the spot, where presently
their poor companion became almost quite hid
den from view ia the embraces of its destroyer.
Determined to watch the process of the affair, |
quietly sat down, until gradually the monkey had
been moulded, as it were, into proper condition
for deglutition, for could hear the bones crack
as they broke beneath the pressure t. which
they were subjected; and erelong. as the serpent
began to untwist its folds could admire at les-
ure the magnifcence Of its glittering scales that
shone like some richly variegntcd metallic sub,
stance. shuddered as behed its grand and
awful head-the prominent orbits of the eyes
and the eyes themselves large and luminous with
II fiery light. The creature was at least twenty
feet in length, and apparently famished by long
fast. Perfectly Needless of the noise made by the
monkeys, it unwound its coils till the victim now
unrecognisable mass, lay before it fabricated
and fit to be received into the destroyers sto.
mach.
When the reptile had fairly commenced its re-
past,and the before paccid body began to fill and
swell, retired from the arena of colhct and hall
of banquet desirous of summoning my friend
Moor -ood- Deem to assist me in capturing the sta
ted giant. knew that when gorged to repeton,
there would be no difficulty in making prize of
the serpent and the moon she entered into my
plans right willingly. Accompanied by "a stout
iascar, bearing Il strong cudgel and sharp knife,
for slaughter and skinniDg, we lost little time in
reaching the scene, where, fresh marves were
being enacted,proving that the passion of revenge
is not confined to the human breast. Keeping
aoof, we resolved not to by any interter- !