Butte record., 1857-01-03
TRICKS OF THE MONKEY.

alists as a class amongst the .S1m1ddR
which possess tail, rs distinguished
from those of the ape kind, which are
without this appendage. Ofthe class,
the ape appears more grave, less peev-
ish aud mischievous than the monkey.
They are susceptible of more intclli-
gence, and become more gentle and af-
feetionate. the few tricks which the
monkeys in our street occasionally ex-
hibit are the result OF much training
and perseverance, seldom performed
without the jerk of the chain or the
eve of the master whereas those of
the ape often show an intelligence not
much inferior to that Of uncivilized
men.
Lieutenant Mathews, who travelled
over a great part of Sierra Leone, Gut
nea, Congo, and Loango, states that
the Chimpanzee, the tribe most like
man in their structure, generally take
up their abode near some deserted town
or village, where the papau tree G tows
abundantly, the fruit of which serves
them as food in abundance. They
build huts nearly like the houses Of the
natives, covering them with leaves, for
their females and young, guarding the
entrances, day and night, with all the
care of the fondest parent. If one of
them is shot, the rest of the communi
ty pursue, with the utmost speed, the
destroyer, and the only means then of
escaping their vengeance is to part with
the gun, which they instantly seize and
batter to pieces, giving over the pur>
SUN when they have thus vented their
rage They travel in large bodies,
arming themselves with clubs, and fire.
quently compel the elephant TO aban-
don its locality. Mons de la Brnsse
states that they sometlmrs watch for
months together. to steal young ne
crosses, whom :hey carry into the
woods and force to live with them, feed
ing them plen,ifuily, but otherwise do
ing them no injury, as if to enjoy mere
ly their society One instance of this
kind came under his notice, of ne
gress who lived in Loango, and who
bad lived upwards of three years
amongst them, in the utmost harmony,
bef re she was able to make her es-
cape.
The apes or baboon which frequent
the rock of Gibraltar sprung from a
pair that were brought thither by an
officer who had travelled through the
interior Of Africa. These are describ-
ed as perfect nuisances to the place.
The only method the inhabitants have
of Kidding themselves of them is by
catching an shaving them. An odd
method, but no other can be mad re-
course to, on account of the use of fre-
arms being prohibited.
A friend of nine, an officer in the
Sappers ami miners, at a place called
Brompton in Kent, possessed one of
remarkable cunning. He had brought
it from this celebrated fort. 1t had an
extraordinary antipathy for women,
boys, dogs aud pigs, We remember
well seeing some youths playing at
marbles on the pavement of tho can>
non embrasures, and watching It's
tricks He would wait patiently until
they we're all intent upon their game,
and then silly shrust h,s head over the
parapet and hurl brickbat upon them,
STOPPING his head down immediately at
terwards TO hide himself On one oc-
casion, on repitiion Of thesa tricks,
boy, who had Newfoundland dog
with him, discovered the offender and
gave chase to him through the streets
Of the neighboring village, Brompton.
The creature, jumpidg up to the first
knocker of door he came to, thunder
ed away at it without interim sion,
with one hand, while he rang the bell
violently with the other. An old lady
of portly dimensions came to the door,
and the transition of the emotions of
her face from a good scolding expires
sion to one of staring alarm, as the
brute jumped upon her ample shoul-
ders for protection, is not to be soon
forgotten.
On another occasion this boboon car
ried off large basket of cherries,
WEIGHTS, scales, and all, which had
been left by an old woman, for few
moments, in the passage at the bottom
of the stairs, in the barrack room, DUR
ing her temporary absence 10 get
change for a coin. The creature was
seen the next moment, f.om an upper
window, showe,ing cherries, weights,
seals, basket and all, upon the re. i
mentals as lhey were marching out for
the mornings parade. l remember
well. old Col. P-y bobbing down
his head to avoid 2lb weight, which
despite his caution, struck his nose
causing the shedding of blood most in
gloriously and profusely. After thi'
adventure, the mischievous customer
Eas taken to the Chatham Dock Yard
in the neighborhood- Here its exploits
we're as mischievous for one day ths
turret clock of the yard having stopped
its cause was discovered to be the hil
ing up the said turret with the tools o
the morkmcn. who had been for D Ions
time previously, suspecting all sorts 0
thefts OF each other.
The story ofthe monkey shaving th'
cat must have ORIGINATED frnm thl