Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-05-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Tough Monkey Story.


"They are coming, and will most likely
cross the river by the rocks yonder," observed
Raoul.
GLOW, swim it." asked "1t is torrent
there 2"
"oh, no, answered Raoul; monkeys would
rather go into fire than water. If they can
not leap the stream they will bridge it.
"Bridge it and how ?"
"Stop moment, captain, and you shall
see." The half>human voices now sounded
nearer and we could perceive that the animals
were approaching the spot where we lay
Presently they appeared upon the opposite
bank, headed by an old gray headed chieftain,
and oficered like so many soldiers. They
were. as Raoul stated, of the canIaarsa, or
ring-tailed tribe.
One-an aid de camp, or chief pioneer,
perhaps-ran out upon projecting rock, and
after looking across the stream, as if calculat-
ing the distance ,scampered back and appeared
to communicate with tho leader. This pro-
duced movement in the troops. Commands
were issued, fatigue parties were detailed and
marched to the front. Meanwhile several of
the caprat2rgds-epginee no boubt-ran
along the bank, examining the trees on both
sides.
At length they all collected around tall
of the stream, and 20 or 80 OF them scampered
up its trunk. On reaching high point, tho
foremost-a strong fellow-ran out upon
limb and taking several turns of'his tail around
it, slipped off, and hung head downward
The next on the limb, nlso stout one, climbed
down The body of the first and whipping his
tail tightly around the neck and fore arm of
the latter, dropped of in his turn, and hung
head down. The third repeated his manosuvre
upon the second, and the fourth upon the
third, and so on, Until the last one upon the
string rested bis fore>paws upon the ground.
The living chain now commenced swinging
backward and forward like the pendulum of
a clock. The motion was slight at first, but
gradually increased, the lowermost striking
his hands violently on the earth as he passed
the tangent of the oscillating curve. Several
others upon the limbs aided the movement
This continued until the monkey at the end
of the chain was thrown among the branches
of a tree on the opposite bunk, Here, after
two or three vibrations, he clutched limb
and held fast. This movement was executed
adroitly, just at the eliminating point of the
oscillation, in order to save the intermediate
links from the violence of a too sudden jerk
The chain was now fast at both ends, forming
a complete suspension bridge over which the
whole troop to the number of four or five
hundred passed with the rapidity of thought.
1t was one of the most comical sights l ever
beheld, to witness the quizzical expression of
the countenunces along tnat living chain !
The troop was now on the other side, but
how were the animals forming the bridge TO
Set.themselves oycr? This was the question
which suggested itself ManifestIy by num-
her one letting go his tail. But then the
point d'ugppt on the other side was much
lower down, and number, one, with half a.
dozen of his neighbors, would be dashed
against the opposite bank or soused into the
water.
Here, then, was problem, and we waited
with some curiosity for it's solution. 1t was
soon solved. A monkey was now seen attach
ing his tail to the lowest on the bridge, another
girded him in a similar manner, and so on,
until dozen more was added to the string.
These last were all powerful fellows and,
running up to a high limb, they lifted the
bridge into position almost horizontal.
Then a scream from the last monkey of the
new formation warned the tail end that all
was ready and the next moment the whole
chain was swung over, and landed safely on
the opposite bank. The lowermost links now
dropped off like melted candle, while the
higher ones leaped to the branches And came
down by the trunk The whole troop then
scampered off into the chapperal and dis
appeared.