The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-10-12
Monkey VS.. Man.


Darwin has achieved a victory, or
rather the constituents of Darwin have
upheld, and, by clever, systematic
upholding, indicated the friend of the
ape.
Their vindication bids fair to cause a
complication of the Asiatic question,
and perhaps will bring Beaconsfield to
the front once more.
Within eight miles of Calcutta is a
village by the name of Augurpara. The
country adjoining is used by an indus
trious home community for the raising
of fruits, and is bestudded by orchards
The marauding monkeys infest the
neighborhood, and are reverenced by
the natives as semi-gods, and so safe
from any interference in whatever they
choose to do. Their general style of
business heretofore has been merely to
step down from the mountains and help
themselves to fruit in the orchards, and
on market days to make levies on the
stalls. This they carry on throughout
India, stepping down from tree or tenn
pie top and asserting the privilege of
carte blanche to what they desire.
Shackled by religious scruples, the ma
tives merely grin and bear the rayages
of their visitors.
This last affair was, however, some
thing more serious. After calm, de-
liberate council, the balloons descended
en- n,aSSe upon the village, and, with no
more trouble than an army with ban
ners, cleaned put everything before
them. They carried on the attack with
marked strategic effect, and were cum
ming enough to use violence only
against the children and women whom
they met, seeming to know that, while
the men did not dare to prevent their
actions, they could in self-defense beat
them off if they were assaulted. They
hold possession of the town, and exhibit
the uttermost confidence and ease in
their position.
This incident goes very far to prove
that the old idea, that monkeys were
human beings who are shrewd enough
not to evince their power of speech in
order to escape working, is more than
a mere theory. In many cities of India
the monkeys inhabit recognized quar-
tiers, and are allowed every morning to
descend from temple-top and tree into
the market-place, and there to eat their
fill of whatever may be exposed for
sale. The owner sits by pretending to
grant the meal without grudging, but
when no one else is looking he often
takes the opportunity of giving the in
truder hearty cuff, to send it on to the
next stall for the rest of its breakfast.
This semi-sacred character compli-
Gates the problem before the magistrate;
for If one street complains to him that
the monkeys have mischievously picked
half the tiles off the houses, and begs to
have them deported, the next street pc
titions that their religious prejudices
may not be outraged by any interior
ence with the Simians' liberty. Some
times, however, whole town agrees
that the monkey nuisance has become
intolerable, and, gods or not, votes for
wholesale deportation. But the mon
keys are as astute as their neighbors,
and, though submitting to be coaxed
across the river, or carted off to a
neighboring jungle, utilize both ferry
and high road traffic for a speedy and
comfortable return. Between Benares
and Ramnagar a constant transporta-
ton of monkeys was at one time car
ried on; but since as many came back
by boat of their own accord-the ferry
man not daring to refuse their wishes
the local officials abandoned the enter
prise, and to this day the animals share
both city and palace with the human in
habitants.
In the hill districts whole fields of
corn are ravaged in the morning by the
long-tailed troops, but the superstitious
villager will not do more than shout at
them his respectful request to 90 away.
To catch them would do no good. and
kill them he dare not, so he abandons
his grain cultivation altogether for a
year, and the monkeys pass on to an
other village. In the plains of India.
from one sea to the other, representa-
tives of the family are found, and com.
mand everywhere a similar respect.
Their images, in mud, marble or metal.
are exposed for sale in every idol-shop.
and though not actually worshiped. are
sufficiently revcrenced to find a place
on every altar and in almost every tenn
pie.
Hanuman, the king of all the mon
keys, who, in the great expedition of
Rama against CeylOn, helped the rods
against the demons, and who, by build
ing bridge of stones across the
Manaar Straits, and other gallant ex-