Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-12
SEMI WEEKLY WORLD.
FRANKS OF MONKEYS.
Comical Sights observed by n Bicyci
Traveller In India.


Comical sights observed by y Bicycle
Traveller In India.
l wheeled some fourteen hundred
miles along the monkey infested high
ways and saw some very curious sights.
Sometimes the monkeys would file in
long strings across the road, close be-
hind one another, each one looking
anxiously behind, evidently very much
disturbed at the strange appearance OF
the bicycle. Shining up the tall toddy
palms or cocoanut trees, one after an
other, they would hastily ensconce
themselves among the thick foliage.
and peer curiously down at me as
wheeled past, giving vent to their per-
turbation In excited cries. One day
remember Willing sway an hour or 50
benenth a grove of sacred peepu trees,
watching the amusing antics OF troop
OF monkeys in the branches overhead.
Their. marvellous activity was here
displayed to perfection, as they quar-
relied and chased one another from tree
TO tree. The old ones seemed passive
ly irritable. and decidedly averse to
being bothered by the antics and mis-
chievons activity OF the youngsters.
Taking possession Of some particular
branch, they warned away all would.
be intrudcrs with threatening grimaces
and feints. The youthful members OF
the party were full Of FRANKS, carried
on to the great annoyance OF their
more aged and sodate relatives. These.
In revenge, put in no small portion ol
their time furnishing or pursuing them
with angry cries for their deeds oil
wanton annoyance.
One monkey, that had very evident
ly been there many and many time
before on the same thievlng errlnd,
with an amusing secresy and roguish.
ness, slipped quickly along n horizon.
tai Dough, and thrust his arm into q
}olc His eyes wandered guilty.
.round, as though expectant OF detec.
ton and punishment. This apprehen-
sion quickly Justified itself in the shape
OF u blue-plumaged bird that ilutterod
angrily about the robbers head and
caused him TO beat hasty retreat
Birds eggs were the booty he expected
TO find, and methought, as | noted
the number, mischievouspess and
activity Of tho frecbootcrs To
whom birds eggs would be mos,
toothsome morsels. watchful indeed
must be the parent bird whose maternal
ambition bore its legitimate fruit in
this monkey-infested grove. In me
these monkeys seemed TO recognize d
first appearance they hastened TO hide
among the thichest foliage. Pccring
cautiously down, they yielded them
selves up to excited chattering and
broad grimaces. After awhile they
became somewhat treasured, and re
garded me with less apprehension
The wild monkeys and the natives seen
10 get along famously together, on,
often seeing them occupying the shade
OF the same tree.
In the valley OF the Hooghly, dow
toward Calcutta, my road sometime
partoot almost OF the character OF
tunnel, burrowing through mass o
donsc tropical vegetation. Cocoanu
and toddy palms mingled their feather
foliage with the dark green OF Tn
mango, tho wild pomoln. gian
bamboo, and other Indigenous vegeta
ton characteristic OF hot and humi'
climate, and big creepers swung from
tree 10 tree and wound tho mass In
extricable confusion.
In this magnificent conservatory G
nature big, black-faced monkeys, wit
tails four feet long, romp and reve
through the trees, nimbly climb tn
creepers, and thoroughly enjoy thei
life amid the sylvan scenes about then
1t was curious sight TO see those bi
anthropoids. almost rs large as huma
beings, swing themselves deftly up tn
festooned oreepers at my approach
TO see their queer, impish black face
peering cautiously out OF their hidin
place, and to- hear their peculia
squeak OF surprise and alarm as the
noted the strange character OF my con
veyance, the bicycle, Sometimes
gang OF them would lope awkward
along ahead OF the bicycle, loolSin
every inch like veritable imps of dark
ness, pursuing their silent cours
through the ehastened twilight G
green-grown snbterranean passag
ways, their ridiculously long tail
raised aloft, and their faces most of tn
time looking over their shoulder -
Mature.