The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-03-21
INGENIOUS MONKEYS.
The Wonderful Intelligence Displayed by
Them in bridging q Stream or Water.

Them in bridging q Stream Of Water.
But, amusing as Jocko is in captiv-
ity. he is still more wonderful in his
native wilds, where he relies on his ma
tive wit to accomplish his own objects,
and keeps house and attends to his own
affairs in his own fashion. The follow
ing story of how a party OF monkeys,
bent upon a journey, overcame the OBJ
stacle OF a running stream and crossed
it triumphantly. is told by well-known
traveller in Mexico, who witnessed the
scene himself:
The party was five hundred strong.
1t was apparently a kind of migration
or change Of quarters, the object. no
doubt, being to find Il more hospitable
place wherein to establish themselves
and set up a new home. They trotted
along in lively, good-natured fashion,
chattering as only monkeys can, when
suddenly they came upon swiftly
flowing brook and halted on its banks
in dismay. A monkey, you must know,
hates water quite as much as a cat does,
and nothing will induce one to wet the
end Of his paw if he can help it. But
there was the stream, and there stood
our traveller, hidden by the trees, but
near enough to watch all the mancu-
yers.
The monkeys set to work. Three or
four. seemingly the leaders OF the par
ty, ran up and down the bank seeking
spot where the stream was the narrow
est and where there were tall trees ON
each side. Presently satisfactory
spot was found. Up the tree sped a
monkey. and another after him, then a
third, and then fourth. The first
wound his tail about an overhanging
limb and suspended himself head down.
ward; another wound his tail about the
neck and shoulders of the first, and also
hung head downward; SO did the third
and fourth.
Now for the marvellous part OF the
story! The living chain became a PEN
dulum set in motion by the lowest
monkey grabbing the heritage with his
claws and producing steady swaying
back and forth, the distance increasing
every time the pendulum traversed its
arc. A little patience, some frantic ex-
crtions on the part Of the end monkey,
and. presto! a lively swing, and he has
seized hold Of limb Of a tree on the
opposite bank. See! bridge is formed;
and now, with an agility apparently toe
great even for monkeys. lively as they
are, the whole herd have mounted, In
dian file, upon their companions backs,
and, by the aid Of this living bridge.
| have crossed the stream-well, not dry
shod, but dry footed.
But now, our traveller says, he be.
came alarmed about the bridge The
limb of the tree ON the opposite side O.
the bank from which it depended wal
much lower than the one on this side
Ii the end monkey on this end let go
he must infallibly drop in the water
and get sad ducking. This seemet
very cruel, considering the services h
had just rendered his brethren. How
ever, they had no idea of deserving him
and the problem SO difficult to human
intellect did not puzzle their monkey
ships intelligence for moment.
The Solomon, or some other great in
tellect among the party, applied itsel
to the question. He nodded an
winked, and in monkey language dc
clared himself equal to the emergency
Then he ran up the tree and affectionate
ly wrapped his tail about the neck an
shoulders Of the poor beast who had $
manfully supported the line on thu
side of the stream. The latter loosene
his claws, and allowed himself to b
drawn up to such height that his fcl
low who formed the other end Of tn
chain would, on loosening his hole
land safely on the further bank withot
so much as wetting the end of his tai
1t was a marvellous performance. an
! the story is strictly true. How oftel
N our vanity and conceit. VIC think tn;
, animals are indolent and stupid, and &
not know any thing! We do not realia
, how much wisdom and intelligence &c
has given to Puss and Ponto and Nedd
: and Jocko. In regard to many thin:
it often seema MS if they were wis,
than ourselves. Mary e. Vandyne,
I Christian Union.