The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-02-22
THE MONKEY TRIBE.
Some Interesting Facts COucerni g Thcs0
famous TrickSterS.

y
church, Father CarbassOn, owned an
orang-outang which was very fond of
him. On one occasion the animal, es-
Gaping from the house, followed his
master to the church. He mounted the
sounding board above the pulpit and
lay perfectly quiet until the sermon
commenced. Then the creature crept
to the edge Of the Sounding board, and,
overlooking the preacher, initiated every
gesture made by the priest until the.
congregation could not restrain their
laughter. The good father rebulzed his
flock with very significant gestures.
These gestures were so grotesquely
caricatured by the animal that the peO-
pie burst into rOars of laughter, and
r. one of their number, stepping forward,
informed the priestof the cause of their
merriment.
In the geological gardens in London
a monkey was taught to eat with knife
and fork, and in the geological gardens
of Paris monkey arranged his food on
the table, using his napkin and knife
and fork as we'll as child.
In Africa and India, and in South
America, monkeys are often employed
to gather the fruit, which grows toe
high to be reached by the natives.
A cook on board ship taught his
monkey to hand the wood and in other
ways to assist him in doing the kitchen
work. African apes, when they go in
body to plumber gardens and planta>
tons, are adroit enough to place a SEN
tinel in a tree, who informs the plum
81 kIo al, <f 1Nv
uttering a shrek.
The author of the History Of Brazil
tells Of q species of monkey called
preachers. Every morning and even-
ing these monkeys assemble in the
woods. One takes a higher position
than the rest and makes q signal with
his fore paw. At this signal the others
sit round him and listen. When they
are all seated he begins to utter a series
of sounds. When he stops these cries
he makes another signal with his paw,
and the others cry out until he makes
third signal, upon which they become
silent again. This author, Mr. Mare
grove, asserts that he was witness to
these preachings, but no other traveller
has confirmed the statement.
L he luClOCLU OIL LLlG monkey uSluS LlO
cats paw to take chestnuts out of the
fire is said to have taken place in the
hall of Pope Julius II.
Monkeys are not very brave, although
the gorilla will sometimes attack an
elephant when he is sure of his advan-
tage. The male gorilla often carries
huge stick and knows how to
use it. AS the elephant is fond of the
same fruit that attracts the gorilla, an
encounter frequently takes place. The
gorilla, seated in the tree, sees the ele-
plant approach cautiously drops down
to bough, and availing himself of the
opportunity, brings his club sharply
down on the sensitive trunk of his
enemy, who rushes away trumpeting
with anger and pain.
D Apes and gorillas are usually vicious
"and resentful, and less addicted to play
full tricks than the common monkey.
Indeed, the monkey, as we all know, is
q trickster both in his wild and his do
nestle state. In their native forests
they spend hours in swinging from the
branches of the trees, suspended by
their tails, and chattering and grimac-
ing with evident signs of delight Hum
boldt mentions seeing over a hundred
SO employed in South American forest.
The ordinary reader hardly realizes
how many varieties of monkey exist.
We hear of a monkey in the Indies with
reddish-brown bodies, black heads, and