The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-01-01
A Hunters Find.

SYLvANIA, GA, December PA hum
ter 10 .du a strange discovery in the Sd
vannah river swamp in Screven county
recently. Told in his own language in
letter to the Sylvania Telephone, his story
Is as follows:
''The river swamp in what is known as
the Fork is very deep and thick. In
the midst of this few days ago was
attempting to creep on some ducks In
lagoon when my attention was arrested
by chattering noise In the trees over
haad. My first thought, of course. was
that 1t was squirrels, but had never
before heard them make such loud
noise or bark in that way. II they we're
squirrels, I thought surely they were the
largest ever known.
81 walked out few PAGES to get good
view Of the trees in which heard the
noise. 1t grew louder and louder every
moment and my curiosity was highly
excited to see what 1t was. l was not
long in finding out. Swinging from a
air and chattering for>all he was worth,
was one of the cutest little monkeys that
I ever saw! You may be sure I was
surprised at seeing an animal Of this
description in the Savannah river swamp.
But he was there-a sure enough mon
key, and no mistake about It. should
Judge he was about the size of an ordi-
nary dog-at least four or five times as
large az q cat squirrel. AS far as my
knowledge of monkeys COOS, he was Of
the species known as the American mon
key. He was swinging, as stated before,
by his tail, and was cutting up all sorts
of antics in the air, making the most
ludicrous kind Of gesticulations and chat
tering incessantly.,
81 was just wondering II he had escap-
ed from some travelling Snowman and
strayed off down there In the swamp
when my attention was attracted BY q
similar noise In another tree close by.
Just as looked in that direction another
one Of the animals of nearly thesame size
swung itself far out from a limb and
sprapg across the Intervening space-a
distance Of about ten feet--to the other
tree.
"Following this second one, ard jump
ing and swinging from the trees all
around, came four smaller ones, which
judged to be the children of the other
two. When they were all together on
the same tree 1t was genuine monkey
family, and most amusing and happy
spectacle 1t was. Ofall the wild pranks
that you ever saw cut up, those monkeys
did 1t. They would cuff and box each
other, and quarrel and chase one another
from limb TO limb until.it was ridiculous
to see them.
"It was wonderful how they could wrap
their tails around limb and swing clear
out into the air, and then, letting 60,
jump over to another tree. Really, their
tails seemed to be the most useful and
active part of their bodies, and thereby
they hung.
"All this time they did not see me. as I
was partially behind tree. was think
ing how 1t would be possible to capture
one of them-for of course would not
have thought Of shooting one Of the hafm-
less creatures-when one, more mischiev-
GUS than the rest, came down near to the
ground and happened to spy me as stood
there with gun in hand.
"Immediately he scampered back,
making most unearthly racket, and
when be did so, all the others started up
The same cry and, though they had not
seen me, they all ran away, jumping
from tree to tree with rapidity that was
wonderful. The monkey that saw me
hid evidently, given the alarm In their
language, which the rest undoubtedly
scampered away 30 fast. tried to follow
oLoLA 1oA q oaobe AAoJ ooe my Wous os
such rate that they were soon lost to
sight end hearing in the thick swamp.
"Now, the question that naturally
arises Is, where did this monkey family
come from? LIDO not claim to be an ex-
pert in natural history or anything of
that sort, but it Is my honest opinion chat
they were raised right there in the swamp.
The thick growth suits their habits, and
in the hollow trunks of the large cypress
es they are warmly housed during the
cold nights.
"a man who acquired some fame as a
naturalist once said that this swamp
would be paradise for monkeys and
that If they ever gained foothold there
they would surely thrive. How this
family that saw ever got its start. of
course cannot tell, but suffice 1t to say
they are there. Several years ago some
of our citizens may rememb ber that q
negro shot and killed an animal that was
jumping about in the trees, and which
vas declared TO be monkey by several
reliable parties who saw 1t after 1t was
killed.
"Moved by no motive but merely the
desire to state the facts ss I saw them for
the benefit of your readers. have tres
passed this much unon your time and
space. I trust we may very shortly hear
something more of this monkey family,
and I firmly believe that we will."-
atlanta Constitution. 8.